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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIX

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The Super Bowl is just 13 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 13 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005. The game pitted the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles against the defending World Champion New England Patriots. The Patriots looked to become the first time to repeat since the Dallas Cowboys 11 years earlier.

New England Patriots 13 Years Ago

The Patriots made a significant change on offense during the offseason adding the powerful running back Corey Dillon. In 2004, Dillon rushed for a career-high 1635 yards. Consequently, the ’04 Patriots were the best of their teams to date.

On opening night, they dispatched their rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, yet again 27-24. When they defeated the Seahawks in the sixth game, New England recorded an NFL record 21st consecutive win overall. The following week, they were plastered on Halloween by Pittsburgh to end the run. But, they would store that performance in their memory banks.

Patriots Swagger

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In the playoffs, the Patriots would get another crack at the Colts and Steelers. Many pundits felt this could be the season Peyton Manning’s would conquer New England. It was not to be. The Patriots’ defense did something that had not occurred all season. They stonewalled Indianapolis’ top-ranked offense. In an absolute statement, the Pats embarrassed the Colts 20-3. In the following game, the Patriots would get their revenge on Pittsburgh.

The Patriots jumped all over the Steelers from the get-go at Heinz Field. The 15-1 Steelers led by rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger were behind the eight-ball all night. They had no answer for the third-year wide receiver out of Louisville, Deion Branch. Branch went for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. The dagger was Rodney Harrison’s 87-yard interception return before the break. That score gave New England a 24-3 lead en route to the 41-27 victory.

Philadelphia Eagles 13 Years Ago

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The 2004 Eagles were in the midst of their best stretch of football in franchise history. They were coming off three consecutive losses in the NFC championship game and clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a 13-1 start to the season. The Eagles had three Pro Bowl players on offense including QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook and All-Pro WR Terrell Owens. On defense, the Eagles were led by the fantastic Brian Dawkins and their stellar secondary.

In the playoffs, the Eagles proved way too strong for Minnesota and Atlanta despite Owens being out with a severe ankle injury. The Eagles held Mike Vick to just 136 yards passing and 26 rushing. Philly went 7 for 14 on third down conversions and that proved to be the difference as Atlanta just could not possess the ball enough for Vick to make something happen. Therefore, the Eagles advanced to their second Super Bowl!

Competitive First Half

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The first half of Super Bowl XXXIX was very interesting and competitive. The Patriots registered 27 yards and 4 punts to start the game. Philadelphia did slightly better when it came to moving the chains, but consecutive drives ended in turnovers. Likewise, Brady fumbled near the goal-line for a critical Patriots’ turnover. Both teams scored touchdowns on their final drives of the first half. The Eagles scored on a pass down the middle to tight end L.J. Smith. New England countered with a brilliant drive consisting of several screen passes. Brady made a magnificent pass to David Givens for the tying score just before the break.

Eagles Exhaustion

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New England took their first drive of the second half right down the field as well. Brady consistently hit Branch to get into the red zone on both of their second half touchdown drives. Mike Vrabel put the Patriots up 14-7. Philadelphia answered with a Westbrook score and the game went into the fourth tied at 14. The Patriots proved too tough in the final frame.

With the score 24-14, the Eagles used too much clock on their final scoring drive. After they did not recover the onside kick, they were forced to use their timeouts. They did not get the ball back until there were just seconds to play and they were stuck at their own goal-line. Rodney Harrison intercepted McNabb to seal the deal.

The Patriots were officially a dynasty as of February 2005. But, they had much, much more things in store under Coach Belichick. The Eagles, on the other hand, never captured a World Championship under Andy Reid. In fact, 2017 was the best Eagles’ squad since Super Bowl XXXIX. With Carson Wentz at quarterback, the future looks bright!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVIII

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The Super Bowl is just 14 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 14 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Houston hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1, 2004. The game pitted the NFC champion Carolina Panthers against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The Panthers were in their ninth season of existence. Yet, they already had one exciting ride to the NFC championship, two head coaching changes and one rebuilding project.

Carolina Panthers 14 Years Ago

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The 2003 Panthers coached by John Fox were in their second year of the aforementioned rapid rebuild project. In 2001, the Panthers finished 1-15. Head coach George Seifert was fired and Fox was brought onboard to replace him. The 2002 Panthers showed vast improvement. They were led by hotshot wideout Steve Smith and rookie defensive lineman Julius Peppers to a 7-9 record. Carolina finished in last place in a very competitive division behind the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Michael Vick-led Wild Card Atlanta Falcons. Carolina’s resurgence continued in 2003 when Jake Delhomme replaced Rodney Peete as the starting quarterback. Stephen Davis was added via free agency. Deshaun Foster was drafted to bolster their running attack. Therefore, they were much stronger on offense. On defense, Kris Jenkins was a First-Team All-Pro selection. Put it together and Carolina became a playoff team.

They upset Mike Martz’s St. Louis Rams in an epic double-overtime thriller. Carolina appeared to be in control with just a few minutes left leading 23-12. The Rams struck with a touchdown and 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 23-20. Subsequently, they recovered an onside kick. Them, of all people, Martz took the ultra-conservative “send it to overtime” approach by settling for a field goal and a tie. Both teams squandered opportunities to win in the first overtime. The Rams took the ball back and drove into Carolina territory, however an errant Bulger pass was intercepted by Carolina cornerback Ricky Manning . On the first play of the second overtime period, Delhomme needed only ten seconds to throw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith to win the game. It marked the first double-overtime game and longest NFL game since the 1986 playoffs.

