I was at this game and it is far and away the best game I have ever been to in Foxboro, out of the dozens of times I've been. The only live sporting event I enjoyed more was Game 7 in the Toilet in 2004.
Embarrassment of Riches Pats Fan Question: Your Favorite Pats SB?
- Thread starter Shaky Walton
- Start date
So many (especially lexrageorge) have said it so well, but for me I still tear up when I see replays of Antowain Smith running on the field after AV’s kick. Happiest was 49, most emotional was 36…but since I was at 36, that gets the slight edge.
I can see why people say the first Rams one, but I think I was too young to properly appreciate it. From the utter bullshit that was the AFCCG in Indy at the end of the 06 season onward , reinforced by the Scottish game, there was only one thing in sports I truly craved, which was to see B+B win one more to affirm their place in the pantheon. The way they did it has been well covered in this thread, but I'd have taken a Rams II like performance. It just meant that much.
Yup, definitely the first one. Doug Flutie's first run with the Pats got me into football and I suffered through the horrid seasons, wasted draft picks, and quarterbacks named Marc Willson, Tommy Hodson, Hugh Millen, Jeff Carlson, and the heartbreak of the first hope of something good wrecked by an egomaniac more interested in his new job than his current job and the Pete Carrol years. I watched the first Super Bowl at a bar while on study abroad in Sydney. It was Monday morning in Australia and I managed to drink myself stupid before the noon. I met the woman who would be the mother of my kids on that trip and transitioned from a snotty football player/frat boy to a marginally functional adult. That semester was a huge life shift for me and the Super Bowl was part of it.
Falcons.
It was 28 to fucking 3. Against one of the best offenses the league had ever seen. A comeback was a long shot not only because it looked like the Patriots offense wasn’t clicking at all through 3.5 quarters, but because there was no way we’d stop the Falcons from scoring again.
And then every single thing that needed to happen, happened. Strip sacks, bend-but-don’t-break-actually-working 4th quarter defense, perfectly placed passes by TB12 in insanely tight coverage, two two-point conversions, absolutely stellar picks in the short-yardage passing game, and winning the coin toss to seal it.
It’s one of those moments in sports that was so remarkable that after all of these years I’m not sure it’s fully registered with a lot of people. When you bring it up, everyone gets that wide-eyed look like “I really can’t explain how the fuck that happened even though my eyes saw it happen.”
With that said, Seahawks is a close #2. Instead of one of the best offenses of all time, it was one of the best defenses. And they found a way. But it’s #2 because we should have lost that game and it took an epically stupid decision by the other team - maybe the worst in NFL history - to put us in a position to win.
It was 28 to fucking 3. Against one of the best offenses the league had ever seen. A comeback was a long shot not only because it looked like the Patriots offense wasn’t clicking at all through 3.5 quarters, but because there was no way we’d stop the Falcons from scoring again.
And then every single thing that needed to happen, happened. Strip sacks, bend-but-don’t-break-actually-working 4th quarter defense, perfectly placed passes by TB12 in insanely tight coverage, two two-point conversions, absolutely stellar picks in the short-yardage passing game, and winning the coin toss to seal it.
It’s one of those moments in sports that was so remarkable that after all of these years I’m not sure it’s fully registered with a lot of people. When you bring it up, everyone gets that wide-eyed look like “I really can’t explain how the fuck that happened even though my eyes saw it happen.”
With that said, Seahawks is a close #2. Instead of one of the best offenses of all time, it was one of the best defenses. And they found a way. But it’s #2 because we should have lost that game and it took an epically stupid decision by the other team - maybe the worst in NFL history - to put us in a position to win.
Seattle is IMO the defining sports moment of the 21st century. 36 was great, but I think that while they were underdogs, if you played those teams 10 times the Patriots probably win 5-6 of them. There was a shitload of talent on the 01 squad that we just didn't realize at the time.
For me:
49 - goat arguments over
36 - first
39 - officially a dynasty
51 - comeback
38 - 36 wasn't a fluke
53 - cherry on top.
But honestly if we're ranking non Superbowls in there as well, the Ravens 2014 game and Steelers 2004 game go above a couple of those super bowls.
For me:
49 - goat arguments over
36 - first
39 - officially a dynasty
51 - comeback
38 - 36 wasn't a fluke
53 - cherry on top.
But honestly if we're ranking non Superbowls in there as well, the Ravens 2014 game and Steelers 2004 game go above a couple of those super bowls.
I think the Ravens 2014 game and the Chiefs 2018 win are the best non-Super Bowl wins of the dynasty by a mile. 2004 Steelers was really sweet too and it might have an argument as most impressive performance of the whole run overall, but that game was effectively over by the second quarter.
Yea but here's the thing. I don't hate the Chiefs. That was a back and forth fight and the only elements I really hated after it were the shithole refs that don't understand what DPI is.
The Steelers could field a team of Make a Wish kids and I'd still root for them to lose. But those Hines Ward Ben Joey Porter teams? Especially the ones that snapped the streak? Oh yea I hated them.
