Brady, Welker look plenty healthy in Patriots' victory

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Tom Brady survived a frightening car crash, signed a rich contract and ended his week with what he wants most: a win.

The quarterback threw two of his three touchdown passes to Wes Welker, who returned after a speedy recovery from a serious knee injury, and led the New England Patriots to a 38-24 opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday.

"I'm glad it's over," Brady said, "but it was a good week."

It was pretty special for Welker, too. He caught eight passes for 64 yards less than nine months after tearing a knee ligament in the final game last season and less than eight months after surgery. Many doubted he'd be back for the opener, but he and Brady were confident.

"I had pretty much instilled it in my mind that I would be back," Welker said. "I still have a ways to go . . . I have this stupid knee brace I hate. I can't wait to burn it."

He had the most impact of any receiver, surpassing the Bengals' new much-hyped tandem of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, who totaled 19 receptions for 212 yards and a touchdown.

The Patriots also scored on defense with Gary Guyton's 59-yard interception return and on special teams on Brandon Tate's 97-yard runback of the second-half kickoff, giving the Patriots a 31-3 lead.

"Obviously, you allow a kickoff return for a touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown, that's hard to overcome," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "It's hard to see through the muck, but there were some positives."

Cincinnati cut the lead to 31-17 on Carson Palmer's scoring passes of 1 yard to rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham midway through the third quarter and 28 yards to Ochocinco with 22 seconds remaining in the third.

Then Brady regained control on a 14-play, 81-yard march capped by a 1-yard scoring pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Brady was 25-for-35 for 258 yards. Palmer was 34-for-50 for 345 yards and two touchdowns. Ochocinco had 12 catches for 159 yards, and Owens seven receptions for 53 yards.

Owens and Ochocinco were supposed to give the Bengals two of the best deep threats in the NFL. When Palmer lined up for a "Hail Mary" with one second left in the first half, though, neither receiver was available.

Ochocinco was in the locker room receiving intravenous fluids, Lewis said after the game. Lewis said Owens was "being looked at," but he would not elaborate - "That's our business, OK?" he said.

Owens would not discuss where he was. "Coach said he would address that," he said.