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Once we communicate concerning the New England Patriots within the fashionable context, it’s onerous to think about any of their victories being an incredible achievement in opposition to adversity, or a outstanding upset. Whereas they’ve achieved nice success, they’ve been the favorites in nearly all of their successes. They took the onerous route in some video games, however they have been all the time the one fancied earlier than the sport began.
However that doesn’t apply to the sport in opposition to the St. Louis Rams in 2002, when the Patriots have been contesting Tremendous Bowl XXXVI. This was the primary Tremendous Bowl for the mixture of Tom Brady and Invoice Belichick. And it got here off the again of Brady solely being the Pats’ no.1 quarterback due to an damage. It was early within the season when Brady acquired the decision, given the damage to his predecessor. He was going to have to steer the Patriots for the remainder of the season, and boy did he lead them.
Not solely did Brady lead the Patriots to a powerful 11-3 end for the season, however he managed to get them via the playoffs and into the Tremendous Bowl. And we can not speak about that Tremendous Bowl run with out mentioning the notorious snow recreation, the place the Patriots wanted a late, late discipline aim from Adam Vinatieri to win the sport in opposition to The Oakland Raiders in Foxborough.
When analysts look again on the 2001 Patriots, and their triumph within the 2002 Tremendous Bowl, it’s simple to see it as the beginning of that interval of dominance. However we have now to do not forget that none of that was in place once they have been reaching this triumph. They weren’t favorites in any of their playoff video games, they usually have been definitely not anticipated to get into the Tremendous Bowl that season.
All of us have a look at Tom Brady as a legend now. However on the time, he was a younger quarterback who had been drafted within the sixth spherical. He was the 197th decide within the draft when he got here into the NFL, and nobody thought he could be the one who would begin off this Patriots dynasty.
However when Brady acquired that decision forward of Blesdoe after the latter’s damage, he by no means seemed again. He wanted some assist from his protection and kicker, however he led that Patriots crew to heights that even he couldn’t have anticipated. It was his first season as a starter within the league, and he completed it as a Tremendous Bowl champion.
The Rams put up an awesome combat in that Tremendous Bowl, and it wanted one other Vinatieri discipline aim to provide the Patriots a 20-17 win. Brady was the MVP, and he had cemented his place as one of many high quarterbacks within the league. He would go on to change into an absolute legend of the sport. However throughout these weeks main as much as the Tremendous Bowl, he was an up and coming quarterback who nobody anticipated may put up one nice efficiency after one other to assist his crew to glory.