20 years ago today...

BlackJack

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Oct 11, 2007
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"somehow turns controversial"?

Don't get me wrong, they obviously called it correctly but I think most people watching that live thought it was a fumble and didn't know wtf was going on when the refs made the call. I couldn't believe it at the time. I was watching with a group of friends and we all thought it was a fumble when it happened, even though we were obviously all tuck rule experts approximately 5 minutes later.
 

RG33

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Nov 28, 2005
7,199
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Realizing what a piece of shit Jon Gruden officially is makes this all the sweeter 20 years later.

I don't know that two better kicks have ever been made in an NFL game.
 

tims4wins

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Jul 15, 2005
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Hingham, MA
Watching the game now. The Raiders got screwed on a spot on the opening drive. But then they fucking punted on 4th and 2 inches from the Pats 40. LOL Gruden.
 

Mooch

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Jul 15, 2005
4,492
It was a fumble.

Until . . . .

I learned about a new rule. New to me at least.
I remember yelling "tuck rule" to my friends as they were reviewing it. Because the Pats had one go against them against the Jets in the same game that Bledsoe got hurt, which was the first time I'd ever heard of the rule.
 

Hendu for Kutch

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Apr 7, 2006
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I remember yelling "tuck rule" to my friends as they were reviewing it. Because the Pats had one go against them against the Jets in the same game that Bledsoe got hurt, which was the first time I'd ever heard of the rule.
I yelled "that's the Testaverde play!", thinking of the same thing. Of course, when the Pats were on the other side of it I felt like we were swindled, so I guess I have some sympathy to initial reactions.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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I yelled "that's the Testaverde play!", thinking of the same thing. Of course, when the Pats were on the other side of it I felt like we were swindled, so I guess I have some sympathy to initial reactions.
I've told this story before around here, but I was sitting almost on the 50 yard line, about 20 rows up during the Snow Bowl. When Brady "fumbled," everyone started heading towards the exits. I stayed in my seat, screaming at the top of my lungs that it was reviewable. I was out of my mind, because I knew the rule. I was like "Someone get me a phone to Belichick." A full couple minutes went by (maybe a commercial break) and then all of a sudden, the PA announcer said "the play is under review." At this point, I'm one of a handful of people left in my section, just screaming. Everyone else is in the aisles, where they just stopped. When the call was overturned, almost nobody went back to their seats, and folks just watched the remainder of the game wherever they were in the stadium.

To this day, that game and entire day was a top 5 sports moment for me.
 

loshjott

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Dec 30, 2004
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Silver Spring, MD
I was watching on TV with one friend and my oldest son who was 6 at the time. I would have been one of those heading for the exits as I stormed out of the room once the call was made. My friend and son were saying no wait a minute they're reviewing it but I was too angry to listen. They were right!

I also remember earlier in the day going on a hike with said friend and son as the snow was starting to fall (in Maryland).
 

Ralphwiggum

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Jun 27, 2012
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I knew the rule and started screaming "his arm was going forward" at the TV as soon as they showed a replay. Man 20 years went by fast.
 

nayrbrey

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Jul 20, 2005
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Driving somewhere most likely
I watched that game in Alexandria, VA. My then girlfriend had moved from NYC to Alexandria and we were seeing how a long distance relationship would work. (narrator: it did not work well)

We went out to a pub in Old Town area. The snow outside was not as fierce as what was on the TV. There were a bunch of Raiders fans there, however the bartender was from Revere so he and I had a lot of angst and then joy on the final FG.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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I've told this story before around here, but I was sitting almost on the 50 yard line, about 20 rows up during the Snow Bowl. When Brady "fumbled," everyone started heading towards the exits. I stayed in my seat, screaming at the top of my lungs that it was reviewable. I was out of my mind, because I knew the rule. I was like "Someone get me a phone to Belichick." A full couple minutes went by (maybe a commercial break) and then all of a sudden, the PA announcer said "the play is under review." At this point, I'm one of a handful of people left in my section, just screaming. Everyone else is in the aisles, where they just stopped. When the call was overturned, almost nobody went back to their seats, and folks just watched the remainder of the game wherever they were in the stadium.