What felt extra great about that 2018 game though is you knew that these were likely two of the top 5 QBs ever, and this had bigger stakes than just who won that year. This was a legacy game
My next football book will likely either be a deep dive into SB 49 or...Deflategate. Any feedback on which one SOSH members would prefer to read? (it won't be for a few years...got another one in the pipeline first)
Non-SB games dont count. They dont even belong in the discussion. The Scottish game should have taught us that only winning the last game matters.
No one has to believe me, but when the Pats were introduced as a team for SB36 I said in my living room to no one in particular "we're gonna win this thing".
Granted, I spent the next 4 hours doubting my proclamation. But I swear I said it.
FWIW, I think the 2004 Divisional Game against Indy was the most dominant game of the era, factoring in the opponent (so not including shit kicking the proverbial tomato cans and Tebow's Broncos, Luck's Colts, etc.).
What always amazes me is the 13-3 Rams game was the largest margin of victory for the Patriots in a Super Bowl.
Also that in the BB/TB era, a TD (and 2-pt conversion), at most, was the difference between 1-8, 9-0, and any other record in between in Super Bowls.
Also that in the BB/TB era, a TD (and 2-pt conversion), at most, was the difference between 1-8, 9-0, and any other record in between in Super Bowls.
I'd love to know how many people born before say 82 are picking SEA vs. RAMs 01.
As someone who was a bit too young to appreciate the 86 Cs and spent the next 15yrs assuming we'd never win anything, the first SB is easily my favorite. Losing the SEA SB would have sucked but I'd already celebrated more world championships by then than I ever expected to in my lifetime. Winning in 01 changed the sports landscape in Boston. We went from loserville to Titletown in about 5yrs time thanks to the 01 Pats. They absolutely lifted the curse off NE sports.
As someone who was a bit too young to appreciate the 86 Cs and spent the next 15yrs assuming we'd never win anything, the first SB is easily my favorite. Losing the SEA SB would have sucked but I'd already celebrated more world championships by then than I ever expected to in my lifetime. Winning in 01 changed the sports landscape in Boston. We went from loserville to Titletown in about 5yrs time thanks to the 01 Pats. They absolutely lifted the curse off NE sports.
Seattle for me. For many of the reasons already stated. And it was a great football game to boot. After Kearse's catch, I wasn't sure if the Pats would ever win anything again. And then everything that happened afterwards. For all the shit the team and Brady took during the year, it was such an amazing way to end it. Brady fucking carved up the #1 ranked D in the 2nd half.
Hearing Pete Carroll on Richard Sherman's podcast recently just brought back the great feelings. Pete said that he was quite sure they'd have made a 3rd straight super bowl had they won that one. Just completely wiped out that would be dynasty.
Hearing Pete Carroll on Richard Sherman's podcast recently just brought back the great feelings. Pete said that he was quite sure they'd have made a 3rd straight super bowl had they won that one. Just completely wiped out that would be dynasty.
I disagree here. The only reason the Seahawks were at the goal line was because Jermaine Kearse made a lucky catch while laying on his back off a ball that Malcolm Butler tipped (which hit Kearse's leg first). That was an even game overall but I think the drives that Brady made to go ahead with Edelman making catch after catch against that defense was enough to "deserve" to win the game and the Seahawks didn't really earn that drive. I would have been pissed off if they had lost that way.
The first one for me........and it's not even close.
Been a Patriots fan since 1968, had season tickets twice at the old stadium, my best friend from high school and I watched that game together with a bunch of other people like we watched every Super Bowl together since about 1976 or so.
When that kick sailed through the uprights, we all went nuts, I grabbed my friend and we hugged each other and jumped up and down in total disbelief; the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS won the Super Bowl!!. I called my Dad right after the game ended, he too was stunned, we both couldn't believe it.
It took a few days for it to really sink in, the team that I had pulled so hard for in the late 60's/early 70's when they were a laughing stock, 1974 when they started out 6-1 and ended up 7-7, 1976 and the Ben Dreith royal screw job, 1977 when they missed the playoffs because the Colts in my mind tanked a game vs the lowly Lions, 1978 when Fairbanks was fired, then hired back only to get blown out by the Oilers, 1979 and 1980, very solid teams that faded at the end of the year, the squish the fish game/Super Bowl blowout to the Bears, the playoff loss to Denver the following year, the horrible teams up to Parcells coming here and turning it all around, then he had both feet out the door prior to the Super Bowl vs the Packers, then 2001 and it finally happened.
In my mind, nothing will ever top that.
Been a Patriots fan since 1968, had season tickets twice at the old stadium, my best friend from high school and I watched that game together with a bunch of other people like we watched every Super Bowl together since about 1976 or so.
When that kick sailed through the uprights, we all went nuts, I grabbed my friend and we hugged each other and jumped up and down in total disbelief; the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS won the Super Bowl!!. I called my Dad right after the game ended, he too was stunned, we both couldn't believe it.
