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© St. Petersburg Times, published September 10, 2002
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Tom Brady remains the same. It's just the supporting cast that has changed for the New England Patriots.
Brady led New England to a 30-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, passing for 294 yards and touchdowns to Christian Fauria, Donald Hayes and Deion Branch, none of whom were with the Patriots last season during their surprising run to the Super Bowl.
"I think we had a good game plan and I think we were confident," Brady said. "When we come out in the first game and run a lot of no-huddle stuff, it was kind of hard on the defense conditioning-wise."
It was a huge start to the season for the Patriots against the team they upset 24-17 on the road in the AFC Championship Game last season. Pittsburgh entered as a favorite to win the conference title and a three-point favorite on the road against the defending champions.
But Brady, an obscure backup who ended up as Super Bowl MVP after taking over in the second game for an injured Drew Bledsoe, demonstrated that rather than a fluke, he belongs among the game's elite quarterbacks.
Throwing 25 straight times during the second and third quarters, he broke open a 10-7 game with two touchdowns in the first half of a 17-point third quarter. One went for 40 yards to Hayes, a free-agent signing, and the second to Branch, the Patriots' second-round draft choice.
Trailing 30-7, Pittsburgh got a consolation touchdown on the game's final play when Kordell Stewart went in from 1 yard.
New England's defense also was sparked by newcomers.
Veteran cornerback Terrell Buckley, signed last week after being cut by the Bucs, had two of the three New England interceptions, and Victor Green, one of the many former New York Jets on the Pats, forced and recovered a fumble by Jerome Bettis that set up a touchdown. It was the first fumble by Bettis in 760 carries.
Other than Brady, who completed 29 of 43 passes, the only Patriots hero from last season to contribute to the scoring was Adam Vinatieri, who kicked the 48-yard field goal that won the Super Bowl. He had field goals of 45, 28 and 27 yards.
The first half was tight.
Mike Vrabel's interception of Stewart at the Pittsburgh 26 led to Brady's 4-yard touchdown to Fauria, signed as a free agent from Seattle.
The Steelers, who had five turnovers, came right back to tie it, going 10 plays in 74 yards helped by a 23-yard pass interference call on Ty Law. The touchdown came on a 13-yard pass from Stewart to Hines Ward.
Pittsburgh reached the New England 1 midway through the second quarter but was set back by 25 yards in penalties, and Todd Peterson's 39-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.
On the Patriots' next drive, Vinatieri connected from 45 yards to give New England a 10-7 lead with 2:23 left in the half.
The Patriots made it 17-7 1:33 into the second half.
Brady was sacked on the first play, then hit Cam Cleeland for 8 yards and David Patten for 37 before finding Hayes for the score. Hayes broke a tackle and got a block from Branch to get into the end zone.
Then came Bettis' fumble that set up the touchdown to Branch.