Foxboro, Mass. ? Tom Brady remains the same. It’s just the supporting cast that’s changed for New England.

Brady led the Patriots to a 30-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Monday night, passing for 294 yards and touchdowns to Christian Fauria, Donald Hayes and Deion Branch, none of whom were with the Patriots last season during their surprising run to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis (36) is taken down by New England's Ty Law, left, and Tebucky Jones. The Patriots tore apart the Steelers, winning their season opener, 30-14, Monday night at Gillette Stadium, in Foxboro, Mass.

It was a huge start to the season for the Patriots as they opened the new Gillette Stadium against the team they stunned, 24-17, on the road in the AFC championship game last season. Pittsburgh entered as both a favorite to win the conference title and as a 3-point favorite on the road against the defending champions.

But Brady, an obscure backup who ended up as Super Bowl MVP after taking over in the second game for an injured Drew Bledsoe, demonstrated that rather than a fluke, he belongs among the game’s elite quarterbacks.

Throwing 25 straight times during the second and third quarters, he broke open a 10-7 game with two TD passes in the first half of a 17-point third quarter as New England ran up a 30-7 lead before Kordell Stewart scored from a yard out on the last play of the game.

One went for 40 yards to Hayes, a free-agent signing, and the second to Branch, the Patriots’ second-round draft choice.

“The three guys we didn’t have last year came up big,” Brady said.

Coach Bill Belichick was asked why they passed so much, and he replied with a laugh: “We wanted to establish the run.

“You take whatever morsels you can get,” he added. “We spread ’em out and found a way to make plays.”

New England’s defense also was sparked by newcomers.

Veteran cornerback Terrell Buckley, signed just last week, had two of the three New England interceptions, and Victor Green, one of the many ex-New York Jets on the Pats, forced and then recovered a fumble by Jerome Bettis that set up a TD. It was the first fumble by Bettis in 760 carries.

Other than Brady, who completed 29 of 43 passes, the only Patriots hero from last season to contribute to the scoring was Adam Vinatieri, who kicked the 48-yard field goal that won the Super Bowl. He had field goals of 45, 28 and 27 yards.

Mike Vrabel’s interception of Stewart at the Pittsburgh 26 that led to Brady’s 4-yard TD pass to Fauria, signed as a free agent from Seattle.