The New England Patriots came into this season as one of the prohibitive favorites to win the Super Bowl.

After Week 1, they look like a squad that no opposing team will want to face this season.

The Patriots handily defeated the Tennessee Titans 34-13 on the road last Sunday behind two touchdown passes from quarterback Tom Brady, a rushing touchdown from running back Stevan Ridley and a stout defensive performance.

The victory marked the ninth straight season in which the Patriots won their opening game.

The Patriots have scored 27 or more points in their last eight regular season games.

While the Patriots continued their offensive excellence against the Titans, the defense displayed obvious improvement from last year's squad.

Titans running back Chris Johnson, often considered one of the most explosive running backs in the league, carried the ball 11 times for four yards, the fewest rushing yards he has ran for in his career.

The Patriots' defensive line and linebackers repeatedly burst through into the backfield and prevented Johnson from finding the hole to sprint toward the end zone. The Titans rushed for 20 yards on 16 carries for the game.

Though the Titans opened the game with a field goal, the Patriots controlled the tempo for the rest of the game and never trailed again. It was clear who the better team was at LP Field.

Despite failing to connect on what would have been an easy touchdown to wide receiver Brandon Lloyd on the team's first drive, Brady got the Patriots on the scoreboard with 1 minute, 59 seconds left in the first quarter on a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez. New England's lethal tight end combination struck again and looks to be successful once more in Belichick's well-established offense.

Facing a relentless rush, the quarterback was forced to use quick feet and step into the pocket, and he found Hernandez a few feet behind the goal line for the team's first touchdown of the season.
In the second quarter, the Patriots' defensive rookies showed head coach Bill Belichick why they were chosen.

On the second play of the quarter, safety Tavon Wilson recorded the first interception of his career in the end zone on a ball batted by cornerback Kyle Arrington.

Wilson dove and stretched his hands out to make the interception and give the Patriots offense the ball.

After a punt that put the Titans deep into their territory, defensive end Chandler Jones forced Titans quarterback Jake Locker to fumble the ball near the goal line. The ball bounced a few feet past the five-yard line, and linebacker Dont'a Hightower picked it up, dodged a few tacklers and ran into the end zone. The Patriots' defense finally looked alive and ready to excel in a big-game situation - the undoing of the 2011 team.

The Patriots then extended their lead at the two-minute warning on a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski.

On their first drive of the second half, the Titans drove 80 yards on four plays, including a 35-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook.

Titans quarterback Jake Locker scrambled outside the pocket and found wide receiver Nate Washington, who separated from the Patriots secondary and ran for a 29-yard score, Tennessee's only touchdown of the game.

The Titans should be impressed with Locker's performance though - he is a rookie quarterback who has much to prove in his tenure in Nashville.

After the two teams traded punts, the Patriots found the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run from Ridley. Ridley ran for 125 carries on 21 carries, and will surely look to carry the load for the Patriots in the coming weeks after this notable performance.

The Patriots ran the ball to run out the clock in the fourth quarter and they kicked two field goals in the final minutes. The Titans managed a field goal of their own with 9:17 remaining to reduce the deficit but to no avail.

The Patriots will look to win their first home game of the season when they face the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday at 1 p.m.

                                                                                                                                                                 - Josh Asen