To this day, that game and entire day was a top 5 sports moment for me.
I was in the 200's that day (what's now 216, I think it was the same # in the old stadium?) and I don't remember anyone leaving. I remember sitting down in disappointment with the rest of the section. The guy next to us had the walkman and headphones going and yelled "they think they may review it!" and away we went with history. Such a great fun game to be at.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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I was in the 200's that day (what's now 216, I think it was the same # in the old stadium?) and I don't remember anyone leaving. I remember sitting down in disappointment with the rest of the section. The guy next to us had the walkman and headphones going and yelled "they think they may review it!" and away we went with history. Such a great fun game to be at.
My 3 buddies and I that were at the game, were just texting each other about it. One of them wrote "Still one of the 3 greatest days of my life." My other friend writes "Going with top 4, since I have 3 kids, although that's becoming debatable." I then wrote "Top 2 for me, even though I can't think of what would be ahead of it." I have a wife and 2 kids.
 

NortheasternPJ

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My 3 buddies and I that were at the game, were just texting each other about it. One of them wrote "Still one of the 3 greatest days of my life." My other friend writes "Going with top 4, since I have 3 kids, although that's becoming debatable." I then wrote "Top 2 for me, even though I can't think of what would be ahead of it." I have a wife and 2 kids.
I've posted it on here before but we got tickets for the game the day before the game because of the snow storm. The guy who we split tickets with for the last 20 years asked my father if we'd take them (this was the 2nd game we got them the first was the Rams game earlier). Went from no chance to go to the game to taking the Foxboro Drunk Train down from Back Bay in 24 hours. The earlier drive with Brady running for the TD and falling down, those last couple drives with Wiggy of all people catching balls all over the field, the Tuck Rule, the AV kicks. What a game to be at.

The weather in that game was awesome. It wasn't an awful cold game like Titans 03 or windy or even those miserable 34 degree games when it's raining. It was perfect.
 

chrisfont9

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A dynasty was born

View: https://twitter.com/bostonsportsinf/status/1483655254902198272?s=20


I've watched a ton of snow games since then, but never have I seen a kick quite like that first one. Maybe it's the lack of HD cameras, but you can't even see the ball after AV kicks it, it just disappears into a blizzard.
This version has the end zone angle. Man, it juuuuuust barely cleared the bar. This was the first time I felt like maybe good things can happen to the Patriots franchise.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LSkpFEjuA
 

GeminiFish

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Mar 12, 2017
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I was watching the game in the hospital holding my two-day old daughter. When Vinatieri kicked the winning field goal, I burst out crying.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Sep 21, 2007
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When BB - who has been in football for like the balance of his life and is very selective in the praise he showers on players or plays - says it’s the most amazing kick he has ever seen, that’s saying something.

That’s a Pantheon game for NE sports fans, and it’s only enhanced by the fact that the dilapidated stadium it closed only - along with the weather - added further charm.
 

weeba

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Jul 16, 2005
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Lynn, MA
Went to the Bosstones that night at 930 Club. Watched as much of the game as we could at a friends house and made it for the start of the show. When the Pats won, Dicky stopped the show to announce the win - no idea until later as to how we won
 

mikeford

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Aug 6, 2006
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Much as I will probably always worry that Dave Roberts is going to be called out at 2nd, I will always worry that Adam's FG to tie it is going to miss.

How the hell did he make that kick
 

patinorange

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Aug 27, 2006
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They will be talking about that game for as long as football exists. Or even if it doesn’t exist. The snow, the tuck, the kick. It’s why we love football.
I didn’t turn it off, only because I wanted to see the handshake between Bill and Gruden. Adam is up there with Bobby Orr, Larry, Bill Russell, Tom, and Ted.
 

Ralphwiggum

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That was just such an unbelievable season. 16 years since a Boston team had won anything, and the idea that the Pats of all franchises would be the ones to finally get us one was borderline unthinkable. I don't really believe that there is such a thing as a Team of Destiny as I am about to turn 50, but when I was 29 and the last Boston team that had won was when I was in the 8th grade, I was desperately looking for any sign that this was our year. The Tuck Rule then Adam's kick had me all-in on the Pats going all the way that year.
 

Gunfighter 09

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Jul 31, 2005
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It's a relatively recent thing, but no flag on Brady blatantly tripping Biekert (because he knew it was a fumble) is the part that upsets me most today. 2nd & 25 at the NE 43 would have been much better than 2nd & 10 at the Oakland 42.

Gruden really should have gone for it on 4th & 1 from his own 44. Frank Midlleton wasn't making the same mistake twice.
 

