Andrews kicks it into gear

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - In his season and a half with the Patriots, Willie Andrews had been to the end zone a couple of times before, just not with the ball.

Instead, he had served as more of an escort service for teammate Ellis Hobbs on a 93-yarder last season against the Texans and a 108-yarder earlier this season against the Jets.

So when Andrews broke free on what would turn into a 77-yard return for a score yesterday against the Dolphins, he knew Hobbs would be there with him.

"I looked at the big screen and knew that if I got caught from behind I would have to get traded or something," he said. What he saw on the big board in Dolphin Stadium was Hobbs right behind him.

"I was right down there with him to block," Hobbs said. "He does it for me, so I had to be there for him."

Once Andrews was safely in the end zone, Hobbs started fanning his return mate. "He was on fire."

It's hard to say in a 49-28 game, one in which the Patriots led, 42-7, at the half, that there was ever any doubt about getting a victory. But if there were a time, it would have been after the Dolphins looked like an NFL team on a nine-play, 79-yard drive to make it 14-7 on the first play of the second quarter.

The Dolphins' Jay Feely had boomed the opening kickoff too deep to return. But before the Patriots went out for the next kickoff, they got a quick reminder from coach Bill Belichick.

"He said be alert for the onside kick or the pop kick," said Andrews, who cheated up as Feely approached the ball and made a short kick. "I knew we had a defensive lineman on that side [Le Kevin Smith], so I was going that way."

After he caught the kick on the 23 near the Patriot sideline, he cut back to the right and found his way to the end zone.

In a matter of seconds the Patriots were back ahead, 21-7, and cruising. "Willie's kick return was a huge morale boost," said quarterback Tom Brady.

Said Hobbs: "To answer the way we did, that takes a lot of wind out of [their] sails. That's demoralizing."

The play was the kind that comes with the attention to detail that has helped the Patriots in their 7-0 start. "We were told all week that [the Dolphins] squeezed on returns, so we knew if you could cut back it would open," Andrews said.

"I saw the same thing he did," said Hobbs. "It just opened up. It was my job to make sure no one caught him. I just said, 'Keep going, it's your time to shine.' Like I said, spread the wealth."

Andrews made another special teams play later in the second quarter that in many ways was just as big but didn't get nearly the attention. After New England had to punt for the first time, Andrews beat the coverage to down Chris Hanson's punt on the 1-yard line and pin the Dolphins.

"Special teams is my job," said Andrews, who had 15 tackles on special teams last year to lead the team. "There is a big emphasis on special teams to make the big play."

"He's under the radar with a lot of things, but he's a great player," Hobbs said.

Belichick was a bit more restrained in his assessment but it could be taken as high praise. "Willie does a good job for us in the kicking game," he said. "It looked like they kicked it away from the way we had the return set. I didn't get a great look at it, just saw a lot of bodies flying around."

Reid Laymance can be reached at rlaymance@globe.com