It took a few days for it to really sink in, the team that I had pulled so hard for in the late 60's/early 70's when they were a laughing stock, 1974 when they started out 6-1 and ended up 7-7, 1976 and the Ben Dreith royal screw job, 1977 when they missed the playoffs because the Colts in my mind tanked a game vs the lowly Lions, 1978 when Fairbanks was fired, then hired back only to get blown out by the Oilers, 1979 and 1980, very solid teams that faded at the end of the year, the squish the fish game/Super Bowl blowout to the Bears, the playoff loss to Denver the following year, the horrible teams up to Parcells coming here and turning it all around, then he had both feet out the door prior to the Super Bowl vs the Packers, then 2001 and it finally happened.
In my mind, nothing will ever top that.
I am mostly with you. But anytime I see Eli Manning's stupid face I throw up in my mouth a little bit.
Which is why we're talking about non-Super Bowl wins in Super Bowl winning seasons.
I was at the Seattle, Atlanta, Rams 1 and Eagles 1 wins. And the two Giants disasters. While the first hurt like few other losses have ever hurt, the second one was also hideous. It fell on the heals of the first, and the Pats having been beaten by Rex Freaking Ryan the year before. Catharsis was badly needed.
And I am old enough to appreciate all the losing and Charlie Brown nature of the franchise that preceded the first one.
The first one was undoubtedly an incredible breakthrough. The freaking Patriots -- the perpetual losers and near miss Patriots (thinking a Ben Dreith screw job/Chuck Fairbanks quitting/Parcells dalliance combo platter) -- WON THE SUPER BOWL. Against an incredible team. Favored by 14 points!
Still, everything I wrote above AND (1) finally winning after those devastating Giants losses and (2) the middle finger to EVERYONE other than Pats fans post Spygate and Early Deflategate pushes the Seattle game past the Rams cherry game for me.
And I am old enough to appreciate all the losing and Charlie Brown nature of the franchise that preceded the first one.
The first one was undoubtedly an incredible breakthrough. The freaking Patriots -- the perpetual losers and near miss Patriots (thinking a Ben Dreith screw job/Chuck Fairbanks quitting/Parcells dalliance combo platter) -- WON THE SUPER BOWL. Against an incredible team. Favored by 14 points!
Still, everything I wrote above AND (1) finally winning after those devastating Giants losses and (2) the middle finger to EVERYONE other than Pats fans post Spygate and Early Deflategate pushes the Seattle game past the Rams cherry game for me.
First one because:
- Outside of 96, my Patriots fandom consisted of 2-4 win seasons, threats to move the team, and famously bad coaches
- I remember the 01 team being 5-5 after a tough loss to the Rams, one in which Brady really showed that he was game for the biggest stages, and thinking "We can win out." And then we won out, ended the regular season 11-5, and 3-0 in the playoffs.
- The tuck rule game against the Raiders
- The Bledsoe game against the Steelers
- The Pats were such underdogs to the Rams, and it felt like the Rams didn't take them seriously as an opponent - in every other Super Bowl, they were either favorites or basically even
- It was the first Boston Sports title that I experienced (too young for 80s Celtics)
- My dad was alive for it and couldn't believe what he was watching. I'll never forget the call from him after the Jets game, "This kid Brady came in for Bledsoe and he was pretty good. They might have something here."
I could go on and on - I feel like I could name half the roster still, and I couldn't recollect the same for the other title teams as crisply. Such a special championship and I'll probably never experience anything like it again as a football fan (though, obviously 2004 Sox eclipsed it as a general sports fan)
- Outside of 96, my Patriots fandom consisted of 2-4 win seasons, threats to move the team, and famously bad coaches
- I remember the 01 team being 5-5 after a tough loss to the Rams, one in which Brady really showed that he was game for the biggest stages, and thinking "We can win out." And then we won out, ended the regular season 11-5, and 3-0 in the playoffs.
- The tuck rule game against the Raiders
- The Bledsoe game against the Steelers
- The Pats were such underdogs to the Rams, and it felt like the Rams didn't take them seriously as an opponent - in every other Super Bowl, they were either favorites or basically even
- It was the first Boston Sports title that I experienced (too young for 80s Celtics)
- My dad was alive for it and couldn't believe what he was watching. I'll never forget the call from him after the Jets game, "This kid Brady came in for Bledsoe and he was pretty good. They might have something here."
I could go on and on - I feel like I could name half the roster still, and I couldn't recollect the same for the other title teams as crisply. Such a special championship and I'll probably never experience anything like it again as a football fan (though, obviously 2004 Sox eclipsed it as a general sports fan)
Man if it wasn't the Seattle game it would be the first one. I won so much money with a dumb Pats ML bet there cause St Louis was too damn confident.
But Seattle man, that was taking all the best of the physical defense vibes from the first SB a whole football generation later.
Like: “At practice, I went underneath my player. Bill Belichick came to me and said, ‘That’s impossible to make that play, Malcolm.’ He told (Brian) Browner that you have to jam this guy up so he can create room for me so I can have a great angle. I’m glad he corrected me because I would have never made that play.”