Old Fart Tree

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I was in a rough spot at the time - job I hated, career going nowhere. I watched it in the living room of my friend Kendall whose career was going much better, off the Oregon expressway in Palo Alto. Literally that day I turned down another shitty job offer that would have forced me to Move to Sacramento… that win put a little pep In my step during some dark times. I’ll never forget it, although I enjoy @Deathofthebambino ’s story better every time it comes up.
 

tims4wins

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Jul 15, 2005
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I’m 40. So half my life has now been spent since this game. That’s hard to process. There were 2 Boston titles from when I was born to that point (I was born after the Celts won in ‘81). There have been 12 since. Unreal.

Edit I’m getting legitimately emotional about this.
 
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Preacher

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I’m 40. So half my life has now been spent since this game. That’s hard to process. There were 2 Boston titles from when I was born to that point (I was born after the Celts won in ‘81). There have been 12 since. Unreal.

Edit I’m getting legitimately emotional about this.
I’m in the same boat as you. Turned 40 in November. I watched this game in my dorm room at Illinois my sophomore year. They’d win another Super Bowl before I graduated, which I watched at a friend’s apartment and a 3rd the year after I was out of college (along with that sweet Red Sox WS) when I was temporarily living in Maryland. Fuck, where did the time go!?
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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The weather in that game was awesome. It wasn't an awful cold game like Titans 03 or windy or even those miserable 34 degree games when it's raining. It was perfect.
The weather that day was absolutely perfect for January football. Because it was going to be the last game at the old stadium, we went all out for the tailgate (we have about 24 guys that we still tailgate with that were at that one), lobsters, filet mignon, just an orgy of food for hours and hours and hours. Perfect tailgate, with a little snow coming down.

The skies pretty much opened up while we were walking into the game, and didn't stop during the game. If we got a foot of snow that day, probably 6-8 inches fell during the game itself. It was just heaven, and to have it end the way it did. I've got framed collages of photos from that game that one of my friends made for all of us. I have a Patriots United hardcover book autographed by BB, Kraft and Vinatieri (yeah, weird threesome) that I bought later on at auction. There is an autographed, framed photo of the "kick" hanging in my son's room (next to an autographed photo of the Flutie dropkick, not above his bed though, that's reserved for Tek hitting ARod in the face). Just a perfect football experience. Usually, we bail out of places as soon as we can, but nobody was leaving the lots that day, and the lot owners weren't closing up. That party went on until probably 4-6 hours after the game, a second full tailgate.
 

Marciano490

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Nov 4, 2007
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I've told this story before around here, but I was sitting almost on the 50 yard line, about 20 rows up during the Snow Bowl. When Brady "fumbled," everyone started heading towards the exits. I stayed in my seat, screaming at the top of my lungs that it was reviewable. I was out of my mind, because I knew the rule. I was like "Someone get me a phone to Belichick." A full couple minutes went by (maybe a commercial break) and then all of a sudden, the PA announcer said "the play is under review." At this point, I'm one of a handful of people left in my section, just screaming. Everyone else is in the aisles, where they just stopped. When the call was overturned, almost nobody went back to their seats, and folks just watched the remainder of the game wherever they were in the stadium.

To this day, that game and entire day was a top 5 sports moment for me.
I was there too, with my college girlfriend. We’d gone just to sell the tix my mom’s bf had given me, because I really need the cash. But when we got to the stadium it looked so perfect under the falling snow, we decided to stay.

Of course, neither of us were dressed, so we spent the whole game shivering and after the “fumble” I finally relented and said we could go. Luckily, I was able to linger long enough to see the reversal.

That and Pedro’s 5k All-Star game are probably the coolest sporting events I’ve seen live.
 

Fisks Of Fury

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Jul 16, 2005
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I've told this story before around here, but I was sitting almost on the 50 yard line, about 20 rows up during the Snow Bowl. When Brady "fumbled," everyone started heading towards the exits. I stayed in my seat, screaming at the top of my lungs that it was reviewable. I was out of my mind, because I knew the rule. I was like "Someone get me a phone to Belichick." A full couple minutes went by (maybe a commercial break) and then all of a sudden, the PA announcer said "the play is under review." At this point, I'm one of a handful of people left in my section, just screaming. Everyone else is in the aisles, where they just stopped. When the call was overturned, almost nobody went back to their seats, and folks just watched the remainder of the game wherever they were in the stadium.
My now-wife and I were at the game, halfway up in the endzone, and this was exactly what happened where we were. After the "fumble", turned to her and said "well, that's it." and we gathered up our stuff and started to move up the steps. We hadn't gotten very far when they announced the play was being reviewed, and we literally just stopped and slid into the row we were at on the stairs. Didn't move from that seat until the game was over. Had a great view of the tying FG right in front of us... it was a close thing.

