Patriots dominate

Tom Brady beat Minnesota’s relentless rushing defense by simply throwing over it, over and over again.

Brad Johnson? He was no match for New England’s unflappable quarterback, making a handful of uncharacteristic mistakes.

Brady passed for 372 yards and threw touchdowns to four different receivers, quieting another loud crowd and leading the Patriots past the Vikings 31-7 on Monday night at Minneapolis.

Johnson, intercepted three times, was 20 of 33 for 185 yards. Minnesota’s only score was a 71-yard punt return by Mewelde Moore, but New England rookie Laurence Maroney – playing in the stadium where he became a college star – answered that with a 74-yard kickoff return.

The Patriots (6-1), who have won six straight on the road, host Indianapolis (7-0) on Sunday.

The Vikings (4-3) proved they weren’t in their opponent’s class just yet. Playing their first Monday night home game in five years, they were consistently outschemed and outworked.

Brady hasn’t lost in 10 NFL games indoors, but he’s usually pretty good wherever he plays. Save for an up-for-grabs pass up the sideline that Darren Sharper snagged for a one-handed interception as he fell down in the first quarter, Brady was brilliant.

First-year defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin has helped create a dominant Vikings’ unit fueled by a fierce front four, but his charges were embarrassed on each of New England’s three first-half scoring drives.

Corey Dillon was stuffed for an 8-yard loss on the first possession, allowing Brady to account for 94 yards through the air and finish a frighteningly easy march with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Reche Caldwell.

The Patriots drove 93 yards in eight plays to get a 23-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski in the second quarter. And just before halftime, they moved 74 yards in 11 plays to take a 17-0 lead on a 9-yard scoring toss to tight end Ben Watson.

Dillon and Maroney came into the game, combined, with nearly 700 yards rushing, but their impact was minimal except for Maroney’s momentous kickoff return.

No, it was all Brady in this one, slinging his usual darts all over the field to 10 different receivers. He started the game in the shotgun, with an empty backfield, and lined up in that five-wide set several times in the first half.

Minnesota just couldn’t keep up.

Johnson faced more pressure than Brady, and he made two off-target throws before halftime that cost his team big time. The first one came on third-and-goal at the Patriots’ 5, a soft toss to Moore that wound up in Rodney Harrison’s hands. Johnson was also intercepted by Chad Scott when he went deep for Troy Williamson.

Coach Brad Childress has built the Vikings into a run-first, low-risk, scrappy outfit that relies on a sound defense and a take-what-it-can-get offense to succeed. One problem with that is they’re not made for big rallies.

Their largest deficit to date was 17-3 against Detroit, and they overcame that with a 23-point fourth quarter three weeks ago. But after Troy Brown’s 7-yard touchdown catch, set up by Maroney’s return, Minnesota was down 24-7. On the next possession, Williamson dropped a should-be touchdown on a long pass up the sideline when he failed to properly adjust to the ball as it arrived.

Around the league

Dallas Cowboys assistant strength and conditioning coach Tony Ollison became ill on the team’s flight home from Charlotte, N.C., forcing the chartered jet to make an unscheduled landing in Nashville, Tenn., early Monday. Ollison was taken to Southern Hills Medical Center and was in stable condition, the team said. … New Orleans running back Reggie Bush said his left ankle injury against Baltimore was more of an aggravation of a sprain that occurred in Week 1 at Cleveland, something he expects to keep playing with. … Tennessee Titans linebacker Robert Reynolds pleaded guilty to smashing a cell phone and punching a hole in a wall, but avoided more serious charges after an Oct. 21 fight with his estranged wife. … Defensive tackle Montae Reagor, injured in an automobile accident just over a week ago, has been released from the hospital and could rejoin the Indianapolis Colts this week.