SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady grew up as a 49ers fans in the San Francisco suburb of San Mateo during the team's Super Bowl glory years. But he had never faced the 49ers in the Bay Area until Sunday, in his 17th NFL season.

Brady made sure his long-awaited homecoming was a happy and victorious one.

Brady threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a 30-17 victory against San Francisco at Levi's Stadium. Brady completed 24 of 40 passes in front of family and friends while playing in a stadium that appeared to have as many Patriots fans as fans of the home team.

"It feels very cool," Brady said. "It doesn't get any better than that. To have the first chance to ever do that was very special. I felt it in pregame warmup and it carried right to the last play of the game. So it was pretty great.

"They inspired a lot of kids here in the Bay Area in my time growing up, and I was one of them," Brady said of the 49ers. "To see Tom Rathman before the game. I idolized him. Dwight Clark and Joe Montana. To see Steve Young at halftime. It's a pretty great day for me."

Running back LeGarrette Blount rushed for 124 yards on 19 carries for New England (8-2), which bounced back from a 31-24 loss to Seattle. It was Blount's fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, another Bay Area native, caught eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Malcolm Mitchell caught four passes for 98 yards and a score.

Colin Kaepernick completed 16 of 30 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers (1-9), who lost their ninth straight game -- matching a franchise record set in 1978. Kaepernick was sacked five times while running back Carlos Hyde carried 19 times for 86 yards.

"I think this team is continuing to fight," Kaepernick said. "Trying to figure out how to fix our problems and make sure we go out and compete every week and try to get a win."

New England built a 13-10 halftime lead and extended its edge to 20-10 on Brady's 5-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola on the first play of the fourth quarter. Brady delivered a strike over the middle while going to the turf as he scrambled to avoid a sack. His third touchdown pass of the game capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive.

"He's a great football player," Amendola said of Brady. "He's playing really well. We all love playing for him. He's our leader."

Brady's 56-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell made it 27-10 with 10:16 remaining. Brady stepped up in the pocket and threw just before linebacker Ahmad Brooks hit him from behind.

"His ability to keep plays alive, he's as good as anybody," 49ers coach Chip Kelly said. "His ability in the pocket is as good as anybody that's ever played the game."

Stephen Gostkowski hit a 38-yard field goal with 6:13 left, increasing New England's lead to 30-10.

The 49ers were scoreless in the second half until Kaepernick threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to running back Shaun Draughn with 2:06 left to play.

"We got into a little bit of a rut," Kaepernick said. "We got out of rhythm, weren't stringing plays together like we were earlier in the game."

The Patriots struck first on the rainy weather, driving 73 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive. Brady hit Edelman with a 4-yard touchdown pass, making it 6-0 with 10:16 left in the first quarter. Gostkowski missed the extra point.

"That's something you kind of dream about, being from here," Edelman said. "Coming back and playing the Niners with Tom Brady, scoring a touchdown on the opening drive in a rainstorm. It was cool."

San Francisco cut the deficit to 6-3 on Phil Dawson's 33-yard field goal with 2:45 left in the first quarter.

New England extended its lead to 13-3 on Brady's 9-yard touchdown pass to running back James White opening the second quarter. The 49ers cut the deficit to 13-10 on Kaepernick's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vance McDonald with 5:03 remaining in the first half.

NOTES: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (chest) and WR Chris Hogan (back) were inactive. ... Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, was honored during a half-time ceremony and received his ring. ... 49ers PK Phil Dawson became the 10th player in NFL history to make 400 career field goals. His 33-yard field goal in the first quarter was No. 400. ... 49ers WR Torrey Smith (shoulder) was inactive, missing a game for the first time in his six-year NFL career. Rookie WR Aaron Burbridge started in Smith's place. ... Patriots RB Dion Lewis (knee), who began the season on the physically unable to perform list, was active for the first time this season.