With his team winning easily, Brady came out of the game early in the fourth quarter today, then re-entered to throw a team-record sixth touchdown pass, capping unbeaten New England's 49-28 rout of the winless Miami Dolphins.

Brady's TD total exceeded his career high of five, set last week against Dallas. Brady now has 27 TD passes after seven games. The NFL record is 49 set by Peyton Manning in 2004. If Brady maintains his current pace over 16 games, he would finish with 61.

Brady completed his first 11 passes for 220 yards and four scores, including throws of 35 and 50 yards to Randy Moss. His other touchdown passes covered 14 and 16 yards to Wes Welker, 30 to Donte Stallworth and 2 to Kyle Brady.

Willie Andrews returned a kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown to help the Patriots lead 42-7 at the half.

The Patriots improved to 7-0 for the first time in their 48-year history, while the drubbing was the biggest downer yet for the Dolphins, who fell to 0-7 for the first time in their 41 seasons.

Miami lost its 10th consecutive game, extending a franchise record, and lost running back Ronnie Brown to a knee injury in the third quarter. He came into the game leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage.

The Patriots have won all seven of their games by at least 17 points, matching an NFL record to start a season. They showed little letup until backup quarterback Matt Cassel entered the game with 11 minutes left.

Jason Taylor intercepted Cassel's second pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown to make the score 42-21. The TD was the eighth by Taylor, breaking the modern career NFL record for a defensive lineman he shared with George Martin.

Brady then re-entered the game and drove New England 59 yards in four plays, the last a 16-yard scoring pass to Welker.

The Patriots were that relentless all afternoon. They led 35-7 when Brady faked a spike play at the Miami 14 late in the first half. He overthrew an open Moss but hit Welker for a score on the next play.

The first time the Patriots punted, Chris Hanson's kick pinned the Dolphins at their 1. Even when Miami forced New England into a third-and-18 situation, Brady hit Moss for a touchdown.

Moss outfought defenders in the end zone for both of his scores, which gave him 10 touchdown receptions this season.

For the second game in a row, the Patriots scored their highest point total in 23 years. Their 42 points by halftime were a franchise record for a half.

Brady finished 21-for-25 for 354 yards and no turnovers.

The Dolphins upset New England twice in the past three years in Miami, and the Patriots came out determined not to let it happen again. They took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards for a touchdown, which came when the Dolphins missed three tackles on a 30-yard pass from Brady to Stallworth.

The Patriots' Ty Warren recovered a fumble by quarterback Cleo Lemon at the Miami 28, and New England scored six plays later on Brady's pass to Kyle Brady.