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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: redsoxallthewayintwothousand2
I've been there! Your Pats have played a great game - no matter what happens, you have NOTHING to be ashamed of!
881 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:00 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: sinkspur
The completely fixed and rigged superbowl...
882 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:08 PM PST by awestk
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To: StriperSniper
LOL - he's the Bill Buckner of the NFL (did he call that play?)
883 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:17 PM PST by Senator Pardek
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To: hole_n_one
Win or lose, I'm taking you out for quiche!

Rams TD! I'll take that quiche but if the Rams take this, I want lots of beer to go with it. Or wine. I'm not fussy. LOL

884 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:21 PM PST by riley1992
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To: Walkin Man
This game is RIGGED. All the controversial calls have gone against the Patriots. Notice how no controversial calls have been called against the Rams. Furthermore, the announcers seem to support the Rams.

I believe that this is a case of the gamblers, etc. paying off the officials.

885 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:26 PM PST by FreedomFriend
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what a game!
886 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:27 PM PST by InvisibleChurch
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Wow! Overtime or an incredible Pats victory. All time best ever? I dunno, this beat the Namath Jets and Giants/Bills. Only Rams/Titans might be considered better.(Thanks to the blizzard outside the party I was at.)

I'm taping the game for some missionaries oversees, got just 26 minutes left on the tape. Gotta plan a strategic tape switch for the overtime commercial.

887 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:36 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
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Comment #888 Removed by Moderator

To: jwalsh07
Starting to look like this game may be going to overtime

717 posted on 2/3/02 6:28 PM Pacific by spycatcher

Starting to look like this game may be going to overtime

What game are you watching?

726 posted on 2/3/02 6:29 PM Pacific by jwalsh07

Famous last words? ;)

889 posted on 02/03/2002 5:58:59 PM PST by spycatcher
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To: sinkspur
Come on. Are you really trying to sit there and tell me you think that ad was effective?
890 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:14 PM PST by riley1992
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To: College Repub
I almost had $300 comin at me!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!! FRIGGIN RAMS

You know that Pats were 14 point dogs, right? Did you bet straight Pats straight up? I took the Patsies with the 14 points.... unfortunately it was only half of my parlay.

891 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:20 PM PST by NeoCaveman
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To: all
All Ricky Prohel(sp) does is win or tie Games.
892 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:24 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
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To: CounterCounterCulture
*falls over fainting*
893 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:24 PM PST by Lemondropkid31
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To: jwalsh07
Yes the game is drawing more interest from me. What happens if it is a tie. Is that it?
894 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:34 PM PST by Torie
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1st down Pats...tick tick tick

17 - ST. LOUIS RAMS
17 - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

4th Quarter / 0:41 left

895 posted on 02/03/2002 5:59:55 PM PST by CounterCounterCulture
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To: CounterCounterCulture
Never been a Ram fan, but they've really hung in there.
896 posted on 02/03/2002 6:00:08 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: FreedomFriend
The Pats can still win, would it be rigged then?
897 posted on 02/03/2002 6:00:14 PM PST by Walkin Man
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To: Diddle E. Squat
Wow! Overtime or an incredible Pats victory.

I bet the Pats move the ball enough to give Venitari (sp) a shot at a field-goal.

898 posted on 02/03/2002 6:00:18 PM PST by Mulder
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To: Torie
No, then we go to overtime :D
899 posted on 02/03/2002 6:00:42 PM PST by Hawkeye's Girl
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To: awestk
The completely fixed and rigged superbowl...

Your team's defense ran out of gas.

900 posted on 02/03/2002 6:00:43 PM PST by sinkspur
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