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          New England Patriots

          Tom Brady, Patriots make rout of Browns look easy

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          Brady was in midseason form (0:40)

          Mike Reiss says that after the game, Martellus Bennett joked that all Tom Brady needed was some WD40 to wipe off the rust coming out of his four-game suspension, but Brady himself said there's room to improve after the Pats' 33-13 win over the Browns. (0:40)

          CLEVELAND -- How much fun did New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady have in his return to action after serving a four-game suspension?

          One third-quarter play provided the emphatic answer.

          Not known for his scrambling ability, Brady took off for the sideline on a third-and-4 play with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, lunging for the first down in front of the Cleveland Browns bench. As Brady popped to his feet, he turned toward the field, thrust his right arm high into the air in front of him, and put his left hand on his right shoulder to signal a first down.

          Post-play Brady celebrations aren’t completely out of character, but this one was a bit different from the norm in its deliberate nature.

          “I don’t run much, so I was a little excited,” Brady said. “I’m just glad we got the first down.”

          Brady announced his return in authoritative fashion in Sunday’s 33-13 victory over the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium, leading touchdown drives the first three times the Patriots had the ball. He was 18-of-25 for 271 yards with two touchdowns at the half, and then padded those numbers in the second half against an overmatched Browns defense by finishing 28-of-40 for 406 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

          Brady was pulled from the game with 6:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, and Patriots fans in attendance chanted “Brady! Brady! Brady!” Bill Belichick initially had sent Brady into the huddle, perhaps so he could be cheered by the numerous Patriots fans in attendance.

          As Brady came to the sideline, he received high-fives from teammates and coaches.

          The performance was a reflection of Brady’s year-round commitment to his craft, as he hardly looked like he missed a beat from serving a four-game suspension during which he couldn’t practice with the team. His return opened the Patriots' offense, which was coming off its first home shutout since 1993.

          With Brady back under center, and the Patriots now at 4-1, they turn their sights to next Sunday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

          Yes, they’re “on to Cincinnati," just like two years ago when Brady was a big storyline as well.

          “It’s been a fun week to get ready to play and be back doing what I love to do,” Brady said, before adding: “4-1 is a great place to be right now.”