In the NFC championship game, Fox’s defense completely stifled Andy Reid’s offense as the Panthers won in Philadelphia 14-3. The Carolina Panthers qualified for their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

New England Patriots 14 Years Ago

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The AFC was a three-team race between New England, Kansas City and Indianapolis. The Chiefs and Colts were offensive powerhouses, but weak on the defensive side of the ball. Thus, the Patriots were the most complete squad of the three. The Pats added veterans Rodney Harrison, Larry Centers and Ted Washington to an already stacked lineup.

The Patriots got waxed by former friend Lawyer Milloy and the Buffalo Bills 31-0 in the opener. In week four, they lost at Washington 20-17. They would not lose again. Many of their wins were tough, grind-it-out affairs. They won at Miami in overtime on a dramatic pass play from Tom Brady to Troy Brown. A few weeks after that, the Pats won at Denver in come-from-behind style on Monday Night Football. However, their grandest triumph during the regular year occurred when they knocked off Indy 38-34 using a goal-line stand at the buzzer for the win.

In the playoffs, the Patriots held off Tennessee in arctic conditions 17-14. In the AFC championship game, the Patriots’ defense tormented Peyton Manning all afternoon long. Ty Law especially frustrated Colts’ receivers with his aggressive cover style. The NFL’s co-MVP threw four interceptions as New England prevailed 24-14. Bill Belichick led his team back to the Super Bowl.

Two Games in One

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Super Bowl XXXVIII had two games within one. There were the defensive duels of the first and third quarters and the offensive warfare of the second and fourth. Indeed, there was a little of everything in this very exciting football game. What cannot be denied, though, is the best player on the field in Super Bowl XXXVIII was Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady. He did not play a perfect game, but he was clutch in clutch city.

New England’s came out on fire limiting the Panthers to -7 yards over their first 20 plays. The Panthers responded well late in the second quarter with 10 points in the final 2 minutes. The score was 14-10 until early in the fourth.

Pat’s running back Antowain Smith bulldozed home for a 21-10 lead eleven seconds into the last quarter to set off a scoring spree. The Panthers scored the next twelve points including an electrifying TD pass from Jake Delhomme to Muhsin Muhammed. The play covered 85 yards. Carolina missed their 2-point conversions so the score was 22-21.

Tom Terrific

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Brady, unaffected by an earlier red zone interception, brought his team down the field in four minutes. The Patriots scored when Brady hit linebacker Mike Vrabel from the one-yard line for the touchdown. They successfully converted their 2-pointer on a direct snap to Kevin Faulk. The lead did not last very long. Delhomme brought his team down the field in just over a minute. Just like he did in Super Bowl XXXVI for the Rams, Ricky Proehl scored the tying touchdown.

Panthers’ kicker John Kasay made a critical error on the ensuing kickoff as the lefty pushed it out of bounds. Brady led his team into Adam Vinatieri field goal range. Despite a shaky first half, Vinatieri booted it home to give the Pats their second World Championship! But, they were not done yet.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Bortles

Bortles Is Definitely Not Trash at Quarterback

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Blake Bortles does not have a great reputation as a starting quarterback in the NFL. For example, Houston Texans’ defensive end Jadeveon Clowney famously called Bortles “trash”. Tennessee Titans’ defensive tackle Jurrell Casey claimed that Bortles “chokes under pressure”. Even Seattle Seahawks’ safety Earl Thomas labeled Bortles as “subpar”.

Does Bortles really deserve all this derision? Perhaps he did coming into the 2017 season. His career record was a dismal 11-34 as he threw 51 interceptions in just 45 starts. In fact, head coach Doug Marrone did not name Bortles as his starter until he won the competition over Chad Henne during preseason.

Bortles Stepped up His Game

However, Bortles has not played like “trash” in 2017. He has actually played very well when matched up against some of the game’s best. While he is not in the same category as Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson, his solid play when up against teams like the Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers helped his squad win those ball games. Instead of a liability, he has been a contributor.

Jacksonville crushed the Baltimore Ravens 44-7 early in the season. This is a Ravens team that finished the season with three shutouts. Late in the season, Jacksonville proved they were for real with a 30-24 win over Seattle. Bortles passed for 275 yards, two touchdowns, and most importantly no interceptions. He made Thomas and the Seahawks’ defense look “subpar.” Those wins enabled the Jaguars to improve from 3-13 in 2016 to a third seed in the AFC playoffs.

In the Wild Card round Bortles struggled in the passing game against the Buffalo Bills. Yet, he won that game for his team by rushing for 88 yards. In the Divisional round, Bortles was outstanding. He flawlessly executed the offensive game plan and consistently made wise decisions with the ball.

Brady Always Has the Advantage

To be fair, Blake Bortles will not be facing Tom Brady. He will be opposing the New England Patriots’ defense. The Patriots almost seem offended when it’s insinuated that Bortles is a poor quarterback. Certainly, there are several “elite” quarterbacks that wish they were headed to Foxborough for the AFC championship game this Sunday. If Bortles wins this game over Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the vaunted Patriots, he will likely shed his draft bust label once and for all.

Brady rarely has a bad day at the office. His career mark speaks for itself. Teams have gotten to him like the New York Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl and the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game from two seasons ago. But, those situations are few and far between.

The 2015 Super Bowl was the last time Brady faced a top two ranked scoring defense in the playoffs. We remember how well he played that evening against the Seahawks.

In this match-up the Patriots should be able to win because of their running game. Dion Lewis is having a career year. Rex Burkhead and James White are the kind of multi-faceted players that Belichick loves. Bortles should have a strong game, but it probably won’t be enough to dethrone the champions.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVII

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The Super Bowl is just 15 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 15 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion! 

