2001 New England Patriots

2001 New England Patriots season
Owner	Robert Kraft
President	Robert Kraft Johnathan Kraft Andy Wasynczuk
Head Coach	Bill Belichick
General Manager	Scott Pioli
Offensive Coordinator	Charlie Weis
Defensive Coordinator	Romeo Crennel
Home Field	Foxboro Stadium
Results
Record	11–5
Place	1st AFC East
Playoff Finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 16–13 (OT) Won AFC Championship (Steelers) 24–17 Won Super Bowl XXXVI (Rams) 20–17
Pro Bowlers	QB Tom Brady WR Troy Brown CB Ty Law SS Lawyer Milloy
Uniform
Timeline
Previous Season	Next Season
2000	2002

The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI.

Coming off a fifth-place finish in head coach Bill Belichick's first season in 2000, the Patriots were not expected to fare much better in 2001. In the second game of the season, nine-year starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who received a 10-year contract extension in March 2001, was injured on a hit by New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis, causing backup Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft pick in 2000, to enter the game. The Patriots lost the game to fall to 0–2, but Brady started the final 14 games of the season for the Patriots, who ended the regular season with six straight wins to complete an 11–5 record.

With the second seed in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots faced the Oakland Raiders at home following a first-round bye in the final game at Foxboro Stadium; in a snowstorm, a Patriots drive late in the fourth quarter was kept alive in an application of the now-infamous tuck rule that was used in overturning a Brady fumble into an incomplete pass. Shortly after, a 45-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal through the snow, considered one of the most clutch field goals in NFL history, sent the game into overtime, when another Vinatieri field goal won it. After defeating the top-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots faced the heavily favored St. Louis Rams, known as "The Greatest Show on Turf," in Super Bowl XXXVI. Once again, Vinatieri kicked a game-winning field goal; the 48-yard kick sailed through the uprights as time expired, and gave the Patriots their first ever Super Bowl victory in what has been considered by many to be a "cinderella" season.

Offseason

2001 NFL Draft

• Main article: 2001 NFL Draft

2001 New England Patriots Draft Selections

Round	Overall	Player	Position	College
1	6	Richard Seymour	Defensive tackle	Georgia
2	48	Matt Light	Offensive tackle	Purdue
3	86	Brock Williams	Cornerback	Notre Dame
4	96	Kenyatta Jones	Offensive tackle	South Florida
4	119	Jabari Holloway	Tight end	Notre Dame
5	163	Hakim Akbar	Safety	Washington
6	180	Arther Love	Tight end	South Carolina State
6	200	Leonard Myers	Cornerback	Miami (FL)
7	216	Owen Pochman	Kicker	BYU
7	239	T. J. Turner	Linebacker	Michigan State

compensatory selection

Staff

New England Patriots 2001 staff
Front Office Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft Vice Chairman – Jonathan Kraft Senior Vice President/COO – Andy Wasynczuk Director of Player Personnel – Scott Pioli Director of College Scouting – Larry Cook Assistant Director of College Scouting – Lionel Vital Assistant Director of Pro Scouting – Andre Tippett Football Research Director – Ernie Adams Head Coaches Head Coach – Bill Belichick Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs – Charlie Weis Quarterbacks – Dick Rehbein* Wide Receivers – Ivan Fears Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line – Dante Scarnecchia Assistant Offensive Line – Jeff Davidson Coaching Assistant – Ned Burke			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – Romeo Crennel Defensive Line – Randy Melvin Outside Linebackers – Rob Ryan Inside Linebackers – Pepper Johnson Defensive Backs – Eric Mangini Coaching Assistant – Brian Daboll Special Teams Coaches Special Teams – Brad Seely Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Mike Woicik Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Markus Paul * Rehbein died on August 6.

