Super Bowl XXXVI
New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17
MVP: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Photograph by: Albert Dickson/The Sporting News Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri celebrates the winning field goal as time expired in Super Bowl XXXVI. The Patriots show "The Greatest Show on Turf" how to put on a final act. Adam Vinatieri (pictured, center) kicks a 48-yard field goal as time expires to give New England a 20-17 Super Bowl victory. St. Louis rallies from a 14-point deficit to tie the game with 1:30 left, but it's not enough to overcome three turnovers.

Super Bowl XXXVI Drive Charts and Play-by-Play

1st Quarter	3rd Quarter
2nd Quarter	4th Quarter

Image by: NFL Graphics Super Bowl XXXVI Logo (latest - top, original - bottom).

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 3, 2002) -- This Super Bowl was one to remember -- for all the right reasons.

It had heroes, a last-second finish and the kind of drama America always yearns for from its biggest game. And it went off without a hitch, proving the experts right when they guaranteed the Superdome would be the safest place in the country Sunday.

The final score was New England 20-17 against St. Louis, which had been a two-touchdown favorite and was seeking its second NFL title in three seasons.

Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal as time expired won it after a 53-yard, nine-play drive engineered by Tom Brady, who was voted the game's MVP. Vinatieri, though, might have been the MVP of the playoffs -- he kicked a 45-yarder through the snow two weeks earlier to tie Oakland, then a 23-yarder that won it in overtime.

Brady, who sprained an ankle in the AFC title game against Pittsburgh a week earlier, only found out four days before the game that he was starting over Drew Bledsoe, who helped win the Steelers game in relief and who had been the starter for nine years until he was injured in the second game of the year.

"This is the perfect example of what happens when guys believe in each other," said Brady, who led a team that was 5-11 a year ago to a title. At the start of the season, they were 50-1 shots to win what was their first title ever -- twice before having lost Super Bowls, both in this dome.

"The fans of New England have been waiting 42 years for this day," owner Robert Kraft said. More than that, actually -- the last team from the region to win a pro football title was the 1928 Providence Steam Roller.

The victory came on a day filled with patriotic themes inside the Superdome and high security outside. Fans were urged to show up five hours before kickoff to get through a perimeter that looked more like a military compound than a football stadium, with soldiers on the ground and sharpshooters on the roof.

The game began with most experts believing only the Rams themselves could beat the Rams. And that they did, with three turnovers that led directly to or set up New England's first 17 points.

"That's the slogan for this team," Rams star Marshall Faulk said. "The only team that can beat us is us, and we turned the ball over. Obviously, we're playing someone that is causing the turnovers at times, but for the most part if we hold onto the ball and eliminate the turnovers, the chances of winning are great."

That showed up in the stats.

Brady completed just 16 of 27 passes for 145 yards, compared to 28-of-46 for 365 for Warner.

But Brady was mistake-proof while Warner threw two interceptions and the Rams also lost a fumble that set up a score.

The key play in the final drive was a 23-yard pass from Brady to Troy Brown to the St. Louis 36.

Then it came time for Vinatieri, a distant cousin of daredevil Evel Knievel, who proved that maybe cool really does run in the family.

His 48-yard game winner flew straight through the uprights with plenty of room to spare. The clock turned to :00 and his teammates mobbed him.

"Adam Vinatieri's not just a kicker, he's a football player," Pats offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said. "He's a clutch player, a money player. Just like there are quarterbacks who are money players, he's a money player."

The game was really won by the defense, which held the NFL's best offense without a touchdown until less than 10 minutes was left in the game. And even as the Patriots played with five, six and seven defensive backs, they got pressure on Warner from Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour and Roman Phifer, among other big guys.

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"They say it's the best track team in the National Football League, but I never saw anybody win a 100-yard dash with someone standing in front of them," said New England cornerback Ty Law, whose 47-yard interception return gave New England its first touchdown.

Defense was the answer all year for the Patriots, who started 0-2 and lost Bledsoe to a chest injury.

Brady, a fourth-stringer as a rookie a year ago, took over and led them to the AFC East title with an 11-5 record. But few expected them to beat the Rams, who, at 14-2, had the league's best record and best offense.

This was the first championship for Bill Belichick as a head coach. As defensive coordinator of the New York Giants 11 years ago, he won a ring when Buffalo's Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard attempt in the final seconds.

Like that game, there was plenty of drama in this one, too. No Super Bowl has ever gone to overtime, though this game seemed headed that way when the Rams rallied in the fourth quarter.

Warner's 2-yard sneak with 9:31 left -- his first rushing score this season -- pulled St. Louis within 17-10. After holding the Patriots, the Rams got the ball back at their own 45 and needed only 21 seconds to tie it on a 26-yard pass from Warner to Ricky Proehl with 1:30 left.

"I thought we were back in the ball game and we're going to win this thing," Proehl said. "Momentum had changed."

But not for long.

Favored by 14 points, the Rams were billed as the "Greatest Show on Turf." But if they expected to breeze, they discovered early that the Patriots wouldn't let them. Warner was sacked only three times, but pounded on almost every play even as New England used five, six or even seven defensive backs to shut down the St. Louis offense.

The Patriots showed their tenacity early, giving up yards grudgingly and moving from their own 3 to near midfield after being pinned deep on their first possession.

