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2 New England Patriots 20, Saint Louis Rams 17 |
The Super Bowl was originally scheduled for the week prior to February 3, but the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack led to the NFL schedule being moved one week back.
Playoffs:
February 3, 2002, New Orleans, Louisiana
New England Patriots 20, Saint Louis Rams 17
Before the game
Oakland wide receiver Jerry Rice was the hero of the night, catching 9 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. Running back Charlie Garner ran 80 yards for the game-clinching touchdown with 1:27 remaining in the game.
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb threw for 194 yards and a touchdown as Philadelphia dominated Tampa Bay from start to finish. Bucs quarterback Brad Johnson was intercepted four times, one of which was returned 59 yards by Damon Moore for a touchdown.
In another of the Dolphins' well-known late-season slides, the defending Super Bowl champions dominated the Dolphins in every statistic. Baltimore's Terry Allen ran 109 yards and scored a touchdown. Miami's only score was an Olindo Mare field goal 2 minutes into the game.
Green Bay exploded in the second half with Brett Favre throwing for 226 yards in the final 30 minutes. A late San Francisco comeback attempt was thwarted when a long Jeff Garcia pass was intercepted by Tyrone Williams late in the fourth quarter, and Ahman Green scored the clinching touchdown with 1:55 left.
- earning byes in this round: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots. NFC: Saint Louis Rams, Chicago Bears.
- earning byes in this round: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots. NFC: Saint Louis Rams, Chicago Bears.
- Divisional round:
- 1/19/2002: NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 33, Chicago Bears 19
- 1/19/2002: NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 33, Chicago Bears 19
- 1/19/2002: AFC: New England Patriots 16, Oakland Raiders 13 (overtime)
- 1/19/2002: AFC: New England Patriots 16, Oakland Raiders 13 (overtime)
- 1/20/2002: NFC: Saint Louis Rams 45, Green Bay Packers 17
- 1/20/2002: NFC: Saint Louis Rams 45, Green Bay Packers 17
- 1/20/2002: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Baltimore Ravens 10
- 1/20/2002: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Baltimore Ravens 10
- Conference championships:
- 1/27/2002: NFC: Saint Louis Rams 29, Philadelphia Eagles 24
- 1/27/2002: NFC: Saint Louis Rams 29, Philadelphia Eagles 24
- 1/27/2002: AFC: New England Patriots 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
- 1/27/2002: AFC: New England Patriots 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
Entering the game as 14-point underdogs, the Patriots dispensed with the traditional individual player introductions, choosing to enter the stadium as a team. The approach carried over into the game. The first Patriot score was a defensive touchdown, on an interception by Ty Law. The Patriot defense held the explosive Rams offense to a single field goal during the first half. The Rams rebounded from a 17-3 deficit with two touchdowns, and with a mere two minutes remaining in regulation the game was tied, 17-17. Rather than running out the clock and playing for overtime, the Patriot offense launched one of its few successful scoring drives of the day, with quarterback Tom Brady, the game's MVP, moving the ball into range for a game-winning 48-yard field goal by placekicker Adam Vinatieri as time expired.
See Also:
The game