Opening training camp roster

At the time of the first public training camp practice at Bryant College on July 26, they had the NFL maximum of 80 players signed to their roster. The Patriots received seven roster exemptions for the NFL Europe allocations of Michael Bishop, Brad Costello, Tony George, Sean Morey, Josh Rawlings, Kato Serwanga, and Tony Simmons. Additionally, the Patriots allocated wide receiver Tony Hamler and linebackers John Eskridge and Marc Megna to NFL Europe and received roster exemptions for them, but those players were waived before the start of training camp. Finally, injured draft pick Brock Williams had not yet signed a contract at the start of camp and did not count against the roster limit.

New England Patriots 2001 opening training camp roster
Quarterbacks  7 Michael Bishop 11 Drew Bledsoe 12 Tom Brady 19 Damon Huard Running Backs 44 Marc Edwards FB 47 Robert Edwards 33 Kevin Faulk KR/PR 35 Patrick Pass FB/KR 46 Jeff Paulk FB 21 J. R. Redmond 14 Walter Williams UR Wide Receivers 80 Troy Brown PR 18 Ronney Daniels UR 84 Shockmain Davis 84 Bert Emanuel 88 Terry Glenn 82 Curtis Jackson 17 Charles Johnson 87 Dane Looker 28 Sean Morey 15 David Patten 81 Tony Simmons 13 Torrance Small Tight Ends 86 Chris Eitzmann 43 Johnny McWilliams 83 Rod Rutledge 85 Jermaine Wiggins		Offensive Linemen 63 Joe Andruzzi G 77 Mike Compton G 61 Adam Davis G 60 Drew Inzer G/C UR 74 Kenyatta Jones T/G R 70 Adrian Klemm T 72 Matt Light T R 68 Stephen Neal T/G 74 Joe Panos G 62 Josh Rawlings G/T 64 Greg Robinson-Randall T 67 Grey Ruegamer C/G 76 Grant Williams T 65 Damien Woody C Defensive Linemen 97 Reggie Grimes DE 91 Bobby Hamilton DE 60 Garrett Johnson NT 92 David Nugent DE 71 Chuck Osborne DE 61 Riddick Parker DE 98 Anthony Pleasant DE 75 Jace Sayler NT UR 93 Richard Seymour NT R		Linebackers 54 Tedy Bruschi ILB 58 Matt Chatham OLB 90 Antico Dalton ILB 50 Rob Holmberg ILB 39 Yubrenal Isabelle ILB UR 53 Larry Izzo ILB 52 Ted Johnson ILB 59 Andy Katzenmoyer ILB 94 Greg Spires OLB/DE 96 Maugaula Tuitele ILB 37 T. J. Turner OLB R 50 Mike Vrabel OLB Defensive Backs 29 Hakim Akbar SS R 27 Terrell Buckley CB 30 Je'Rod Cherry FS 41 Tony George SS 23 Antwan Harris FS 38 Ray Hill CB 34 Tebucky Jones FS 24 Ty Law CB 36 Lawyer Milloy SS 25 Leonard Myers CB R 31 Kato Serwanga CB 22 Terrance Shaw CB 45 Otis Smith CB 26 Matt Stevens SS Special Teams  9 Brad Costello P  2 Dan Hadenfeldt P UR 13 Lee Johnson P 66 Lonie Paxton LS  2 Owen Pochman K R  4 Adam Vinatieri K		Reserve Lists 49 Jabari Holloway TE (Active/PUP) R File:Injury icon.svg 48 Arther Love TE (Active/PUP) R File:Injury icon.svg 55 Willie McGinest OLB/DE (Active/PUP) File:Injury icon.svg 99 Brandon Mitchell DE (Active/PUP) File:Injury icon.svg 32 Antowain Smith RB (Active/PUP) File:Injury icon.svg Unsigned Draft Picks 28 Brock Williams CB R Notations R: 2001 Rookie UR: 2001 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 80-man roster.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	Attendance
1	September 9	Cincinnati	L 17-23	0-1	Paul Brown Stadium	51,521
2	September 23	NY Jets	L 3-10	0-2	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
3	September 30	Indianapolis	W 44-13	1-2	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
4	October 7	Miami	L 10-30	1-3	Pro Player Stadium	72,713
5	October 14	San Diego	W 29-26 (OT)	2-3	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
6	October 21	Indianapolis	W 38-17	3-3	RCA Dome	56,022
7	October 28	Denver	L 20-31	3-4	Mile High	74,750
8	November 4	Atlanta	W 24-10	4-4	Georgia Dome	44,229
9	November 11	Buffalo	W 21-11	5-4	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
10	November 18	St. Louis	L 17-24	5-5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
11	November 25	New Orleans	W 34-17	6-5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
12	December 2	NY Jets	W 17-16	7-5	Giants Stadium	78,712
13	December 9	Cleveland	W 27-16	8-5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
14	December 16	Buffalo	W 12-9 (OT)	9-5	Ralph Wilson Stadium	45,527
15	December 22	Miami	W 20-13	10-5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
16	Bye week
17	January 6	Carolina	W 38-6	11-5	Ericsson Stadium	71,907
Playoffs
Bye week
DIV	January 19	Oakland	W 16-13	12-5	Foxboro Stadium	60,292
AFCCG	January 27	Pittsburgh	W 24-17	13-5	Heinz Field	64,704
SB XXXVI	February 3	St. Louis	W 20-17	14-5	Louisiana Superdome	72,922