New England stiffened on St. Louis' second possession, limiting the Rams to Jeff Wilkins' 50-yard field goal after they had moved from their own 20.

The Patriots let the Rams reach their 34 early in the second quarter, but this time Wilkins' 52-yard attempt was short.

New England had trouble moving the ball, but it was still the Patriots' pace at this stage of the game. With 8:49 left in the half, New England got the break it was playing for.

On a first-and-10 from the St. Louis 39, New England linebacker Vrabel broke clear on a blitz. As he was about to hit Warner, the St. Louis quarterback unloaded -- right to Law, who raced untouched 47 yards down the sideline to give New England a 7-3 lead.

The second TD came after the Rams got the ball on their own 15 with 1:52 left in the half.

On the third play, Warner found Proehl over the middle. He was hit by Antwan Harris, who scored in the AFC championship game last week on a blocked punt. This time, Harris knocked the ball loose and Terrell Buckley picked it up and returned it 15 yards to the St. Louis 40.

Five plays later, it was 14-3 after Brady found David Patten in the corner of the end zone for an 8-yard score. New England continued to stalemate the Rams through the third quarter, as Seymour's sack of Warner ended a drive that reached the Patriots' 41.

The Rams turned to the run to try to get New England out of its nickel and dime defenses as Faulk ran four times for 30 yards. But on third down, then came what seemed to be the inevitable turnover -- Warner missed Torry Holt and Otis Smith picked it off, returning it 30 yards to the St. Louis 32.

Three plays later, Vinatieri's 37-yard field goal made it 17-3.

The Rams then put together their first sustained drive, getting inside the New England 32 for the first time. On a fourth-and-goal from the 3, Warner fumbled and Tebucky Jones took it all the way back for what appeared to be the clinching touchdown.

But McGinest was penalized for holding Faulk -- replays showed it was obvious -- and the Rams got the ball back. On the second play, Warner went in for the touchdown to cut it to 17-10 with 9:31 left.

"We beat all the odds," Milloy said. "No one can ever take that away from us."

Copyright 2002, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

Super Bowl XXXVI Photos

Rams quarterback Kurt Warner hands off to running back Marshall Faulk during the first quarter in New Orleans. Bob Leverone/The Sporting News	Patriots running back Antowain Smith (32) carries the ball through the Rams' defense during the first half. Dilip Vishwanat/The Sporting News
The Patriots' Ty Law, right, celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown during the second quarter. Albert Dickson/The Sporting News	Rams wide receiver Torry Holt, right, tries to catch a pass during the first half in New Orleans. Dilip Vishwanat/The Sporting News
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady eludes the Rams' defense during the first half. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP. Robert Seale/The Sporting News	Rams quarterback Kurt Warner (13) is sacked by the Patriots' Bobby Hamilton. Robert Seale/The Sporting News
The Patriots' Otis Smith, right, tries to fend off the Rams' Torry Holt after Smith's second-half interception. Bob Leverone/The Sporting News	Patriots wide receiver David Patten, center, celebrates after catching a touchdown pass late in the second quarter against the Rams. Albert Dickson/The Sporting News
The Patriots' Tom Brady throws a pass during New England's 20-17 win over the Rams. Dilip Vishwanat/The Sporting News	Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri boots the winning field goal during the final seconds of Super Bowl 36 in New Orleans. Bob Leverone/The Sporting News
The Patriots' Richard Seymour celebrates with the trophy after New England's Super Bowl victory. Bob Leverone/The Sporting News
Patriotic beginning: The U.S. flag adorns the Louisiana Superdome field Sunday, Feb. 3, 2002 during the playing of the national anthem before Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)
Paying tribute: Names of the victims from the Sept. 11 tragedy are projected behind U2 during the halftime show. (REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme)
Watching from overseas: Members of the 101st Airborne Division of the Army watch the telecast of the Super Bowl at the Kandahar Airbase in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Holt sandwich: Rams wide receiver Torry Holt is sandwiched by linebacker Tedy Bruschi (54) and safety Tebucky Jones (34) in the first quarter. (REUTERS/Adrees Latiff)
The Law won: Cornerback Ty Law intercepts a pass intended for receiver Isaac Bruce. Law returned the pass 47 yards for a TD. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Sack time: Kurt Warner is sacked by Patriots defensive end Bobby Hamilton in the first quarter. Warner was sacked three times. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Tie game: Ricky Proehl's fourth-quarter touchdown tied the score at 17. (REUTERS/Shaun Best)
It's on the way: Adam Vinatieri kicks his 48-yard game-winning field goal in the final seconds to beat the Rams. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Celebration time: Vinatieri celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
Tough to take: Kurt Warner leaves the field after the Rams' heartbreaking, last-second loss. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
We're No. 1: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates after leading New England to victory. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)
Agony of defeat: Ernie Conwell sits dejectedly in the confetti shower after St. Louis' loss to the Patriots. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Hands on the prize: New England players reach out to touch the Vince Lombardi Trophy. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Team	Standing	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Home	Road	Strk
St. Louis Rams	1st NFC West	14	2	0	.875	503	273	6-2	8-0	W 6
New England Patriots	1st AFC East	11	5	0	.688	371	272	6-2	5-3	W 6

Image by: NFL Graphics and the FOX Network Television coverage provided by the FOX Network.

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.

"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.

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.

Injury Report as of Wed Jan 30 17:00:12 EST 2002