San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXXVII on January 26, 2003. The game pitted the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football Conference.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15 Years Ago

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After the famous “tuck rule” game, Jon Gruden was traded from the Raiders to the Buccaneers for a bunch of draft picks. The pieces were already in place for Tampa Bay to make a run at the title thanks to a fantastic defense, but Gruden was acquired to fire up their lethargic offense. It didn’t happen. What did happen was the Bucs’ defense got even better.

The Buccaneers fielded a “D” with five Pro Bowlers including Shelton Quarles and John Lynch. Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, and Warren Sapp were first-team All-Pro. Their fantastic defense led them to a 12-4 record.

Their offense finished 24th in the league. Brad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson and Mike Alstott were joined by Keenan McCardell and Michael Pittman in 2002. As the season progressed, the unit improved somewhat. In reality, they did not have to do much. In fact, Tampa only gave up 16 total points in the playoffs.

Bucs Roll

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In the divisional round, Tampa walloped San Francisco 31-6. The real challenge for the Buccaneers lay ahead. Their primary nemesis during this era had been the Eagles. In the NFC title game, things got off to a lousy start as Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 70 yards. Duce Staley followed that with a 20-yard score and it was 7-0 less than one minute into the game.

However, today would be different for the Bucs. In the last game ever played at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Tampa Bay closed it with a Ronde Barber pick six off Donovan McNabb. Thus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to their first Super Bowl!

Oakland Raiders 15 Years Ago

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Gruden’s former team was the preseason favorite to win the AFC. Coming off their heartbreaking loss in New England, Al Davis retooled his squad putting together quite a cast of veterans. 37-yr old NFL MVP Rich Gannon was the best of the bunch as he mounted a career year. 40-yr old Jerry Rice caught 92 passes for over 1200 yards and 37-yr old Rod Woodson made the Pro Bowl.

Bill Callahan’s team had a surreal first half of the season in 2002. They won their first four by posting crazy offensive numbers. Then, they lost four straight included two in overtime. They got their act together with two prime time conquests. First, they flattened Denver on Monday Night Football. Six days later, Oakland upended the defending-World Champion Patriots 27-20.

In the playoffs, Oakland cruised past the Jets and Titans scoring 71 points in those games. Therefore, Super Bowl XXXVII was advertised as a battle of Oakland’s offense vs. Tampa Bay’s defense.

Buccaneers Onslaught

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The Super Bowl was projected to be exciting and unpredictable. Gruden, however, seemed to know exactly what the Raiders were calling on every play. Keyed by two first half Dexter Jackson interceptions, the Buccaneers jumped out to a 27-3 lead.

Late in the third quarter, Gannon was intercepted again. This one was returned for a touchdown by Dwight Smith. Down, 34-3, the Raiders finally showed some life. They rallied for three consecutive touchdowns, but missed the two-point conversions on all of them. They got the ball back trailing 34-21 late in the contest. But, Derrick Brooks picked off Gannon again! And, he brought this one to the house. Dwight Smith added one more pick six giving Gannon record five interceptions in the 48-21 drubbing.

In their only Super Bowl appearance, Tampa Bay was triumphant. However, they were not able to sustain their greatness beyond 2002. Indeed, both the Buccaneers and Raiders slumped in 2003.

It will be interesting to see how Jon Gruden fares as he signed on to coach the Raiders effective 2018.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXVI

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The Super Bowl is just 16 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 16 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002. The game pitted the NFC Champion St. Louis Rams against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference. The game was played less than five months after the horrendous terrorist attacks of September 11th. So, there was an air of patriotism on Super Bowl Sunday. Low and behold, a team named the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl and made American football history.

St. Louis Rams 16 Years Ago

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The greatest show on turf was back and in many ways, they were even better than their 1999 World Championship team. After a lousy defensive campaign in 2000, the Rams hired Lovie Smith and acquired Aeneas Williams. They went from last place in points allowed to seventh and from 23rd in yards allowed to third! Williams’ impact was especially apparent. He finished the regular and postseason with 4 interception returns for touchdowns including two off Brett Favre.

The Rams’ offense was the Rams’ offense. They led the league in points for a third consecutive season. They had the best quarterback and best running back in football in Kirt Warner and Marshall Faulk. In fact, Faulk edged Warner for NFL MVP of 2001. Faulk finished with the incredible total of 2100 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns. The Rams also had two legends at wide receiver with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt posting obscene numbers. Mike Martz’ team was a well-oiled machine.

They rolled to a 14-2 regular season record. Then, they embarrassed the Packers in the Divisional round 45-17. However, the Rams faced a formidable opponent in the NFC Championship game. The youthful Philadelphia Eagles, who would be playing in the first of 4 straight NFC Championship games, battled until the end. Philadelphia was an 11-point underdog, but led 17-13 at the half. The Rams scored the next 16 points as they switched from their “greatest show on turf” style to pounding Faulk into the line. Faulk scored twice putting the Rams ahead 29-17. Philly responded with a late tally, but their last effort ended in another Williams’ INT. And, the Rams were on to their second Super Bowl in three years.

New England Patriots 16 Years Ago

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While the Rams were preseason favorites heading into 2001, the Patriots aimed to get back to the playoffs. The 2000 Pats finished 5-11 under first-year coach Bill Belichick with the 22nd-ranked offense and 20th-ranked defense. Headed into his seventh season as an NFL head coach, Belichick made the playoffs just once. However, he had achieved great success as Bill Parcells’s assistant and defensive coordinator. Thus, Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft still had confidence that Belichick was the right man for the job.