Notable games

• September 23 vs. New York Jets:

During the fourth quarter of a 10-3 loss to the Jets Drew Bledsoe was hammered while running to the sidelines by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. The injury to his chest, which filled with blood, left Bledsoe hospitalized. Tom Brady finished the game, completing five of ten passes for 46 yards, and was elevated to starter.

• September 30 vs. Indianapolis Colts:

The 2-0 Colts were crushed 44-13 following a brutal hit on receiver Jerome Pathon by Patriots linebacker Bryan Cox in the first quarter. From there Colts receivers shied away from contact with Patriot defenders and Peyton Manning's interception at the Patriots 22-yard line late in the first half was returned by Otis Smith for a touchdown. The Patriots led 23-0 late in the third quarter before Manning ran in a ten-yard score, then in the fourth the Colts collapsed entirely, surrendering 21 points (including a 23-yard Ty Law interception return touchdown) while managing just a touchdown to future Patriot Marcus Pollard. Tom Brady threw for 168 yards in his first start.

• October 14 vs. San Diego Chargers:

The game that decisively turned the 1-3 Patriots season around came against former and future Patriot Doug Flutie along with the 3-1 Chargers' vaunted rookie LaDainian Tomlinson. Unruly receiver Terry Glenn, making his first start of the season after being benched for the opening four games, caught a 21-yard score from Tom Brady and had seven catches for 110 yards total. The Patriots led 16-13 but were struggling on special teams (Bill Belichick called their performance "the worst in a year and a half" afterward); Adam Vinatieri had missed a field goal try and the extra point off Glenn's touchdown, but the real special teams breakdown occurred with less than seven minutes remaining; forced to punt with his team trailing 19-16, Patriots punter Lee Johnson botched the kick and running back Derrick Harris ran in a six-yard score (the miscue cost Johnson his punting job as he was replaced by Ken Walter). But despite being down 26-16, Brady took over, directing a field goal drive, then throwing the game-tying touchdown in the final minute to Jermaine Wiggins. A last-second Wade Richey field goal try fell short, and in overtime Brady picked up a Chargers blitz and led a drive that ended in Vinatieri's 44-yard gield goal and a 29-26 Patriots final.

• October 21 at Indianapolis Colts:

In what turned out to be their last trip to the RCA Dome until the post-realignment 2003 season, the Patriots followed up their September rout of the Colts with a 38-17 thrashing highlighted by the one-man scoring explosion of David Patten, who ran in a 29-yard touchdown, caught a 91-yard bomb from Tom Brady, then on a flea-flick play threw a 60-yard strike to Troy Brown, all in the first half. The Colts lost two fumbles and Peyton Manning was sacked four times as the Colts' season began spiraling into collapse.