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/betting/nfl/article272397863.html#storylink=cpy
Like going back and realizing how great a coach and teacher BB is man.
Malcolm Go. Sherman's WTF face. The truck saga. It was so unforgettable.
But Seattle man, that was taking all the best of the physical defense vibes from the first SB a whole football generation later.
Like: “At practice, I went underneath my player. Bill Belichick came to me and said, ‘That’s impossible to make that play, Malcolm.’ He told (Brian) Browner that you have to jam this guy up so he can create room for me so I can have a great angle. I’m glad he corrected me because I would have never made that play.”
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/betting/nfl/article272397863.html#storylink=cpy
Like going back and realizing how great a coach and teacher BB is man.
Malcolm Go. Sherman's WTF face. The truck saga. It was so unforgettable.
I voted the Comeback for the reasons above. I was already drinking away the sorrows when mostly everyone left at halftime. Then the unbelievable happened. The Edelman catch is still the greatest football play I’ve ever seen.
The first one AND Seattle are right there though. First one is always special. Seattle called the wrong play.
Born 1984.
Absolutely the first SB.
I was too young to have great memories of Celtics or Bruins success, but just old enough to know I was snakebitten for the rest of my life with sports. Curse of the Bambino. The laughingstock Patriots. Birds back, Rick Pitino/Tim Duncan, and Reggie Lewis dying. The cheapskate Bruins.
That SB run was such a surprise, but people had more faith in '96 than they did in '01 - and there wasn't much faith in '96 (I was 12 and bet a whopping $10 that my favorite team was going to lose). The lack of expectations in '01 just allowed the enjoyment to build. Every milestone seemed bigger than the previous, and we were just happy enjoying the ride before it would inevitably came to a screeching halt. But it never did.
Starting the season 1-3 with your $100M QB out for who knows how long? Finishing the last 12 games 10-2? Beating the juggernaut Raiders in the last ever game at Foxboro stadium? Travelling to Pittsburgh to face the #1 seed? Getting to be a speedbump for the inevitable dynasty - the Greatest Show on Turf? Each hurdle got bigger and we never expected the team to clear any of them.
Those ridiculous odds allowed me to do something I never got to do in any SB since - just enjoy the moment. Each SB since was stress and pressure. They all had expectations and implications tied to them that made winning less about tears of happiness and more about sighs of relief. Winning two in 3 years, winning 3 in 4 (and creating a dynasty), finally shaking the demons of the last handful of playoffs, sealing TB and BB as the greatest, one last parade for Tom to ride out on (and create a second dynasty).
The first SB had none of that. Just surprise that they kept winning, enjoying the moment, and shock/disbelief at what they did. It's the Cleveland Indians in Major League, only more unbelievable. And it happened to a region with no ending in sight to their sports hell.
It's gotta be '01, and it isn't close.
I can readily understand picking any of 36, 49, or 51. I think 53, 39, and 38 I can’t go with, unless they are closely linked to some special or cathartic life experience like the birth of a child, wedding, etc.
I will say, there is no Pats team that I love more than the ‘01 crew. Not that I need to tell you all, but think about where we were as a sports region in early 2002. And just a few months removed from 9/11 to boot.
I still get emotional thinking about how they had the NFL introduce them as a team in the Super Bowl. It was perfect. What a crew.
I still get emotional thinking about how they had the NFL introduce them as a team in the Super Bowl. It was perfect. What a crew.
Hope it's OK to go off topic for a bit, but the bolded sometimes gets lost in the team's history of futility, but IMHO, the story of that 1977 team was both fascinating and frustrating. See below:
The Pats were coming off of being robbed by Ben Dreith. The team returned almost entirely intact in 1977. In the 1st round of the draft, Fairbanks added Stanley Morgan to a receiving corp containing Darryl Stingley and tight end Russ Francis; and Raymond Clayborn to a defensive backfield patrolled by Mike Haynes. Leon Gray and John Hannah were in their prime and were both coming off their first Pro Bowl.
However, with Hannah and Gray holding out due to a needless contract dispute that was entirely Billy Sullivan's fault, the team stumbled out of the gate, with losses to a mediocre Cleveland Browns team followed by what would turn out to be a costly loss to the lowly Jets (the Jets put up back-to-back 3-11 seasons in 1976/77). And just as they started to get untracked, they lost to a really bad Bills team that had already lost OJ Simpson for the season to an injury. And that loss was followed by their annual loss in the Orange Bowl, which left the Pats 5-4, badly trailing both the 7-2 Dolphins and 8-1 Baltimore Colts in the AFC East. And, in even worse news, the AFC West battle was between two 8-1 teams, the Raiders and the Broncos. Which meant that the Pats would have to leapfrog at least 2 teams to win either the division or the wild card.
