New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is pressured by Dallas Cowboys’ Greg Hardy during the first quarter in Arlington, Tex., on Oct. 11.Tim Sharp/The Associated Press
Tom Brady has another 4-0 start. The Dallas Cowboys tried to make it as difficult as they could without Tony Romo.
Brady threw for two touchdowns, with a one-yard plunge for another score despite five first-half sacks, and New England pulled away from a powerless Dallas offence in a 30-6 victory Sunday.
The Super Bowl champion Patriots won their seventh game in a row going back to the playoffs last year. The Cowboys (2-3) lost their third in a row without Romo and receiver Dez Bryant, both sidelined by injuries.
Dallas has at least four more games without Romo (broken left collarbone), and this was the biggest struggle so far for backup Brandon Weeden. He lost his 11th straight game as a starter going back to his time as a first-round draft pick in Cleveland.
The Cowboys had just 59 yards at halftime, and trailed 20-3 before their first long drive, which ended with the second of their two field goals late in the third quarter.
Brady, in his 16th season, joined Peyton Manning and Fran Tarkenton as the only NFL quarterbacks with 4-0 starts at least four times. It wasn't easy early.
The 38-year-old hadn't been sacked more than five times in the regular season since Buffalo had seven in 2001, the year he took over as the starter and won the first of four Super Bowls.
Greg Hardy, the defensive end making his Dallas debut after a four-game suspension for his role in a domestic violence case, had one of the sacks. He made headlines during the week for commenting on Brady's supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, after being suspended because the NFL believed he roughed up his former girlfriend last year.
Rolando McClain, the other key Dallas defender playing his first game after a four-game ban for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, had the first sack.
Brady finished 20 of 27 for 275 yards and one rushing TD.