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Super Bowl XXXVI - Pats 20, Rams 17 Congratulations Patriots!!!
NFL ^ | 2/3/02

Posted on 02/03/2002 2:25:46 PM PST by Dales

NEW ORLEANS -- The St. Louis Rams are the "Greatest Show on Turf" and the New England Patriots have struggled in Super Bowl's in New Orleans.

But that means nothing to the players.

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"We don't care if we win by 20, if we win by 30 or if we win by one," said Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, who set a Super Bowl record with 414 passing yards two years ago.

"We've been called 'underdog' all year, so it's not something we feed off of anymore," Patriots receiver Troy Brown said. "If we play well, we can beat anybody."

But the "Big Easy" has been anything but for the Patriots, who lost in their previous two Super Bowl appearances here by a combined score of 81-31.

St. Louis finished with the NFL's best record and seeks its second Super Bowl title in three years.

The Rams posted a 24-17 victory at New England on November 18 and dominated statistically, getting 26 first downs to 13 for the Patriots and 482 yards to 230. But St. Louis coach Mike Martz had a premonition after that game.

"I told the guys that night they beat a Super Bowl-caliber team," Martz said. "They were certainly the most physical team we played."

"(Martz) was right," Rams receiver Isaac Bruce said. "They played us well and went on to win eight straight after that. He definitely knew what he was talking about."

The Patriots trailed 10-7 in the second quarter and were marching for the go-ahead touchdown. But Antowain Smith fumbled after being hit by linebacker London Fletcher at the St. Louis 3 and cornerback Aeneas Williams recovered for the Rams.

It was the turning point of the game as Warner directed an eight-play, 97-yard drive that culminated with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Pro Bowl running back Marshall Faulk with 31 seconds left in the half.

"I lost that game against the Rams. I take responsibility for it," Smith said. "I'm happy for the chance to play against them again."

But Patriots coach Bill Belichick cannot be happy to see the Rams again. Known for his intricate defensive game plans with a multitude of blitz schemes, Belichick had difficulty combating St. Louis' explosive attack. Warner completed 30 of 42 passes for a season-high 401 yards and three touchdowns, Faulk accounted for 153 yards and Bruce caught seven passes for 130 yards.

New England intercepted Warner twice, one of which nickel back Terrell Buckley returned 52 yards for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, St. Louis' defense intercepted Tom Brady twice and held the Pats to 10 points. Fletcher starred with 11 tackles, an interception and the pivotal forced fumble.

  New England QB Tom Brady says he'll be ready to go on Sunday.
  New England QB Tom Brady says he'll be ready to go on Sunday. 

Brady will get the Super Bowl start after proving during the week that his sprained left ankle is healed. If not, the Pats will turn to backup Drew Bledsoe, who suffered a chest injury in Week 2 and lost his starting job to Brady.

A 2000 sixth-round draft pick, Brady led the Patriots to an 11-3 record and the AFC East title and threw for 312 yards in the snow in a divisional playoff win over Oakland.

Bledsoe, who was signed to a 10-year contract last March, finally got a chance to play again when Brady suffered a sprained ankle late in the first half of last week's AFC championship game. And the nine-year veteran showed no signs of rust, passing for a touchdown and committing no turnovers in a 24-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brady will have to make more than his share of plays to match the Rams on turf, where their speed is accentuated.

Belichick probably will start with five defensive backs to contain receivers Bruce, Torry Holt and Az-Zahir Hakim.

"Definitely the best group of receivers I ever had to defend," Patriots cornerback Ty Law said. "And Kurt Warner is a very accurate quarterback."

And then there's Faulk, the only player in NFL history to gain more than 2,000 yards rushing and receiving in four straight seasons. Faulk and Williams were born and raised in New Orleans and both were vendors at the Superdome.

"I could not have written the script any better," said Williams, who celebrated his 34th birthday Tuesday. "To have this opportunity and to do it in front of your hometown in the Superdome, where I sold popcorn, peanuts and Coke, where I played high school and college games, is great."

Williams spent his first 10 years with lowly Arizona before he was acquired by the Rams last April. Martz paid him the ultimate compliment, saying Williams is as valuable to the defense as Faulk is to the offense.

On Sunday, Williams will match up against Brown, who set a club record with 101 catches. Brown seized the spotlight in the AFC championship game, returning a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, recovering a blocked punt and lateraling it for another score and catching eight passes for 121 yards.

St. Louis' revamped defense also has shined in the postseason, intercepting Brett Favre six times -- three of which were returned for touchdowns -- in a 45-17 rout of Green Bay in the divisional playoff and effectively containing Donovan McNabb in the NFC championship game win over Philadelphia.