Belichick’s most important move was to keep a fourth quarterback on the 2000 roster named Tom Brady. Brady was a sixth round draft pick out of Michigan and was not projected to be anything special. One position that was not a major concern heading into 2001 was quarterback. The Patriots had nine-year man Drew Bledsoe who had shredded team passing records in the ’90’s. That all changed in week two when Bledsoe got wrecked near the sideline by Jets’ defender Mo Lewis. Brady stepped onto the field launching one of the greatest careers in the history of team sports.

Brady was not great 16 years ago. But, he was dependable and mistake-free. Even when Bledsoe got healthy, Brady remained the starter.

A competitive loss to the Rams left them at 5-5. At this crossroads in the season, Belichick called upon his defense to turn up the intensity. His guys responded emphatically led by Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy. New England won their final six games including two tough, low-scoring games on the road against the Jets and Bills. At 11-5, the Patriots grabbed the #2 seed in the AFC when the Jets stunned Oakland in the season finale.

Tuck Rule

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Brian Snyder

The Divisional Round playoff game between the Raiders and Patriots became an all-time classic. First, it was the last game at old Foxboro Stadium. Second, it was played on a Saturday night in a steady falling accumulating snow. Third, it was decided on a call so controversial, the game is known to this day as “The Tuck Rule Game.” As far as game action is concerned, it did not get exciting until the Patriots finally scored a late touchdown to cut the lead to 13-10 on a Brady run.

When the Pats got the ball back, they drove into Raiders’ territory when it happened. On the play, Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson and Brady’s former teammate at Michigan sacked Patriots’ Brady. He fumbled and it was recovered by Raiders’ linebacker Greg Biekert. Officials reviewed the play, and eventually determined that even though Brady had seemingly halted his passing motion and was attempting to “tuck” the ball back into his body, it was an incomplete pass and not a fumble under the then-effective NFL rules. Subsequently, the Patriots moved the ball into field goal range.

With under a minute remaining in regulation, Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri booted an unbelievable 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 13, which sent the game into overtime. In OT, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game for the Patriots. New England rejoiced. In effect, a dynasty that has known no equal in NFL history, was born.

In the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh, Brady hurt his ankle. Bledsoe came in and led the Patriots to a touchdown drive. Two special teams’ scores had New England up 21-3 before the Steelers rallied. However, they intercepted Kordell Stewart twice in the last few minutes to close out a 24-17 victory improbably sending the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXVI.

Patriots Day

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The Rams were 14-point favorites heading into the big game. The Patriots were not intimidated. They came out introduced as a team, ready to go to work.

St. Louis could not get on track offensively. The Patriots’ strategy to knock people around on every play was working. In the second quarter, Mike Vrabel made an uncontested rush toward Warner. Warner’s pass floated toward Bruce when Law jumped the play and darted to the end zone putting the Pats up 7-3. Another turnover led to a Brady to David Patten touchdown just before the half. Yet, another turnover by the Rams led to a second half field goal. Therefore, New England led St. Louis 17-3 heading to the fourth quarter.

The never-say-die Rams responded with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Ricky Proehl scored the latter with less than two minutes remaining. Brady now had his turn. For the first time on the international stage, he worked his magic. He calmly led the Pats from their own 17 to the Rams’ 30 in just over a minute. Vinatieri knocked home the game-winner and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl championship! It would not be their last!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXV

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The Super Bowl is just 17 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 17 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion! 

Tampa Bay hosted Super Bowl XXXI on January 28, 2001. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the Baltimore Ravens of the American Football Conference.

Baltimore Ravens 17 Years Ago

The Ravens’ franchise came into existence in 1996. In their first ever draft, they had two first round choices. They selected UCLA OT Jonathan Odgen with the fourth pick and Miami linebacker Ray Lewis with the 26th pick. Thus, Baltimore started off with a bang. Four years later, Odgen anchored the offense while Lewis led the defense. And, what a defense!

The 2000 Ravens coached by Brian Billick put together one of the greatest defensive seasons in NFL history. They are right up there with the ’75 Steelers, ’85 Bears and ’13 Seahawks when it comes to the finest units to win a Super Bowl. Marvin Lewis was the DC for the 12-4 Ravens. Ray Lewis was their best player. Indeed, Lewis may go down in history as the best inside linebacker to ever play this game. But, Baltimore employed solid guys throughout their lineup. 

Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams and their total combined weight of 700 pounds made running near impossible and allowed Lewis the freedom to roam sideline to sideline. Veteran Rod Woodson also had a Pro Bowl season at free safety. Young corners Chris McAlister and Duane Starks played with aggression and confidence. The defense was stacked; and it was a good thing because the offense was mediocre at best.

Offensive Woes

After a 5-1 start, the Ravens went three consecutive games without scoring a touchdown. Consequently, Trent Dilfer replaced the ineffective Tony Banks at starting QB. Dilfer was nothing special, but he did generate enough points to ensure the Ravens would not lose again for the remainder of the season. He looked to throw to tight end Shannon Sharpe or hand the ball off to rookie sensation Jamal Lewis.

Over their last seven games, the Ravens could not generate 300 total yards in a single game. In fact, in two of those contests, they registered less than 150! But, these were the 2000 Ravens. Who needs offense?

From Wild Card to Super Bowl

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Bill Frakes

In the Wild Card round, they knocked off Sharpe’s former team, the Broncos. Indeed, it was Sharpe who made the big play on a fluky 58-yard TD catch and run. That sent the Ravens to division-winner and defending AFC Champion Tennessee. These were the two best teams in football in 2000. And, for anyone who loves defense, this is a must re-watch. The Ravens and Titans hit each other for three hours. Baltimore finished the game with 6 total first down and 5 completed passes. The Titans missed three field goals.

