Irving, Texas ? New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady became the first NFL quarterback to throw at least three touchdown passes in each of the first six games of a season when he had three in the first half against Dallas on Sunday.

Former San Francisco quarterback Steve Young threw at least three touchdowns in each of the first five games of the 1998 season.

Brady added two more TD passes after halftime to set a career high with five in a game. He increased his NFL-leading touchdown total to 21.

The six three-TD games in a season are already a career high for Brady, who had five in 2002, and has 25 in his career. He had at least three TDs only twice last season.

A 12-yard pass to Wes Welker with 3:34 left in the first half was Brady’s third of the game, and the second TD catch by Welker, who earlier had a 35-yard score. Brady threw a six-yard TD to Randy Moss on the Patriots’ first drive of the game.

Brady added a one-yard touchdown to tight end Kyle Brady in the third quarter and a 69-yarder to Donte Stallworth with 12:31 left in the game

Brady threw four TDs in the third game against Buffalo, and had three in the other four games before Sunday.

The Patriots (6-0) knocked off the Cowboys, 48-27, in Sunday’s battle of unbeatens.