Randy Moss and Matt Cassel celebrate their 66-yard touchdown play in the first quarter.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Patriots' offensive fireworks of last season weren't that long ago, but as New England ran a dink-and-dunk offense for much of its first three games, those halcyon days of Brady to Moss seemed far gone.

But for at least one play Sunday, they came back: in the first quarter, on third and 8, Matt Cassel dropped back, Randy Moss took off, and Cassel put the ball right on the money for a 66-yard touchdown.

"I think that's just what we've been waiting on," Moss said of the bomb. "To really open the offense up a little bit more and get the ball downfield and make other plays work. Being able to connect on that deep ball, I think it was good from an offensive standpoint because that's something that's been missing from our repertoire the past couple weeks."

Cassel, who threw for a career-high 259 yards, completing 69 percent of his passes (22 for 32), indicated that he and Moss had worked together quite a bit during the bye week.

"It was a third-and-long situation. It was something we had been practicing a lot during the week," he said. "We thought we had an opportunity to do so and it got us back in the game after a somewhat slow start with the interception."

Against the Dolphins two weeks ago, New England ran just three pass plays of more than 20 yards. Against the 49ers, there seemed to be at least three; before the completion to Moss, Cassel dropped back and wound up, only to have his arm pulled by defensive lineman Ray McDonald. The ball floated well short, picked off by Takeo Spikes. Later in the first half, Cassel looked deep for Moss again, but this time the ball was short and intercepted by Nate Clements.

After completing just four of 15 third-down chances against Miami, the Pats were eight for 17 in such situations Sunday, which went a long way toward their time of possession being a shade under 40 minutes.

Though he absorbed five sacks, Cassel felt better about the offensive execution this week, but added that the offense is still a work in progress.

"Week in and week out, we continue to mature and play better," he said. "Hopefully it will continue to be a building block. I'm not saying that we're not going to stumble along the way somewhere, but at the same time, as a young guy that's only in his third start, you've got to keep progressing."

Extra points

Former Pats linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, who parlayed a good 2006 season into a lucrative free-agent contract with his hometown 49ers but has largely been a disappointment, saw his first action of the season Sunday. He was credited with a half-sack and three tackle assists. ... This is the third straight season the Patriots have gotten off to a 3-1 start (or better). ... New England has won 11 straight games in October; the team's last loss in this month was Oct. 16, 2005, in Denver. ... Running back LaMont Jordan left the game in the first half with a right leg injury and did not return. But it is believed not to be serious. ... Sunday was the 100th game of Richard Seymour's career. By getting their first win in San Francisco, Washington is now the only team the Patriots have not beaten on the road. The Patriots are 0-2 all-time in the Redskins' building.

smanza@projo.com