The Bert Jones led Colts at the time were sort of a measuring stick team for the Patriots. The glory days of Johnny Unitas long a memory, Colts had been awful until Ted Machriboda (and Bill Belichick) arrived in 1975, and the Colts won the first of 3 consecutive divisional titles behind former #2 overall pick Jones. And after seeming to have the division wrapped up again after beating the Jets to go 9-1, things got interesting after consecutive losses to the Broncos and the Dolphins. Suddenly, the 9-3 Colts were tied with the Dolphins, and the Patriots took advantage of their schedule to win 3 in a row and were only a game behind at 8-4. Even the Raiders had slipped back and found themselves at 9-3, and Pats fans started to get their hopes up. The Pats seemingly could control their own destiny, with games remaining against both the Dolphins and Colts. Win both, and they would be 10-4, and more importantly the wins would mean the best the Colts or Dolphins could do would also be 10-4.
Such a 3-way tie for the division would benefit the Pats. As the Pats had already beaten the Colts that season, and the fact that the Dolphins and Colts had already split their 2 games, the Pats would have won the first 3-way tiebreaker, as they would have had the best record in games between the 3 teams (3-1 vs 2-2). On December 11th, despite having lost Russ Francis to injury the prior week, the Pats managed to hold off the Dolphins 14-10. All the Colts had to do was to beat the 5-7 Lions to set up a game against the Pats in which the winner would take the division. By the time the Pats game ended, the Colts were holding a 10-6 lead over the Lions with 4:50 to play. The Colts game had started an hour later than the Pats/Dolphins match, so the Colts knew the stakes by the time the closing minutes of the 4th quarter.
However, there was a problem. Had the Dolphins beaten the Patriots, the Colts would have needed to beat the Lions to stay even with Miami in the playoff race. With the Dolphins loss, the Lions game no longer mattered to Baltimore. They would just have to beat the Patriots the following week to get in. Aided by little known wide receivers coach Bill Belichick, the Lions start to make a nice desperation drive that included a failed option play that would have set up the Lions with first-and-goal. However, the Colts defense stiffened and eventually the Lions were forced to go for it on 4th-and-30 from their own 30 with 1:10 remaining. All the Colts had to do was knock down the desperation heave and the game would be essentially wrapped. Instead, the Colts intercepted it, placing the ball on the Colts 25. Still, with 1:03 left, the Colts just needed to run 3 times and punt. First down goes as planned with a 3 yard run up the middle, forcing the Lions to use a timeout. Another 2 yard run on 2nd down forces the Lions to use their final timeout. The Colts run one more play and take a penalty to run the clock down to 9 seconds with the ball on their own 23.
With nothing to lose the Lions set up to rush 11 at the punter. Had Bill Belichick been special teams coach of the Colts, the play call would have been obvious: take the safety and force the Lions into a Hail Mary situation after the free kick. However, Belichick was now with the Lions, and so Marchriboda ordered the punt. Which, of course, was blocked for a Lions TD. Later that day, the Raiders would blow out the Vikings to go 10-3 and essentially clinch the wild card.
The Dolts play screwed over 2 teams. For the Patriots, it would mean the only chance to for the Pats to make the playoffs would be to hope that Miami would lose to the 3-10 Bills at home on Saturday, and then beat the Colts themselves on Sunday. Under a two-way tie scenario at 10-4, the Patriots would lose out to the Dolphins by virtue of divisional records, those losses to the Jets and Bills looming large. Anyway, the Dolphins took care of business with a 31-14 victory. However, now it would be the Dolphins fans turn to complain. Obviously eliminated from the playoffs, the Patriots would have zero incentive to play hard on Sunday, and a Colts win would knock the Dolphins out, as the Colts held the conference record tiebreaker. Interestingly, things started to look up for Dolphins fans after Raymond Clayborn took a kickoff 101 yards to the house to give the Pats a 21-3 lead. However, a couple of Steve Grogan interceptions and 3 Bert Jones TD passes later, the Colts would have the 30-24 lead when time expired.
Both Pats and Dolphins fans flooded commissioner Pete Rozelle's office with complaints about the playoff tiebreaker format and accusations of the Colts throwing the game for their own benefit. With a 10-4 team and a couple of 9-5 teams missing the playoffs, the NFL owners voted to expand the season to 16 games and add a second wild card for the following year. Meanwhile, the Colts would go on to play their final playoff game in Baltimore, losing a close and entertaining one to the defending champion Raiders 37-31 in double overtime.
Anyway, that disappointing ending to the 1977 season was soon forgotten after the fiasco of 1978 and subsequent disasters. Yes, even when the Pats were good, they were bad.
However, with Hannah and Gray holding out due to a needless contract dispute that was entirely Billy Sullivan's fault, the team stumbled out of the gate, with losses to a mediocre Cleveland Browns team followed by what would turn out to be a costly loss to the lowly Jets (the Jets put up back-to-back 3-11 seasons in 1976/77). And just as they started to get untracked, they lost to a really bad Bills team that had already lost OJ Simpson for the season to an injury. And that loss was followed by their annual loss in the Orange Bowl, which left the Pats 5-4, badly trailing both the 7-2 Dolphins and 8-1 Baltimore Colts in the AFC East. And, in even worse news, the AFC West battle was between two 8-1 teams, the Raiders and the Broncos. Which meant that the Pats would have to leapfrog at least 2 teams to win either the division or the wild card.
