The Sports Xchange

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots continued their dominance over Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills.

Brady passed for 466 yards — the second-highest total of his career — and three touchdowns Sunday to lead the New England Patriots in a 40-32 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

On a day when Buffalo’s fans hoped to set a Guinness World Record for noise, Brady deflated the home crowd’s enthusiasm.

“It was really loud, no doubt,” Brady said. “I thought the good plays settled them down a little bit. … It’s a good team, great defense, tough place to play, and it was a great win. It’s great to be 2-0.”

The Patriots (2-0) have now beaten the Bills (1-1) in 24 of their 27 meetings when Brady was the Patriots starting quarterback.

“It’s a team win,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “We prepared hard and we got something to show for it. We scored 40 points and we are 1-0 in the division.”

New England is also now 10-4 against teams coached by Rex Ryan, who led the New York Jets before taking over in Buffalo during the offseason.

“It’s on my shoulders,” Ryan said. “Belichick out-coached me. No question about it. That’s how it ended up.”

“It’s our players,” Belichick countered. “They made the plays that won the game. They probably overcame some not-so-great coaching on our part.”

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman caught 11 passes for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and tight end Rob Gronkowski caught seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. New England running back Dion Lewis gained 138 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski made all four of his field-goal attempts.

What we learned about the Patriots:

1. Tom Brady is as good as ever. The 38-year-old quarterback completed 38 of 59 passes for 466 yards — the second-highest output of his career — and three touchdowns. It was also the highest passing yardage total Buffalo ever allowed, and this is supposed to be one of the best defenses in Bills history.

2. Dion Lewis deserves recognition. Bills coach Rex Ryan said during the week that didn’t know the New England running back’s name. Even with starting running back LeGarrette Blount returning from suspension, Lewis led New England with 138 scrimmage yards (40 rushing, 98 receiving) and scored a touchdown.

3. The offensive line is coming together. The Patriots starting two rookies up front, putting Shaq Mason in at left guard and playing him alongside David Andrews, starting in place of center Ryan Wendell (illness). Josh Kline moved from left guard to right guard with rookie Tre’ Jackson going to the bench. The line allowed just two sacks against the Bills’ vaunted pass rush, and though the running game was an afterthought, the Patriots’ ball-carriers (aside from Brady) averaged a healthy 5 yards per carry.

Etc.

–TE Rob Gronkowski is always a handful for opponents. Several Bills defenders volunteered to cover him during the week. Buffalo mixed up its coverage, but Gronk still found openings. The western New York native caught seven passes for a team-high 113 yards and a touchdown.

–WR Danny Amendola caught just one pass, falling well short of fellow WRs Julian Edelman (11 receptions, 97 yards) and Aaron Dobson (seven receptions, 87 yards), but Amendola’s lone reception was a beauty. Covered closely by CB Nickell Robey, Amendola hauled in a 29-yard pass to set up the Patriots’ final field goal.

–DE Chandler Jones had three of the Patriots’ eight sacks, beating out LB Jamie Collins for team-high honors by a half-sack. Collins matched LB Dont’a Hightower for the team lead with eight solo tackles, and he finished with 11 total tackles.