PATRIOTS 35, BUCCANEERS 7

Patriots 35, Buccaneers 7 LONDON - They traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and into foreign land, embracing the opportunity to display the game of Football for a wide-eyed audience. The Patriots simply showed the British what they had been showing Americans for years. Quarterback Tom Brady, whose matinee idol qualities led to gushing from the local press, added substance to style by throwing for three touchdown passes. The defense scored, too, perhaps helping the Brits learn the term ``pick-six.'' That the Pats ended the suspense early with a 35-7, cruise-control win against the Buccaneers did not ruin the enthusiasm of the jolly good show. The 84,254 frenzied fans jammed into historic Wembley Stadium, arriving with NFL jerseys and fervor, waving Bucs flags and staying loud for an atmosphere organizers hoped would resemble a Super Bowl. They did not appear disappointed. ``Flashbulbs were going off before kickoff for 10 minutes, which you don't see in the United States,'' said Brady, who was 23-of-32 for 308 yards. ``It was a privilege to come over here. It will probably never happen again, so we'll retire 1-0 internationally.'' Safety Brandon Meriweather returned an interception for a touchdown early, setting the tone for the first road win. Receiver Wes Welker had 10 catches for 107 yards with a score, and Sam Aiken had a 54-yard touchdown catch to make it 21-0. There was no letdown after the 59-0 whipping of the Titans. The word from the Patriots (5-2) was that it would be a business trip. They did enjoy themselves. Some players visited Buckingham Palace and Big Ben, and others simply walked around. Most important is what they walked away with. ``We needed the win,'' linebacker Pierre Woods said. ``We got one, and that's all we came out here for. We're hitting on all cylinders.'' An uninteresting regular-season game turned into an event, with a pregame concert and NFL big-wigs making appearances. As commissioner Roger Goodell said on the CBS telecast, ``The NFL is going to have a place over here.'' A trip to London is not what the Patriots want every weekend. They cherished it this time. ``It was tough coming here two days early, trying to get adjusted,'' said tight end Benjamin Watson, who had a 35-yard TD catch. ``But it was incredible. Something I'll always remember.'' When Meriweather stepped in front of a pass by Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson (9-of-26 for 156 yards), racing 39 yards for a score, the United Kingdom crowd went nuts. ``It seems like a lot of games, we're starting behind the 8-ball,'' cornerback Ronde Barber said about the hapless Bucs (0-7). A 14-yard pass on a screen to Welker made it 14-0 in the first. The lead was extended in the second quarter when Brady floated left, stepped up in the pocket, and hit Aiken dragging across the field. He shook Bucs leading tackler Barrett Ruud and scored. The half may not have been perfect - the second of Brady's two interceptions led to the Bucs' only score - but it was close. The defense's three picks allowed the offense to shrug off the gaffes. ``Makes our jobs easier,'' Welker said, ``when you're not scrambling and making it a high-scoring affair.'' Out of the locker room, Brady hit Watson for a 35-yarder for a score of 28-7, and it was over. Laurence Maroney's 1-yard run made it elementary. The Patriots head into the bye week with a win and an experience. - irapoport@bostonherald.com