Brady throws three touchdown passes as Patriots beat Bengals

[October 17, 2016]  (The Sports Xchange) - Tom Brady says he is not all the way back in two games after missing the first four games of the season serving his Deflategate suspension.

Given the numbers, that's a scary thought for upcoming New England opponents.

"I could do some things better out there and I think offensively we can too," Brady said after throwing three touchdown passes to power the Patriots to a 35-17 home victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

In two games, both wins, Brady is 57 of 75 for 782 yards, six TDs and no interceptions. Sunday, he notched the 73rd 300-yard game of his career and the 47th with at least three touchdown passes no zero interceptions -- second-most all-time.

"It's good to be 5-1. I think we're in a decent place," Brady said. "Just gotta string these games together -- there's a ton of football left."

Brady missed the first four games of the season serving a suspension imposed by the NFL after it discovered underinflated footballs were used in the Patriots' 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts in the January 2015 AFC championship game.

Hearing chants of "Brady, Brady, Brady" in his 2016 home debut, Brady was 29 of 35 for 376 yards, throwing two touchdown passes to running back James White and one to Rob Gronkowski.

Brady, who went over the 5,000-completion mark, was sacked three times but didn't make a serious mistake -- and the offense got a boost from two major contributions from the defense to come from behind to win.

In improving to 49-1 at home against AFC opponents with Brady at the helm since 2006, the Patriots scored 15 points in 4:07 in the third quarter to take control.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) makes a pass while protected from Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) by center David Andrews (60) during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots have lost only one regular season home game with Brady at the helm since Nov. 12, 2006, going 49-1 since, with the only loss coming in the final game of the 2014 season with Brady only playing a half. They have lost three home playoff games behind Brady in that span.

They have also won 23 straight home games against non-division AFC foes.

New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who kicked two field goals, missed on an extra point try, his first miss since the distance moved back last year. It was his first miss in his last 479 tries in the regular season, the longest streak in NFL history.

(Editing by Andrew Both)

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