Under defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, the Rams changed eight defensive starters and reduced their points allowed from 471 to 273. Fletcher, end Grant Wistrom and cornerback Dexter McCleon are the only defensive starters who remain from the Super Bowl team two years ago.

The Rams are appearing in their third Super Bowl overall, losing after the 1979 season to Pittsburgh and defeating Tennessee.

The Patriots were pounded by the Chicago Bears, 46-10, in Super Bowl XX and lost to Green Bay, 35-21, in Super Bowl XXXI.

Nine Patriots remain from that team, including Bledsoe, Law, Brown, safety Lawyer Milloy, cornerback Otis Smith and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

New Orleans is hosting the Super Bowl for a record ninth time.

The Rams lead the series, 5-3.
Copyright 2002 SportsTicker Enterprises, L.P.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: masslist; monacofreetedmaher
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To: marajade
I've missed the last few minutes, but I could tell listening to the announcers that the Rams are "supposed" to win and they are building up the "comeback of all history".
761 posted on 02/03/2002 5:36:54 PM PST by Redleg Duke
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To: PoorRider
damn, another flag on the play off the kickoff. I'm starting to get a headache..
762 posted on 02/03/2002 5:37:02 PM PST by Big Guy and Rusty 99
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pats could use a snowstorm right about now
763 posted on 02/03/2002 5:37:05 PM PST by InvisibleChurch
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To: PoisedWoman
Clinton would have pocketed the quarter.
764 posted on 02/03/2002 5:37:27 PM PST by satchmodog9
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To: marajade
The absolute best commercial was the horses going to NYC and bowing before the statute of liberty.

Yeah, that was totally awesome!!!

765 posted on 02/03/2002 5:37:31 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Wouldn't it be great if a team called the Patriots won==Paul McCartney

Yes 33 to 3 would be nice

766 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:04 PM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: marajade
Is there a site that posts Superbowl commercials. I would love to see the NYC horse commercial.
767 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:22 PM PST by RummyChick
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To: Big Guy and Rusty 99
what exactly is mlife?

Shaddup

768 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:29 PM PST by VRWC For Truth
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To: xp38
Maybe we should cool down the fat lady for now....
769 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:30 PM PST by xp38
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To: InvisibleChurch
ah, I see.
770 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:37 PM PST by Big Guy and Rusty 99
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To: Torie
This game simply isn't that riveting. U2 btw sucks. JMO.

This is the first time I've seen you wrong about everything. The game is excellent, especially compared to past Superbowls, and U2 was rockin tonight. LOL

771 posted on 02/03/2002 5:38:48 PM PST by jwalsh07
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Are the Patriots morphing into my Oakland Raiders right before my very eyes? Stay tuned!
772 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:00 PM PST by CounterCounterCulture
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To: RummyChick
DITTO
773 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:06 PM PST by hoosiermama
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To: doug from upland
no, cause I will find out at work in about an hour and a half anyways. I am too anxious anyways!!! It will stil be fun to watch.
774 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:10 PM PST by Lemondropkid31
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To: xp38
Exactly. Its a team sport, the Pats were up 17-3, so if they do end up losing I sure hope that their fans don't do a Bill Buckner eternal bash job to #55. Totally classless, its why I've always rooted against the Red Sox ever since. One man doesn't lose a game, and Buckner only allowed it to be tied. Rams will tie this, but I still hope the Pats can win.

BTW, the refs were correct in the Raider game call, it was just a stupid rule.

775 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:11 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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To: Redleg Duke
I have to admit it myself I was shocked at half time. But my gut has been telling me since the first game was played that this was warner's year because of his faith in God.
776 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:22 PM PST by marajade
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To: Big Guy and Rusty 99
Man, I have seen a ton of these MLife commercials in the last couple of weeks. They just finally revealed that it is some kind of ATT wireless service.
777 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:30 PM PST by Floratina
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To: AnnO
Those mlife commercials are too clever by half if you consider that the website they've been directing viewers to has been overloaded and down the whole game!

Looks like someone at AT&T may be fired. You would think an Internet Service Provider would have had the bandwidth to handle the traffic.

778 posted on 02/03/2002 5:39:54 PM PST by spycatcher
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To: InvisibleChurch
pats need another turnover
779 posted on 02/03/2002 5:40:00 PM PST by Big Guy and Rusty 99
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To: RummyChick
Super Bowl commercials - available after the game I think
780 posted on 02/03/2002 5:40:17 PM PST by fnord
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