Breech Kick-Starts Bengal Offense, 41-7 : AFC: Cincinnati kicker scores in NFL-record 152nd consecutive game as Bengals bury suddenly mistake-prone Patriots.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ offense had struggled in its first two games this season, but it broke out in a big way Sunday against the suddenly mistake-prone New England Patriots.

Jim Breech kick-started the Bengals with a 46-yard field goal that set a consecutive-game scoring record and started a 31-point spree that carried the unbeaten Bengals to a 41-7 victory.

The Bengals’ fourth 3-0 start in franchise history is a good omen. The last time they started 3-0 was 1988, when they went to the Super Bowl.

Breech’s kick gave him points in an NFL-record 152 consecutive games, topping the mark set by Minnesota’s Fred Cox.

“I was glad to get it out of the way early,” said Breech, who is in his 13th season. “When I saw it fly through, I said, ‘Yeah!’ It got that over, and it got us off to a quick start. That gave us three points early and set the tone. We played the best game we have all year.”

Meanwhile, New England played its worst.

“We made a lot of mistakes--an ample number to last us the season,” New England Coach Rod Rust said.

The Patriots (1-2) came into the game with the best turnover ratio in the NFL, but self-destructed with four fumbles, two interceptions, two blown coverages on defense, a botched punt and an end-zone interception nullified by a holding penalty.

“Everything that could happen to us did today,” said Patriot quarterback Marc Wilson, who started in place of the injured Steve Grogan and completed 23 of 42 passes for 267 yards. “Maybe that’s good--we got out everything that could go wrong. Maybe we can learn from our mistakes and go on from here.”

The Patriots’ problems began when Bengal cornerback Lewis Billups intercepted Wilson’s first pass at the Patriots’ 39. Four plays later, Breech’s field goal got the offense rolling.

Bengal quarterback Boomer Esiason completed 15 of 25 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns--to Eddie Brown for 42 yards and Rodney Holman for 3 yards.

The Bengals were leading 10-0 when they took command by tricking the Patriots on fourth and goal from the four-yard line late in the first quarter.

Holman lined up at the right end of the line for an apparent 21-yard field-goal attempt by Breech.

But Holman slid behind the line to take a shovel pass from holder Lee Johnson and ran uncontested into the end zone.

Harold Green scored the Bengals’ first rushing touchdown of the season on a three-yard run in the second quarter.