New England Patriots: Ranking the Patriots Super Bowls

#7 Super Bowl XXXI Green Bay Packers 35 New England Patriots 21

This Super Bowl was as much about Patriots head coach Bill Parcells as it was about the game itself, as there were numerous rumors about Parcells defecting the Patriots to become the New York Jets head coach after the season. His discontent with Patriots owner Robert Kraft was well documented and much of the Super Bowl pregame coverage focused on whether Parcells was playing out his last days in New England.

As for the game itself, Super Bowl XXXI was billed as a matchup between two of the NFL’s elite young quarterbacks in the Packers Brett Favre and the Patriots Drew Bledsoe. The first quarter featured a Super Bowl record 24 points, with the Patriots taking a 14-10 lead into the second quarter. From there, however, it was all Green Bay as the Packers scored 17 unanswered points to take a 27-14 lead into halftime.

After Patriots running back Curtis Martin scored an 18 yard touchdown in the third quarter to make it 27-21, the Packers responded almost immediately. Packers wide receiver Desmond Howard took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 99 yards for a backbreaking touchdown and with a successful two-point conversion, the Packers held a 35-21 lead that would stand for the rest of the game.

Despite the loss, the game was an important one in Patriots history as it was the start of what would eventually be the hiring of Bill Belichick as the Patriots head coach. Parcells did indeed leave the Patriots to go coach the Jets, taking Belichick with him; but three years later, in a reversal of roles, Belichick spurned the Jets and took the Patriots job and has remained so ever since.

Game Watchability: 3

Game Importance: 1

Game Legacy: 1

Total: 5, Despite the fact the Patriots lost, Super Bowl XXXI set the stage for the upcoming Patriots dynasty. With Parcells moving to the Jets, the Patriots were able to secure a building block of good players (Tedy Bruschi, Lawyer Milloy, Adam Vinatieri, Ted Johnson) and developed them into core players in the Patriots subsequent dynasty years.

Fun Fact(s): Desmond Howard became the first special teams player to win the Super Bowl MVP award. It is also the most recent Super Bowl in which the Patriots lost while wearing their white uniforms (2-0 since).