I remember security was extra tough for that game too, going in the gate by the North endzone, it was moving extra slow and the crowd was packed-in trying to get through. Lots of shoving/pushing and chants of "bullllll-shit". When we finally got in, we'd missed kickoff. Biggest mood differential between game entry and game exit that I can think of.
 

Van Everyman

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I was sitting on my bed in my tiny DC studio apartment with my friend sitting in the sofa watching. My sister was at the game with my friend, who she had been dating for a few months.

My now-wife was laying down on the bed next to me, she’d just had sinus surgery and was asleep though the whole game because of all the pain pills – only to wake up just as the Pats begin to score those 10 points. Just a beautiful game.

Worth noting, Gumbel and Sims were a really good broadcast pairing back then.
 

Was (Not Wasdin)

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Jul 26, 2007
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It was an 8pm start, so the expectation was that they would start letting cars into the lots around 345 or so. But at about 1pm, whoever was doing the pregame on EEI said that because of the terrible traffic that was already starting to build up, they were letting cars in early. So we had to break our routine (never a good thing in our superstitious heads) and head down early. Even though we got there around 3pm, we got shut out of our regular lot (the lot behind route 1 liquors) and had to park in what was then the main stadium lot, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

We had had the same seats since 1993. That whole stretch, there was a guy who sat behind us, who we referred to as "Mr. Football". He would regularly drag his poor wife to the game, and spend the whole game telling her stuff like "That's Marshall Faulk. He's the best running back in the league." He usually had a good sized transistor radio with him, which he'd hold to his ear during the games, and provide running commentary based on what they were saying on the radio. When the play happened and everyone got up to leave, he yelled "they are reviewing the play and it is going to be ruled an incomplete pass." We waited, because after all he was Mr. Football, and sure enough he was correct. Sat back down and the rest was history.

It is almost unfathomable that you had this game, then the game in Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship, then the Super bowl, all within a 3 week window. Each one of those was an all-timer, and we got them all within less than a month.
 

Old Fart Tree

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Each one of those was an all-timer, and we got them all within less than a month
It’s incredible. The only other super bowl run that comes close is the SB49 team, IMHO; the barn burner against Baltimore, then the highly memorable trouncing of Luck and the Colts and the start of deflategate nonsense and then of course the Seahawks super bowl. All the other runs had at least one game that was not nearly as memorable as the others, at least in my mind.
 

loshjott

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It is almost unfathomable that you had this game, then the game in Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship, then the Super bowl, all within a 3 week window. Each one of those was an all-timer, and we got them all within less than a month.
And that was also the era of "no Boston championships since 1986" (worst for any Big 4 cities other than Philly at the time) so those 3 weeks exorcised a lot of demons.
 

Was (Not Wasdin)

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Jul 26, 2007
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In the Patriots' canon, that AFCCG against Pittsburgh doesnt get nearly enough love. That Pittsburgh team was good, and they had been home for a month. Bledsoe coming on when Brady got hurt and getting them into the end zone for the second TD was one of the most massive sequences of the entire dynasty.
 

Bowhemian

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In the Patriots' canon, that AFCCG against Pittsburgh doesnt get nearly enough love. That Pittsburgh team was good, and they had been home for a month. Bledsoe coming on when Brady got hurt and getting them into the end zone for the second TD was one of the most massive sequences of the entire dynasty.
My buddy and I were watching that game at a Hooters (I know, I know). When Pitt was punting, the camera showed Troy Brown back for the return. Before the ball was kicked, I told my buddy that this was going for a TD. My best prediction ever. Thanks, Hooters!
 

Bunt4aTriple

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Thanks, Hooters!
Evergreen.