One of those misses was a block returned by Anthony Mitchell giving the Ravens a 17-10 lead. In the fourth quarter, Ray Lewis took over. On a pass intended for Eddie George, Lewis muscled the ball away and bolted to the end zone putting the game away.

In the AFC Championship game, Baltimore was again the underdog on paper. However, Siragusa knocked Raiders’ QB Rich Gannon out of the game and all hope Oakland had was pretty much gone. Sharpe made the only offensive play the Ravens needed with a 96-yard catch and run. Baltimore won 16-3 clinching a trip to Super Bowl XXXV.

New York Giants 17 Years Ago

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The New York Giants were not projected to be a Super Bowl contender coming into the 2000 season. Even as the season progressed, they took a back seat to high-scoring teams like the defending World Champion Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. But, head coach Jim Fassel was convinced he had a playoff team on his hands even after a two-game home losing streak dropped their record to 7-4.

Led by the reborn Kerry Collins and the unique talents of running back Tiki Barber, New York won their final five regular season games. On defense, the Giants were led by Pro Bowler Jessie Armstead. They also had two very popular defenders in Michael Strahan and Jason Sehorn. It was Sehorn who made the critical play in the Giants 20-10 win over the rival Eagles. Sehorn made a bobbling catch along the sideline and dashed home for the six.

In the NFC Championship game, the Giants hosted the Vikings. New York pulverized Minnesota 41-0 in what was shockingly one of the most lopsided games in the NFL history. They outgained Minnesota 518-114 on the day and rolled to a 34-0 halftime lead. The Giants were ready to participate in the Super Bowl for a third time.

Defense Wins Championship

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KMazur

Super Bowl XXXV was mostly a boring affair unless you loved the Ravens’ defense. Ray Lewis was everywhere. And, when Trent Dilfer hit Brandon Stokley for an early TD, it appeared that even a 7-0 lead could be insurmountable for New York on this day.

With about four minutes remaining in the third quarter, the game received a must-needed jolt. It last about 30 seconds and would produce three return touchdowns pushing the game over the miniscule 33-total. First, Starks robbed Collins and ran it back 49 yards for a touchdown. Collins threw four picks on the day. Ron Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff for the Giants’ only points on the day. However, Baltimore’s veteran kick returner Jermaine Lewis responded. His 84-yarder pushed the Ravens to a 24-7 lead and ended the competitive nature of this Super Bowl.

The Ravens went on to win 34-7 giving the franchise their first World Championship and the city their Super Bowl counting the old Colts’ Super Bowl V triumph. Baltimore would continue to be tough defensively as long as Lewis played including another Super Bowl title in his last game after the 2012 season.

The Giants would not make it to the Super Bowl for seven years where they would face a legend by the name of Tom Brady. Tomorrow, we will read about how Brady helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

A Look at Belichick’s Patriots in AFC Championship Game Action

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Bill Belichick has coached the New England Patriots for eighteen seasons. Incredibly, he will be coaching in his twelfth AFC championship game, including an unprecedented seventh straight. Let’s take a look back at Belichick’s first eleven appearances in the AFC title bout.

2001-02 Patriots 24 Pittsburgh Steelers 17

championship

New England was the prohibitive underdog against Bill Cowher’s Steelers at Pittsburgh. Tom Brady injured his ankle midway through the second quarter so former starter Drew Bledsoe led the Patriots the rest of the way. The Pats notched two touchdowns on special teams and held off Pittsburgh 24-17. This great win is often forgotten as it came between the “Tuck Rule” game and the amazing upset win in the 2002 Super Bowl over the St. Louis Rams.

2003-04 Patriots 24 Indianapolis Colts 14

This game was hyped as Bill Belichick and his excellent defense versus Manning and the Colts’ high-powered offense. Patriots’ defenders harassed Manning and his receivers all day en route to a 24-14 victory. Manning threw four interceptions in the loss. Ty Law was so aggressive with his coverage that the Colts lobbied for stricter enforcement of defensive holding and illegal contact penalties over the offseason.

2004-05 Patriots 41 Steelers 17

The Patriots avenged a Halloween Day loss by exploding out of the blocks on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Deion Branch was the star of the game, posting 158 total yards and two touchdowns. Rodney Harrison nailed the coffin shut on the Steelers’ season with an 87-yard interception return off rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger. The 14-2 Patriots dominated the 15-1 Steelers on their way to their third Super Bowl championship in four seasons.

2006-07 Colts 38 Patriots 34

The Patriots lost a classic in Indianapolis. They jumped in front 21-3 in the second quarter, but could not contain Manning in perhaps his finest hour. The loss exposed a lack of talent and depth on the Patriots’ offense opening the door to the offseason acquisitions of Wes Welker and Randy Moss.

2007-08 Patriots 21 San Diego Chargers 12

Tom Brady and the undefeated Patriots struggled through the air against the undermanned, underrated Chargers. Thus, they relied on Lawrence Maroney and the running attack in a grind-it-out 21-12 victory over San Diego.

2011-12 Patriots 23 Baltimore Ravens 20

This game will always be remembered for the Ravens’ failures rather than the Patriots’ successes. Trailing 23-20 with under a minute to go, Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco found Lee Evans open in the corner of the end zone. At the last possible moment, Sterling Moore slapped the ball away. Two plays later, Billy Cundiff missed the field goal that would have tied things up. Patriots’ nose tackle Vince Wilfork had the game of his life in the win.

