Drew Brees, Saints overwhelm Dolphins, 38-17

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees reminded a national audience why he’s becoming Mr. Monday Night, and gave the Miami Dolphins another reason to regret not making a harder push to sign him when they had the chance seven years ago.

Brees passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns, and the Saints turned a clash of unbeaten teams into a lopsided affair, beating the Miami Dolphins, 38-17, on Monday night.

“I felt like we found our rhythm,” Brees said. “Every time we touched the ball, it felt like we were going to go down and score points.”

Two of Brees’ touchdowns went to Jimmy Graham for 27 and 43 yards as the tight end had at least 100 yards receiving for the third straight game. Brees’ other scoring strikes went to Benjamin Watson and Darren Sproles, who also rushed for a touchdown.

“We mix up where we put him a lot to try to find him favorable matchups,” Brees said of Sproles. “It goes that way for all our guys.”

Sproles’ five-yard scoring run on the game’s opening series gave the Saints a lead they would not relinquish en route to their first 4-0 start since their Super Bowl championship season of 2009. The Saints started last season with four losses.

“We like this a lot better,” Brees said of the 4-0 start.

Ryan Tannehill passed for 249 yards and a touchdown to Charles Clay, but his four turnovers on a fumble and three passes for interceptions hurt Miami (3-1).

The Saints have won their last nine Monday night games, all with Brees at quarterback and often putting on some of his most memorable performances in the process.

Now his 10th 400-yard outing since he joined the Saints in 2006 delivered a sobering blow to a Miami team that came in riding a surprising start.

When Brees was a free agent, he drew the most interest from New Orleans and Miami, but the Dolphins, fearful of the effects of reconstructive surgery on Brees’ throwing shoulder, did not pursue him as enthusiastically as then-Saints rookie coach Sean Payton. Since then, Brees has become one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history.

Brees was 30 for 39 against Miami without an interception. Sproles caught seven passes for 114 yards. Marques Colston had seven catches for 96 yards.