New England Patriots: Ranking the Patriots Super Bowls
#4 Super Bowl XXXVI New England Patriots 20 St. Louis Rams 17
The game that got the dynasty started. In one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, the Patriots, as 14 point underdogs, shocked the football world by bottling up the Greatest Show on Turf and embarking on what would be a remarkable 17 year reign as the the preeminent NFL franchise.
Despite falling behind 3-0 early, the Patriots responded with Ty Law intercepting Kurt Warner mid way through the second quarter and returning it 47 yards for a touchdown. Then second year quarterback Tom Brady, in his game-manager-esque style, led a late first half touchdown drive in which he connected with WR David Patten for an 8 yard score with 31 seconds left in the half. It was Brady’s only touchdown pass of the Super Bowl, but it only be the first of many in the years to come.
The Rams, down 17-3, stormed back in the second half and tied the game with 1:30 left in the game. The Patriots, wanting no part of the Rams offense in overtime, went against convention and drove down the field without any timeouts. The key plays on the drive was Brady’s second down pass to Troy Brown for 23 yards that gave them a chance, and his subsequent 6 yard completion to Jermaine Wiggins to put them in Vinatieri’s range.
After a Brady spike, Vinatieri came on and converted one of the most famous kicks in NFL history, stunning the Rams, and giving the Patriots what would be their first of four NFL titles.
Game Watchability: 4
Game Importance: 3
Game Legacy: 3
Total: 10, In no uncertain terms, this game was extremely important for the Patriots. After they got their first Super Bowl win, they were able to build off of that momentum and it carried them to two more titles in the next three seasons, proving their ’01 team was no group of Cinderellas. It also dethroned the Rams as the marquee team in the NFL, as they would make the playoffs only once more in the following 16 seasons and were relocated to Los Angeles last year.
Fun Fact(s): Due to the NFL pushing their schedules back a week as a result of the September 11th attacks, Super Bowl XXXVI was the first Super Bowl to be held in February. Following Super Bowl XXXVII the next year, the NFL would institute a bye week after the conference championship games, therefore ensuring that all subsequent Super Bowls were held in February. Super Bowl XXXVII remains the most recent, and likely last, Super Bowl to held in January.