Patriots 35, Chargers 21
Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and became the sixth quarterback in history to pass for over 400 yards in consecutive games to lead the New England Patriots to a 35-21 victory over the visiting San Diego Chargers on Sunday.
Brady completed 31 of 40 passes for 423 yards and won his 29th consecutive regular-season game at home.
Deion Branch led the receiving corps for New England (2-0) with eight catches for 129 yards, and the tight ends did the scoring as Rob Gronkowski caught a pair of touchdown passes and Aaron Hernandez added one.
Vincent Jackson had 10 receptions for 172 yards and two TDs for San Diego (1-1), which turned the ball over four times.
Brady was ruthlessly efficient in the first half, completing 18 of 21 passes and leading scoring drives on all four of New England’s possessions before the break.
The big turning point came when the Patriots stopped San Diego on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line and then embarked on their second 99-yard drive in as many weeks.
This one took more than one play but the result was the same, with Brady hitting Gronkowski down the middle for a 10-yard touchdown.
The Chargers, who trailed 20-7 at the break, made a move to get back into the game in the fourth quarter by completing a 64-yard touchdown drive to pull within 20-13 and then forcing the Patriots to turn it over on downs near midfield.
San Diego spoiled that opportunity when running back Mike Tolbert fumbled on the ensuing possession.
Brady cashed that turnover in with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski and New England added a two-point conversion to push the lead to 28-14 with 8:40 left.
San Diego scored again before the Patriots put it away on BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 16-yard touchdown run with 1:54 left.