The Bert Jones led Colts at the time were sort of a measuring stick team for the Patriots. The glory days of Johnny Unitas long a memory, Colts had been awful until Ted Machriboda (and Bill Belichick) arrived in 1975, and the Colts won the first of 3 consecutive divisional titles behind former #2 overall pick Jones. And after seeming to have the division wrapped up again after beating the Jets to go 9-1, things got interesting after consecutive losses to the Broncos and the Dolphins. Suddenly, the 9-3 Colts were tied with the Dolphins, and the Patriots took advantage of their schedule to win 3 in a row and were only a game behind at 8-4. Even the Raiders had slipped back and found themselves at 9-3, and Pats fans started to get their hopes up. The Pats seemingly could control their own destiny, with games remaining against both the Dolphins and Colts. Win both, and they would be 10-4, and more importantly the wins would mean the best the Colts or Dolphins could do would also be 10-4.
Such a 3-way tie for the division would benefit the Pats. As the Pats had already beaten the Colts that season, and the fact that the Dolphins and Colts had already split their 2 games, the Pats would have won the first 3-way tiebreaker, as they would have had the best record in games between the 3 teams (3-1 vs 2-2). On December 11th, despite having lost Russ Francis to injury the prior week, the Pats managed to hold off the Dolphins 14-10. All the Colts had to do was to beat the 5-7 Lions to set up a game against the Pats in which the winner would take the division. By the time the Pats game ended, the Colts were holding a 10-6 lead over the Lions with 4:50 to play. The Colts game had started an hour later than the Pats/Dolphins match, so the Colts knew the stakes by the time the closing minutes of the 4th quarter.
However, there was a problem. Had the Dolphins beaten the Patriots, the Colts would have needed to beat the Lions to stay even with Miami in the playoff race. With the Dolphins loss, the Lions game no longer mattered to Baltimore. They would just have to beat the Patriots the following week to get in. Aided by little known wide receivers coach Bill Belichick, the Lions start to make a nice desperation drive that included a failed option play that would have set up the Lions with first-and-goal. However, the Colts defense stiffened and eventually the Lions were forced to go for it on 4th-and-30 from their own 30 with 1:10 remaining. All the Colts had to do was knock down the desperation heave and the game would be essentially wrapped. Instead, the Colts intercepted it, placing the ball on the Colts 25. Still, with 1:03 left, the Colts just needed to run 3 times and punt. First down goes as planned with a 3 yard run up the middle, forcing the Lions to use a timeout. Another 2 yard run on 2nd down forces the Lions to use their final timeout. The Colts run one more play and take a penalty to run the clock down to 9 seconds with the ball on their own 23.
With nothing to lose the Lions set up to rush 11 at the punter. Had Bill Belichick been special teams coach of the Colts, the play call would have been obvious: take the safety and force the Lions into a Hail Mary situation after the free kick. However, Belichick was now with the Lions, and so Marchriboda ordered the punt. Which, of course, was blocked for a Lions TD. Later that day, the Raiders would blow out the Vikings to go 10-3 and essentially clinch the wild card.
The Dolts play screwed over 2 teams. For the Patriots, it would mean the only chance to for the Pats to make the playoffs would be to hope that Miami would lose to the 3-10 Bills at home on Saturday, and then beat the Colts themselves on Sunday. Under a two-way tie scenario at 10-4, the Patriots would lose out to the Dolphins by virtue of divisional records, those losses to the Jets and Bills looming large. Anyway, the Dolphins took care of business with a 31-14 victory. However, now it would be the Dolphins fans turn to complain. Obviously eliminated from the playoffs, the Patriots would have zero incentive to play hard on Sunday, and a Colts win would knock the Dolphins out, as the Colts held the conference record tiebreaker. Interestingly, things started to look up for Dolphins fans after Raymond Clayborn took a kickoff 101 yards to the house to give the Pats a 21-3 lead. However, a couple of Steve Grogan interceptions and 3 Bert Jones TD passes later, the Colts would have the 30-24 lead when time expired.
Both Pats and Dolphins fans flooded commissioner Pete Rozelle's office with complaints about the playoff tiebreaker format and accusations of the Colts throwing the game for their own benefit. With a 10-4 team and a couple of 9-5 teams missing the playoffs, the NFL owners voted to expand the season to 16 games and add a second wild card for the following year. Meanwhile, the Colts would go on to play their final playoff game in Baltimore, losing a close and entertaining one to the defending champion Raiders 37-31 in double overtime.
Anyway, that disappointing ending to the 1977 season was soon forgotten after the fiasco of 1978 and subsequent disasters. Yes, even when the Pats were good, they were bad.
I was born before that and it was between the comeback and the first, and I went with the comeback. But I can easily see first, comeback, or Seattle.
