New England Patriots: Ranking the Patriots Super Bowls
#3 Super Bowl XXXVIII New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29
While Super Bowl XXXVI was the spark that lit the Patriots fire of success, Super Bowl XXXVIII was the bucket of fuel to keep it burning strong.
The Patriots came into the game as seven points favorites and boasting the NFL’s number one defense in points allowed and top five in numerous other categories. Riding a fourteen game winning streak and without trailing in any game since early December, New England was bursting with confidence that they could win a second Super Bowl in three seasons.
In one of the highest scoring Super Bowls in history, mission accomplished.
The game started off extremely slow as both teams were scoreless with just under four minutes to play in the half.
Then the scoring started.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hit receiver Deion Branch for a 5 yard touchdown with 3:05 to play in the first half to put the Patriots up 7-0. But the Panthers responded in quick fashion, with Carolina driving 95 yards in 8 plays, finishing the drive with a Jake Delhomme 39 yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith with 1:07 left in the half to tie the game at seven.
But New England would counter yet again, driving 78 yards in six plays, the big one a 52 yard completion from Brady to Branch, with the final play being another five yard Brady touchdown pass, this time to David Givens. With only 18 seconds left, the Patriots then squibbed the ensuing kickoff, but the Panthers tight end Kris Mangum picked it up and took it to the 47 yard line. Panthers running back Stephen Davis then took the next snap and ran 21 yards to set up John Kasay‘s 50 yard field goal as time expired. After almost 27 minutes of scoreless football, it was 14-10 at halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, the final period was setting up for another close game. In a record breaking fourth quarter, in which both teams combined to score a Super Bowl record 37 points, the Patriots prevailed on another Adam Vinatieri field goal, this one from 41 yards out. Tom Brady was named MVP for the second time in three seasons as he set a then-Super Bowl record with 33 completions for 354 yards and 3 TDs.
For the Patriots, it would be their 15th consecutive victory to end their season as they continued to establish themselves as the class of the league.
Game Watchability: 5
Game Importance: 3
Game Legacy: 3
Total: 11, The game has been frequently cited as one of the best Super Bowls in previous SB ranking lists, and it was well played throughout. For the fact that it was the first time a team had won two Super Bowls in a three year spans since the late 1990’s Denver Broncos makes the game historic on that end.
Fun Fact(s): This was the first Super Bowl that the Patriots played in which was not hosted by the Louisiana Superdome. All of their previous three trips were in New Orleans (1-2 record).