That didn’t work. They drew a penalty. Using only 11 defenders was even worse.

Brady threw for a team-record 517 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker, and the New England Patriots opened their season Monday night by beating Miami 38-24.

Brady and the reigning AFC East champions picked up where they left off last season, when he was a unanimous choice for NFL MVP, and his team led the league in scoring.

“He’s a great quarterback,” teammate Aaron Hernandez said, “and the world knows that.”

New England totaled 622 yards, the most in franchise history and the most allowed by Miami. Brady’s performance overshadowed Miami’s Chad Henne, who threw for a career-high 416 yards.

The 906 net yards passing by both teams was an NFL record.

“They made some plays on us,” Brady said. “We made a few more than them.”

Even by Patriots standards — they’re 1-0 for the eighth consecutive year — this was a fast start.

Defensive end Jared Odrick picked off a deflected pass to set up a Miami touchdown and end Brady’s NFL-record streak of 358 passes without an interception. Otherwise Brady was close to flawless.

Brady went 32 for 48 and became the 11th quarterback to throw for at least 500 yards. Norm Van Brocklin set the record of 554 yards in 1951.

Brady thrived directing a no-huddle attack that kept the Dolphins on their heels.

“I enjoy scoring points,” Brady said. “So whatever we need to do to score points, that’s what I want to do.”

The capper came with 5:44 left and the Patriots leading 31-17. After they stopped Miami on downs at the 1-foot line, Brady lined up in the shotgun on first down and threw from his end zone to Welker, who had slipped behind Benny Sapp near the 30-yard line.

“When I saw the coverage as we lined up, I knew there was a strong possibility I could be getting the ball,” Welker said. “I just wanted to make the most of the opportunity.”

He did, catching the pass in stride and sprinting untouched for the score to complete the longest play in Patriots history.

Brady also threw touchdown passes on consecutive plays. He hit Hernandez for a 31-yard score, and when a replay review determined the receiver was down at the 1, Brady threw to him again for a TD on the next play.

His other scoring passes covered 10 yards to Rob Gronkowski and 2 yards to Welker.

He was sacked only once, and good protection gave his receivers plenty of time to work their way open.

Newcomer Chad Ochocino was targeted three times and had only one catch for 14 yards. But Welker made eight receptions for 160 yards against his former team, and tight ends Hernandez and Gronkowski combined for 189 yards on 13 catches.

The Dolphins’ defense returned virtually intact from last season and was expected to be the team’s strength, but Brady riddled them from the start. He completed his first eight passes for 127 yards on the Patriots’ first two possessions, and both ended with TDs.
 
In Denver, Sebastian Janikowski tied an NFL record with a 63-yard field goal as Oakland beat Denver in an ill-tempered and clumsy game between the AFC West rivals.

The Raiders claimed victory in Denver for the fourth straight season, and gave coach Hue Jackson his first win as an NFL head coach. It was the Broncos first loss in a home opener since 2000.

John Fox lost his debut as Denver’s coach, and he lost at least two playmakers in the process.

Pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil hurt his shoulder early, and perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey injured his left knee making a touchdown-saving tackle of Darren McFadden , who ran 22 times for 150 yards.

The Broncos cut the deficit to 23-20 on Kyle Orton’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Lance Ball with 3:43 left.

Other than that, Orton had a tough night. He completed 24 of 46 passes for 304 yards with an interception. As he left the field, fans were chanting, “Tebow! Tebow!” for second-year quarterback Tim Tebow, a former college star who has been contentiously overlooked for the starting quarterback role.

The Raiders salted away the win by controlling the clock and were able to line up in victory formation after Michael Bush’s 12-yard run to midfield for the first down at the 2-minute warning.

After a first half filled with fouls, fists and frustration, the Raiders took a 16-3 lead into the locker room in wild celebration as Janikowski’s 63-yard field goal fluttered over the crossbar as time expired.

That tied the mark set by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and matched by Denver’s Jason Elam in 1998 at the old Mile High Stadium.