2012-13 Ravens 28 Patriots 13

Baltimore got their revenge on their way to their second Super Bowl title. The Ravens outscored New England 21-0 in the second half and scored four touchdowns in their four red zone appearances overall. Meanwhile, the Patriots were only able to come away with one touchdown in five red zone opportunities. The Ravens were also +3 in turnover differential. Belichick does not like stats, but these numbers point to an obvious Ravens’ victory.

2013-14 Denver Broncos 26 Patriots 16

The Patriots were no match for the historically good offense of the 2013 Broncos. Peyton Manning passed for over 400 yards as this contest was much closer on the scoreboard than it was on the field. The Broncos won 26-16 ahead of getting plastered in the Super Bowl by the Seattle Seahawks.

2014-15 Patriots 45 Colts 7

In the infamous “deflategate” game, LeGarrette Blount and the Patriots crushed the Colts 45-7. In a driving rainstorm, Andrew Luck and the Colts never could get things going in an embarrassing performance.

2015-16 Broncos 20 Patriots 18

This was probably the most intense championship game of the Belichick era. Denver’s incredible defense hit Brady incessantly. Manning threw two first half touchdown passes to give the Broncos a 14-6 lead. The Patriots dominated the second half with Rob Gronkowski scoring a touchdown with just twelve seconds remaining. However, the Broncos intercepted the ensuing two-point conversion attempt. Denver survived 20-18 and went on to win the Super Bowl over Carolina where they stuck with their 2015 formula: ugly on offense but tremendous defensively.

2016-17 Patriots 36 Steelers 17

The Patriots unleashed Chris Hogan on the unsuspecting Steelers in this one-sided affair. Le’Veon Bell was injured early in the game, putting a damper on the competitive aspect of the contest. The game was never really in doubt as the Patriots rolled 36-17.

The Patriots face the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday for the right to play in their eighth Super Bowl in the Belichick era. Win or lose, it is unlikely that we will ever witness a dynasty quite like the Patriots of the past twenty years.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIV

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The Super Bowl is just 18 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 18 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Atlanta hosted Super Bowl XXXIV on January 30, 2000. The game pitted the NFC Champion St. Louis Rams against the Tennessee Titans of the American Football Conference.

Rams Revival

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The Rams came into the 1999 season off nine consecutive losing seasons. And, they certainly were not projected to contend for the Super Bowl in ’99. On the plus side, Head Coach Dick Vermiel had turned programs around before in his coaching career. He revived the UCLA football program in the early 70s and the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 70s. However, he suffered from burnout following the 1982 season and went into broadcasting.

In 1997, he came out of retirement to coach the young Rams. After two poor seasons, he realized that his coaching style needed to change. He needed to be more “player-friendly.” He also hired offensive guru Mike Martz to be his OC and added QB Trent Green and RB Marshall Faulk. So, St. Louis figured to be better on offense. Their defense was already competitive. They ranked tenth overall in 1998. With high draft picks all over the field, they were destined to improve and they did. Kevin Carter was a first team All-Pro along the defensive line. And Notre Dame-grad Todd Lyght was a stand out at corner. Veterans D’Marco Farr and Mike Jones along with youngsters Grant Winstrom and London Fletcher all made fine contributions to a unit that finished fourth in 1999.

St. Louis Rams 18 Years Ago

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The story of the 1999 Rams, though, was all about their offense. In a preseason game against the Chargers, Green tore his ACL. Vermeil inserted a 28-year old name Kurt Warner and the rest is the stuff of legend. Warner was a Packers’ castoff. So, he tried his luck in the Arena League and NFL Europe before getting a backup job with the Rams in 1998.

His ’99 season was as brilliant as it was unexpected. The Rams scored almost 300 more points than their opponents that season! Warner’s accuracy on long passes to Isaac Bruce and rookie Torry Holt was astounding. It was the greatest show on turf. Therefore, St. Louis marched into the playoffs huge favorites to make it to the Super Bowl.

In the divisional round, they ran away from Randy Moss and the Vikings in a shoot-out, 49-37. Warner was 27 of 33 for 391 yards and 5 touchdowns; not a bad at the office! In the NFC championship game, however, the Rams met their defensive match. Tony Dungy’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to play and took a 6-5 lead into the 4th quarter. St. Louis proved it was not just a finesse ball club as they went toe to toe with the Bucs. Finally, late in the fourth, Warner hit Ricky Proehl for the game-winning and championship-clinching score! The city of St. Louis would have its first Super Bowl representative.

Tennessee Titans 18 Years Ago

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The AFC champion Tennessee Titans had a similar fairy tale-type season. The Titans as a franchise did not experience the horrible string of losing seasons that the Rams endured. They did experience perhaps the wildest decade, though. Before they were the Titans, they were the Houston Oilers. The Oilers were led by future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Warren Moon. In the early ’90s, Houston famously lost three heartbreaking playoff games. In 1994, with Moon gone, they imploded, finishing 2-14.

Buddy Ryan-disciple Jeff Fisher was hired to take over as Head Coach prior to the 1995 season. With the Oilers unable to generate enthusiasm in Houston, the team announced a move to Tennessee which would take effect in 1997. After spending a season in Memphis, the team moved to Nashville. They got their new name and their new stadium in 1999. Fisher posted just a 31-33 record over 4 seasons but was retained for the ’99 season. The Titans did very well in the draft grabbing a franchise QB in Steve McNair and the All-World RB Eddie George out of Ohio State. On defense, they had the sensational rookie from Florida nicknamed “The Freak.” Jevon Kearse was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie and wreaked havoc on offensive linemen throughout the season.