Two of my best friends had just moved to Colorado (they were back like 3 weeks later, lol) so I watched the game with their recent ex-roommate who I didn't even know well. We were dancing in the snow on one of the sketchiest areas of Lewiston afterwards (Oak St., behind 7/11 for the Bates crowd).
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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It was an 8pm start, so the expectation was that they would start letting cars into the lots around 345 or so. But at about 1pm, whoever was doing the pregame on EEI said that because of the terrible traffic that was already starting to build up, they were letting cars in early. So we had to break our routine (never a good thing in our superstitious heads) and head down early. Even though we got there around 3pm, we got shut out of our regular lot (the lot behind route 1 liquors) and had to park in what was then the main stadium lot, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
That's where we parked at the time, behind the route 1 liquor store. We were there at like noon that day though, not wanting to get stuck in the snow traffic. When they moved to the new stadium, we started parking across the street at the Foxboro Terminals and walking up via the train tracks, and haven't stopped since. It's much better, because we all head north after the game, so being on the correct side of Route 1 is awesome.
 

tims4wins

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Jul 15, 2005
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Hingham, MA
In retrospect it’s incredible they won that title. In isolation beating Oakland, Pittsburgh, or the Rams was plausible if not probable; but to beat all three was a damn miracle.
 

pedro1918

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Mar 5, 2004
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I remember thinking that John Gruden's mother must be embarrassed that he was the only person in the stadium without a proper hat on in the middle of a blizzard. I mean it was a side thought, but every time I see him in videos it comes back to me.

A visor? Really John?
 

Al Zarilla

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Dec 8, 2005
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Living in California and not having watched New England weather at all that week, I was kind of amazed by the snow when I turned on pre-game. It was, what 5 or so inches deep and accumulating. I'd only remembered more snow in a couple of other games in a long life of watching football. One was Steve Young as a Buc in a game in which he got killed (in Green Bay?). Another was some random game in Denver. So, we had a unique game there and amazing the young Tom Brady led the Pats to victory over a more experienced Raiders team. At one point, Tom completed 9 passes in a row, culminating in his rushing touchdown, falling down in the snow like a kid after trying to spike the ball. Top five Pats game all time.
 
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I may have told this story before, but I was living in London at the time and was hugely rooting for the underdog Patriots to finally win something. I didn't have access to watch the game on TV, so I was listening to a radio broadcast on my computer. When Brady "fumbled", the announcers said the Raiders had recovered, and it the game was so obviously done that I switched my computer off in anger and frustration. I didn't find out until the next day that the Tuck Rule had been invoked and that the Patriots had won.
 

Hoya81

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I was a sophomore at Georgetown and watched the game alone in my campus apt on a 19in combo TV/VCR which had lousy picture quality on the awful campus cable hookup, especially when the snow started blanketing everything. So I spent the majority of the game pacing about a foot from the tv. My initial response to the tuck play was to fling a nearly full Miller High Life at the wall, leaving a hole in the drywall that we ended up covering with a collage of Maxim magazine covers, Shawshank style, until move out day in the spring. But then the call was overturned and the rest is history.
 

johnmd20

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My buddy and I were watching that game at a Hooters (I know, I know). When Pitt was punting, the camera showed Troy Brown back for the return. Before the ball was kicked, I told my buddy that this was going for a TD. My best prediction ever. Thanks, Hooters!
I had 3 good friends who lived about the Hooters on 56th Street in NYC. I watched the entire 2003-2004 playoff run for the Pats at Hooters.
 

tims4wins

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One of the coolest things about this game was that it was the first EVER Saturday night playoff game. We’ve become accustomed to these in the time since, but at the time it was a completely new experience. If that game was played at 1 or 4pm it’s not the same, for multiple reasons.
 

Euclis20

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In retrospect it’s incredible they won that title. In isolation beating Oakland, Pittsburgh, or the Rams was plausible if not probable; but to beat all three was a damn miracle.
Beating Oakland was certainly plausible, the Pats were favored (just by 3, but still). They were massive underdogs against Pittsburgh (10) and St. Louis (14). I'd love to know how many teams have won back to back playoff games when they were 10+ underdogs in each game.
 

tims4wins

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Beating Oakland was certainly plausible, the Pats were favored (just by 3, but still). They were massive underdogs against Pittsburgh (10) and St. Louis (14). I'd love to know how many teams have won back to back playoff games when they were 10+ underdogs in each game.
Guessing the 2007 Giants were the only other team (SMH).
 

Euclis20

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They were only 7 and 7.5 against the Cowboys and Packers, at least per the PFR box scores.
Guessing the 2007 Giants were the only other team (SMH).
Yup, the 07 giants were my first thought, but no. That's it's own special kind of run (3 straight when the opponent is favored by a touchdown or more), but not the same. My second thought was the 10 Jets, who beat the Colts before taking down the 10 Pats (for my money, that was the best Pats team to not make the Super Bowl), but they were just 2 point dogs to Indy and 9.5 to the Pats.