I agree wtih all that has been said about that 01 team, the improbability and how long it had been (15 years) locally since the last title. What has happened since does make it hard for younger fans to relate to how huge that win was. The nobodies on the team, Brady as a second-year player, the practice footage ('Where is Faulk? Where is he?" Where is he?) so classic BB defensive scheme. It was amazing, and at the moment it happened I am not sure I could imagine something being more improbable and thrilling (of course, then 04 happened)....
But that 28-3 comeback so perfectly encapsulated the entire era: they never quit, they never stopped believing. The sideline clinically assessing how many possessions they had left, Edelman and Brady stalking the sidelines..."it's going to be a hell of a story, boys". The execution of SO MANY things in all three phases. The Falcons arrogance in the second half, up against the Patriots steadfast diligence. The conditioning that made all the difference in the last 10 minutes of game time. Adding the extra two point play the day before game. It's so 'them' If the Butler pick is a play that encapsulates BB era (and it is) this game, really this second half, is the larger sample version of it.
If they had just won the first and the comeback, the first one probably would have been my pick. Somehow, though, the 6 title dynasty makes that comeback game---and all it demonstrated---just a litle more for me because it encapsulated the era so perfectly.
Seattle Super Bowl for me. That game had everything. A nail biter down to the end. I experienced the full range of human emotions within a .5 second timeframe during Butler’s pick. I doubt I will ever experience feeling something like that again. A true out of body experience. This game re-ignited the second dynasty and there were serious doubts if they’d ever get back after 10 years of “almosts”.
28-3 is a solid second. Let’s be honest though, the first 2 hours of that game were fucking trash. The last quarter and a half and overtime wow. The booing of Goodell… perfection. This was the game that really silenced all the haters and they just had to admit the Patriots were the best. Sublime.
28-3 is a solid second. Let’s be honest though, the first 2 hours of that game were fucking trash. The last quarter and a half and overtime wow. The booing of Goodell… perfection. This was the game that really silenced all the haters and they just had to admit the Patriots were the best. Sublime.
Well said. I would rank the 2001 season as my absolute favorite, far and away, with 2003 ranking as my second. I loved the grit and defense of the 2003 team with Rodney and finding any fucking way to win, like 9-3 over Cleveland, 12-0 over Dallas and Miami, the intentional safety, etc. Grinders. I separate the Super Bowl from the team though. So while 2001 was my favorite team, Seattle was my favorite Super Bowl.
Yes and no. That game was only 6-3 at halftime. It might have been the best defensive performance of the dynasty. And then the offense put together two monster drives in the second half.
It wasn’t a complete performance, but go back and watch (or look at the drive chart) of the 2003 AFCCG. The Colts came into that game having not punted in the playoffs. Their drives went:
Pick
Pick
Snap over punter’s head for safety
Fumble
TD
Punt
Pick
Pick
TD
Downs
Downs
The first half of that game was absolute perfection and domination.
Born in 1981 so I echo the thoughts of others here when I say SB36. Growing up a Boston fan in central Connecticut was rough with the hated MFNYY winning three world series before I graduated high school. The magical 2001 Patriots season and SB victory eased the pain of recent failures and will forever top my list of Patriots SB wins as such. SB38 is next for me having legitimized the SB36 win, and associated ascendance of the franchise, while providing a thrilling back and forth shootout with a last second kick deciding the lombardi trophy once again. From there the list goes Seattle (Malcom Go), Atlanta (GOAT comeback but an awful game until 28-3), Los Angeles (boring unless you love defense like me), Philly.
Yeah in terms of my Pats fandom, it’s either Rams I or Seattle. But in terms of my life, it’s Rams II. I was watching the Chiefs game at my buddy’s house and at halftime I said to him you know what, fuck it, if they win this, I’m going. Seeing a Super Bowl is on my bucket list, and barring good (better) fortune, something I’ll probably only be able to do once. Well what better one than this. It might be Brady/Belichick’s last hurrah. I have a cousin in Alpharetta, so if I can stay with her, I’ll only have to spring for the flight and some insane amount for the game ticket. And I did. And it was incredible.
Pats fan since 1970 here. It will always be 36, for the reasons 54th MA cites above. Right up there with the 04 WS.
As salt in the wound, the refs missed an obvious fumble by Bert Jones near the goal line on the Colts’ game winning drive, leading for some of the earliest calls for replay review. It’s here at :57:
View: https://youtu.be/fv5R8WsOHFE?si=cNEqA0Ns0xroUz7C
I haven't thought about that Bert Jones fumble in a very long time.
For a franchise that got the benefit of the correct application of a very strange rule against the Raiders on the way to SB 36, the Pats certainly have had their share of wrong or strange calls and non-calls.
I'm thinking:
- the Mother of all Screw Jobs -- the phantom Roughing the Passer on Ray Hamilton...burn in hell, Ben Dreith.
- no PI on Phil Villiaiano's complete mugging of Russ Francis earlier in that same game.
- the offensive PI on Troy Brown in the 2006 AFC Championship Game.