The ’99 Titans amazingly compiled a 13-3 record, but did not win their division. Jacksonville finished 14-2, but their two losses came…to Tennessee! Anyway, the Titans got the Wild Card game at home against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had made a major move at quarterback earlier in the week when they replaced the struggling Doug Flutie with Rob Johnson. Johnson had killed Peyton Manning and the Colts in the season finale.

Music City Miracle

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Wade Payne

In the first half, Kearse was dominant leading the Titans to a 12-0 lead. The second half was a different story as Johnson led the Bills back. They took a 16-15 lead on a Steve Christie field goal with just 16 seconds left. Tennessee would need a miracle to win. It happened. Christie popped up the kickoff. Lorenzo Neal fielded the ball and handed it off to Frank Wycheck. Wycheck “lateraled” to Kevin Dyson. Dyson ran untouched along the near sideline to score the miraculous go-ahead score. The win propelled the Titans to the 2nd round. In the divisional playoff at Indy, the Titans knocked off the upstart Colts 19-16. That was Manning’s first playoff game and foreshadowed his struggles in that situation for years to come.

In the AFC championship game, McNair was magnificent in leading the Titans to their third win of the season over the Jaguars. The 32-14 final put the Oilers/Titans franchise in their first ever Super Bowl.

Super Super Bowl

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The Rams dominated the first half although the score was not indicative of that dominance. The Rams settled for five field goal attempts and 9-0 halftime lead.

The second half was gripping. The Rams finally found the end zone on a slant from Warner to Holt from the nine giving them a 16-0 lead. At that point, the momentum swung. The Titans scored touchdowns on their next two possessions cutting the lead to 16-13 with eight minutes remaining. They stuck with their game plan which was a lot of Eddie George. George was not stylish. He was a freight train helping the Titans claw back in it. It was vintage Titans.

After they tied it at 16 with just over two minutes left, the Rams responded with an unreal 73-yard TD pass from Warner to Bruce. Warner’s pass was underthrown because Kearse was hitting him as he threw. Bruce made the adjustment and weaved his way home. It was vintage Rams.

Tennessee had one last drive. In a possession that proved to be the signature one of his career, McNair led the Titans to the Rams’ ten-yard line with six seconds left. Tennessee drew up a play for Dyson cutting to the inside. He caught the ball in stride and looked like he would score. At the last second, Jones grabbed him around the waist and tossed him to the turf about two feet short of the goal line. The Rams had won their first Super Bowl!

After Effect

The Titans came back with a very strong 2000 season, but were knocked out in the 2000 playoffs by the eventual-World Champion Ravens. They have not been to the Super Bowl since.

The Rams’ offense of 2000 was amazing, but their defense was terrible. They were mistake-prone in their playoff loss at New Orleans. In 2001, the Rams got back to the Super Bowl only to get upset by the Patriots. Since then, they have moved back to Los Angeles. Their franchise is going through a revival as we speak.

The 1999 Rams had one of the great offenses in NFL history. Tomorrow, we will discuss one of the greatest defenses of All-Time!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

 

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIII

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The Super Bowl is just 19 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 19 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

South Florida hosted Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. The game pitted the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons against the defending World Champion Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. The Broncos, who had a sorry Super Bowl history in the 80’s, came into the 1998 season footloose and fancy free. They won their Super Bowl; they won the AFC their first Super Bowl in 13 seasons. And, in 1998, they were loaded.

Denver Broncos 19 Years Ago

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Coach Mike Shanahan realized that he had a confident and fast offensive line, an experienced quarterback and a strong defense coming into 1998. However, his engine was Super Bowl XXXII MVP Terrell Davis. And he rode that workhorse to a 13-0 start. Davis finished the regular season with 2008 on 392 carries! Simply put, it was one of the greatest seasons a running back has ever experienced. Add to that an additional 468 in his three playoff games and there is little wonder Davis was enshrined in Pro Football’s Hall of Fame despite his premature retirement.

One of Denver’s two losses on the season occurred on a Monday night in Miami. The Broncos in return punished the Dolphins in the divisional round of the playoffs, 38-3. In the AFC championship game, the New York Jets coached by Bill Parcells challenged Denver early but ran out of steam in the second half. It was Davis’s 31-yard score late in the third that put the game in Denver’s win column and in their sixth Super Bowl!

Atlanta Falcons 19 Years Ago

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There were four standout NFC teams in the 1998 regular season, but none better than the Minnesota Vikings. Their resurgence was keyed by the transcendent Randy Moss. Comeback player of the year QB Randall Cunningham seemed to just throw the ball 60 yards in the air and Moss would come down with it. He broke a litany of rookie receiving marks during the Vikings’ 15-1 season. Minnesota was able to leapfrog Green Bay for AFC central supremacy. However, the Packers qualified for the wild card after another impressive season.

In the NFC West, Atlanta usurped San Francisco with a dynamite 14-2 season. They were led by veteran head coach Dan Reeves and a power running game. Their best player was the Jamal Anderson who carried the ball a whopping 410 times for 1846 yards. He became just as popular for his “Dirty Bird” celebration as he did for his excellent play in 1998.

In the Wild Card game between Green Bay and San Francisco, Brett Favre and Steve Young battled back and forth in one of the best playoff games of all-time. Young hit Terrell Owens on the final play of the game. With the win, the 49ers earned a trip to Atlanta. The Falcons jumped on San Francisco early. Unfortunately for the Niners, they lost running back Garrison Hearst to a torn ACL one play into the ball game. The Niners kept fighting, but fell short in a 20-18 victory for the Falcons. Atlanta’s underrated defense picked off Young three times in the second half to clinch the win.

