The visiting Washington Redskins, without Pro Bowl types Clinton Portis, Shawn Springs and a handful of other starters, offered little resistance in the 34-0 Patriots walkover.

Tom Brady, playing the better part of three periods, hit on 17-of-30 passes for 231 yards.

With only Thursday night's preseason mop-up at the Meadowlands remaining before the Sept. 10 opener here with Buffalo, Brady has clicked on a gaudy 65 percent of his passes.

Emerging tight end Benjamin Watson (8 catches, 97 yards) and old standby Troy Brown (4 catches, 64 yards) were Brady's top targets.

New England scored on four of its first six possessions, with rookie Laurence Maroney banging in from the 5-yard-line for one TD and Brady lofting a 6-yarder to Watson for another.

Rookie kicker Steve Gostkowski made good on a pair of 23-yard field goals for the 20-0 halftime margin.

Maroney and starter Corey Dillon, who left after being shaken up on a 39-yard catch-and-run, were barely used, combining for 24 yards on nine tries.

Defensively, it was a night of many happy returns for the Pats, who shut out the Redskins' first-teamers through the first half.

Newcomer Junior Seau hit the starting lineup, playing inside next to Mike Vrabel in Tedy Bruschi's spot. The new No. 55 cracked Ladell Betts for the Pats' first defensive tackle of the night and finished his work with three hits.

Safety Rodney Harrison returned to his strong safety spot for the first time since being carted off last season in Week 3 at Pittsburgh.

Interestingly, Harrison played traditional run downs, but came off the field in passing situations. He did not have a tackle but went full speed, attacking the run and chasing side to side.

With their 1,000-yard back Portis injured and 35-year-old quarterback Mark Brunell aging by the down, the Redskins were held to 59 yards of offense in the first half, with only four first downs.

Odds and ends

Maroney returned the opening kick 36 yards out to the Pats' 41. ... Heath Evans and Patrick Cobbs added short touchdown runs in the second half. ... Matt Cassel and the second-teamers replaced Brady and the starters with five minutes to play in the third quarter. ...

With defensive linemen Marquise Hill, Jarvis Green and Dan Klecko all missing the game with injuries, fellow subs Mike Wright and Johnathan Sullivan improved their net worth. Wright blazed down the field, covering kicks (a rarity for defensive linemen), and delivered a stinging hit on the opening kickoff of the night. The Cincinnati product also dominated in the trenches with four tackles and a pair of second-half sacks.

Sullivan, acquired in a trade with New Orleans, kept busy with four tackles and constant surges into the Redskins backfield.