- the NKeal Harry fake out of bounds against the Chiefs.
- not calling out of the end zone on the ball that Ben Watson came back for.
- not calling PI on the Hail Mary to Randy Moss.
- that Philadelphia Special was an illegal formation and that one of the TD catches the Eagles' receiver was clearly out of bounds.
And I know I'm missing many more. The Chiefs in the latter Brady years seemed to get gifted several calls a game.
On the other hand, Mike Vrabel probably should have been called for roughing the passer on the play that became Ty Law's pick 6 in my second favorite SB win!
I/m guessing that the fans of other NFL teams could probably list of a similar parade of horribles. But I'm not entirely sure.
That was 1000% a fumble.
That turf is something else, basically dirt painted green, but even that didn't do the trick.
The Kearse catch is overrated. It was on first down. They had plenty of time and time outs. They had gotten to the 38 with ease. They had converted a third and ten with ease the play before. I agree with your overall point that Seattle would have gone down as lucky if they had won after that catch, but I really don’t want to think about a world where it was incomplete and they just huddle up. We still lose game many times out of ten — we have all seen how ragged defense gets at the end of these long playoff games. The whole thing worked out really well for us — the time wasting and confusion, all of it contributed to a perfect ending.
At least the Bert Jones uncalled fumble did not cost the Pats a playoff spot, as they had already been eliminated. May have cost the Dolphins, however.
You could probably add not calling Eli down when he was clearly in the grasp, although I can see why the refs let the play continue. And those 2 bizarre intentional groundings against Brady still seem like plays that are almost always uncalled.
Most of the list seems like the kind of stuff that gets missed from time to time. But the bolded two at the top were especially egregious.
Born in 63 and my during my entire time thru HS, I only remember the Patriots winning one game that I watched on TV or in person. I know thats hyperbolic, but I remember them losing all the time. In the early to mid 70's I was lucky enough to attend 1-2 games each season thru the Big Brother/Sister program (I think thru URI) and cub/boy scouts. I learned quick to wear a snow suit and bring a cushion because the aluminum benches were hard and cold.
When they were headed to the SuperBowl to face the Bears, I was in the Army and talked a lot of smack. In my heart, I knew the game was over when I saw the white bread music video the Patriots put out in response to the Bears "Super Bowl Shuffle." After living thru the heartbreak that was the Reds beating the Red Sox in 1975 and then the gut punch the Mets/Red Sox WS was the year after Bear's beat down in 86, I was resigned that outside of the Celtics when Bird arrived, that being a NEP and a RS fan was a recipe for annual heartbreak. Much like being a Browns or Cubs fan.
So when they beat the "Greatest show on Turf" it was a month long celebration at my house. I remember paying ~$30 on EBAY, for a VHS recording of the SB game. I think I still have it somewhere around here. The last 20 years of Championships has been a great ride and I am grateful to have witnessed it.
When they were headed to the SuperBowl to face the Bears, I was in the Army and talked a lot of smack. In my heart, I knew the game was over when I saw the white bread music video the Patriots put out in response to the Bears "Super Bowl Shuffle." After living thru the heartbreak that was the Reds beating the Red Sox in 1975 and then the gut punch the Mets/Red Sox WS was the year after Bear's beat down in 86, I was resigned that outside of the Celtics when Bird arrived, that being a NEP and a RS fan was a recipe for annual heartbreak. Much like being a Browns or Cubs fan.
So when they beat the "Greatest show on Turf" it was a month long celebration at my house. I remember paying ~$30 on EBAY, for a VHS recording of the SB game. I think I still have it somewhere around here. The last 20 years of Championships has been a great ride and I am grateful to have witnessed it.
SB 36 was definitely my favorite. It was such an unexpected ride that season. The Patriots were something like 60:1 odds to win it all before the season started (basically the same odds as the 2023 team has of winning it all - just think about that). Their win/loss o/u was 6.5. They went 11-5, beat the cream of the crop of the AFC, and then took out the heavy favorite. They did this all while dealing with a QB controversy and just hammering teams physically. The Ty Law INT return remains one of my favorite sports moments ever. The game itself wasn't overly exciting for large stretches unless you like slugfests (similar to 2nd Rams SB).
In terms of what SB was the most entertaining, it's clearly the Seahawks one for me. That was the Patriots with their full arsenal (i.e., Edelman + Gronk) at the top of their games against one of the best defenses the league has ever seen. It featured comebacks, crazy plays, clutch plays, and the most ridiculous finish ever. The emotional swings just can't be topped, especially when you factor in the Deflategate stuff, which made it extra personal.
In terms of what SB was the most entertaining, it's clearly the Seahawks one for me. That was the Patriots with their full arsenal (i.e., Edelman + Gronk) at the top of their games against one of the best defenses the league has ever seen. It featured comebacks, crazy plays, clutch plays, and the most ridiculous finish ever. The emotional swings just can't be topped, especially when you factor in the Deflategate stuff, which made it extra personal.