Atlanta Stuns Minnesota

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Matthew Stockman

Atlanta would have to travel to Minnesota for the NFC championship game and were prohibitive underdogs. If they were intimidated, it sure didn’t look that way as they took their opening possession the length of the field for a 7-0 lead. Minnesota responded with 20 consecutive points and looked well on their way to their first Super Bowl in 22 years. But, a funny thing happened in Minnesota that day. The Vikings made just enough crucial mistakes and the Falcons, especially quarterback Chris Chandler, made just enough big plays, to propel Atlanta to the upset.

The game’s most memorable moment occurred late in the fourth. Minnesota led 27-20 and brought on Gary Anderson to attempt a 39-yard field goal. Anderson had not missed a kick all regular season! This time, however, his kick was wide left. The door was open for Atlanta and just over a minute later, Chandler found Terance Mathis for the tying score. The dirty birds won it in overtime on Morten Andersen’s field goal and the Falcons were about to participate in the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

“This One’s For John”

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Atlanta certainly did not play their “A” game in Super Bowl XXXIII. That may have had more to do with the Broncos’ greatness, however. Atlanta was able to generate scoring opportunities over the first three quarters. They just could not take advantage. Andersen missed a chip shot. The Broncos stuffed Anderson on a fourth down. Chandler threw three interceptions that resulted in long returns for Denver. So, this was not a fun day for Falcons’ football.

Denver, on the other hand, got a great day from their venerable quarterback. Elway’s biggest play came in the second quarter when he found Rod Smith for an 80-yard strike that gave the Broncos a 17-3 lead. Atlanta’s highlight came in the second half when they were trailing 31-6. Tough Tim Dwight returned a kickoff to give his fan base something to cheer about on an otherwise dreary Florida night.

This game, this night was the “Football God’s” gift to one its sons, John Elway. While this season and the previous Super Bowl belonged to Terrell Davis, Super Bowl XXXIII was all about the magnificent #7. And team president Pat Bowlen acknowledged this as he accepted the Lombardi Trophy by announcing, “This One’s for John.” Elway retired following the 1998 season.

Tomorrow, we will discuss another remarkable quarterback story, that of Kurt Warner of the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXII

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The Super Bowl is just 20 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 20 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXXII on January 25, 1998. The game pitted the defending World Champion Green Bay Packers against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference.

Green Bay Packers 20 Years Ago

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Steve Apps

From day one, the Packers were the heavy favorites to repeat. In fact, there was preseason hype that this team could potentially go undefeated. However, they dropped two of their first 5 to temper the buzz somewhat. The Packers were awesome in the second half of the season. Mike Holmgren’s team went undefeated at home for the second straight season and Brett Favre won the league MVP for a third consecutive season.

The Packers were particularly excellent on defense in the playoffs. They defeated Tampa Bay 21-7 and won in San Francisco 23-10. The high-powered 49ers could not get anything going offensively. Indeed, the Niners’ only TD came on Chuck Levy’s kick return with less than four minutes remaining. Hence. Green Bay went into Super Bowl XXXII as an 11.5 favorite to defeat the Broncos.

Denver Broncos 20 Years Ago

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Denver suffered a mind-numbing home loss to end the 1996 season to Jacksonville. But, they did not suffer a hangover as they bounced out of the gate with a 11-2 record. The Broncos had the #1 offense in football in 1997 thanks in large part to Terrell Davis’ gigantic 1750 rushing yards. At 37 years old, John Elway looked like he was back in his prime throwing 27 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions. He also had some superb receiving options in Rod Smith and Shannon Sharpe.

The Broncos revamped their defense as well. Under Mike Shanahan, emphasis was placed on complex blitzing schemes and staying in their base defense even as most teams would fall back in prevent mode. Pro Bowlers John Mobley and Neil Smith were keys to the unit leading the squad in tackles and sacks respectively. On the back-end, veteran safeties Steve Atwater and Tyrone Braxton were known for their hard-hitting. The ’97 Broncos were definitely a complete team ready to take the next step.

Wild Card Route

Unfortunately, late in the season, they slumped at Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The Chiefs passed them for the AFC West title. Denver would have to get to the Super Bowl the long way. First, they crushed Jacksonville to get their revenge for ’96. Next, they went into Kansas City and their raucous environment and upset the Chiefs. In the AFC Championship game, although they were on the road, the Broncos were the superior team against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The key score occurred with 13 seconds left in the first half putting Denver up 24-14. They held on to the win by constantly harassing Steelers’ QB Kordell Stewart. They forced into three interceptions and a fumble. That proved to the difference in Denver’s 24-21 win. It was on to John Elway’s fourth-career Super Bowl!

TD’s Heroic Performance

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In the Super Bowl, the Packers strolled down the field with the opening kickoff like a bat out of hell. The Broncos responded immediately aided by a third down holding penalty. It was obvious from the outset what Denver was trying to do on this day. Feed TD. Terrell Davis battled through migraines in his hometown to rush for 157 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos jumped out to a 17-7 lead. Green Bay tied it. Denver regained the lead in the third. The Packers tied it again.

With two minutes remaining, Davis burst to the left for a 17-yard gain. It was second and goal from the one. So, Holmgren instructed his defense to allow Davis to score. On the strength of four consecutive completions to Levens, Favre had the Pack in position to tie it. But, he threw three straight incompletions while dealing with serious pressure and the Broncos won the Super Bowl! It was the AFC’s first championship in 14 years. Elway was carried off the field. It was a terrific moment for football lovers as the 16-year veteran thanks in large part to his running back finally got his ring.

Favre would never get back to the Super Bowl despite his own illustrious career. Elway, though, would be back one season later!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills