FOXBORO, Mass., Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Kurt Warner attacked the aggressive defensive scheme of New England coach Bill Belichick Sunday night, throwing for a season-high 401 yards and three touchdowns as the St. Louis Rams posted a 24-17 victory over the Patriots.
Considered one of the best defensive minds in football, Belichick has earned the reputation for being one of the league's elite game strategists whose defensive game plans have been consistently credited for defusing potent offenses.
Belichick used numerous blitzes to try and slow down the Rams' high-powered offense.
But Warner had little trouble dissecting the scheme, completing 30 of 42 passes and two interceptions. Warner's third touchdown of the game, an 11-yard toss to fullback James Hodgins with 10:32 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Rams a 24-10 lead.
It was the second career 400-yard game for Warner, who passed for 441 yards in last season's opener against Denver.
After Tom Brady threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to David Patten with 7:46 left, bringing the Patriots within a touchdown, St. Louis' offense again came up big.
The Rams squashed any hopes for a New England comeback, holding the ball for the final 7:37 of the contest and converting three third downs along the way. St. Louis finished with 487 total yards, including 22 plays of at least 10 yards.
Marshall Faulk, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, accounted for 153 yards and a touchdown for the Rams (8-1), who have the league's best record and remained one game ahead of San Franciso in the NFC West.
Brady went 19 of 27 for 185 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for New England (5-5), which failed in its bid for a three-game winning streak.
