Fast tempo led to Tom Brady’s record day

Get this: Before Monday night’s ridiculous 517-yard, four-touchdown performance, Tom Brady had only thrown for more than 400 yards once (once!) in his entire career.

And he needed overtime to do it. 

Not even in 2007, when the Pats broke just about every NFL offensive record, did it occur. It happened back in 2002, when the Pats beat the Chiefs in OT at Gillette Stadium, 41-38, thanks to Brady’s 410 passing yards and four TDs.

So much for old age catching up, huh?

Of course the 99-yard touchdown to Wes Welker padded the passing stats, but that throw was perfectly executed and placed in exactly the right spot for Welker to catch it on the run.

And it was just one of the many that were.

The Pats had the Dolphins defense lining up at the oxygen tanks Monday night, when many assumed it would be New England gasping for air. The reason was the fast-paced approach the Pats took — one that has worked for years with Brady under center.

“We try to play at a crisp, fast tempo every day,” Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said yesterday. “Every week is a new week. The tempo changes sometimes from drive to drive, but as a whole we want to play fast; we don’t want to play slow.

“So, it’s important for me to get the play in quickly and for Tom [Brady] to get the play communicated quickly, and for us to be at the line of scrimmage and ready to go.”
Brady connected with eight different receivers Monday.

“The preseason is about playing a lot of different groupings and trying out a lot of different schemes and things like that,” O’Brien said. “The preseason is one thing, and the regular season is another thing.”