• November 4 at Atlanta Falcons:

Former Patriot Shawn Jefferson caught a 19-yard touchdown from Chris Chandler, but Chandler was sacked six times and knocked out of the game; rookie Michael Vick threw for 56 yards and rushed for 50 more but was sacked three times. The most bizarre score of the game came in the third as a Tom Brady pass for David Patten was deflected off a body and caught at the 30-yard line by Troy Brown for a 44-yard touchdown. The Patriots won 24–10.

• November 18 vs. St. Louis Rams:

The Patriots squandered a goalline opportunity when they fumbled to the Rams late in the second quarter; the Rams drove downfield and scored. The Patriots' defense was unable to stop Kurt Warner and get the ball back late in the game, as the Rams salted away a 24–17 win. The win proved costly, as five Rams starters were knocked out of the game, and coach Mike Martz said afterward that the Patriots were a Super Bowl-caliber team.

• November 25 vs. New Orleans Saints:

Drew Bledsoe was medically cleared to return to the field, but Bill Belichick ruled that Brady would remain the starter. Brady responded with four touchdowns in a 34–17 triumph. Ricky Williams, soon to leave the Saints for the Miami Dolphins, rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown in his first encounter with the Patriots.

• December 2 at New York Jets:

The Jets bullied the Patriots en route to a 13–0 halftime lead, but the Patriots stormed back, scoring 14 third-quarter points en route to a 17–16 win. During the game the Jets appeared to lose a fumble to the Patriots, but the fumble was reversed based on a rule that would become controversial in the subsequent playoffs - the Tuck Rule.

• December 16 at Buffalo Bills:

Field goals ruled the day as Shayne Graham and Adam Vinatieri kicked seven combined in a 12-9 overtime Patriots win. The most controversial play came in overtime when David Patten caught a pass and was knocked out of bounds; the ball bounced off his feet and was recovered by the Bills, but the play went to review and it was determined that Patten, momentarily unconscious, had his head out of bounds when the ball touched his feet; by rule the ball was dead. The Patriots thus retained possession enough for the game-winning 23-yard field goal.

• December 23 vs. Miami Dolphins:

The Patriots defeated the Dolphins (20–13) for the first time since November 23, 1998 in the final regular season game for Foxboro Stadium. During halftime Patriot greats of the past and present were paraded with each commemorating a season of the stadium's 31-season existence – John Hannah represented 1973 (the year he was drafted by New England), Steve Grogan represented 1976 (the year of the infamous "Ben Dreith game" against Oakland), Drew Bledsoe represented 1996 (the Super Bowl XXXI season), and so forth. During the game itself Tom Brady caught a 23-yard pass from Kevin Faulk and threw for 109 yards himself, as the Patriots raced out to an early lead and held off a late Dolphins rally to earn sole 1st place in the AFC East.

Week 1 roster

New England Patriots 2001 Week 1 roster
Quarterbacks 11 Drew Bledsoe 12 Tom Brady 19 Damon Huard Running Backs 44 Marc Edwards FB 33 Kevin Faulk 35 Patrick Pass FB 21 J. R. Redmond KR 32 Antowain Smith Wide Receivers 80 Troy Brown PR 87 Bert Emanuel 81 Charles Johnson 86 David Patten 84 Torrance Small Tight Ends 83 Rod Rutledge 85 Jermaine Wiggins		Offensive Linemen 63 Joe Andruzzi G 77 Mike Compton G 74 Kenyatta Jones T/G R 70 Adrian Klemm T 72 Matt Light T R 64 Greg Robinson-Randall T 67 Grey Ruegamer C/G 76 Grant Williams T 65 Damien Woody C Defensive Linemen 91 Bobby Hamilton DE 96 Brandon Mitchell DE 97 Riddick Parker DE 98 Anthony Pleasant DE 94 Jace Sayler NT UR 93 Richard Seymour NT R		Linebackers 54 Tedy Bruschi ILB 51 Bryan Cox ILB 53 Larry Izzo ILB 52 Ted Johnson ILB 55 Willie McGinest OLB/DE 90 Marty Moore ILB 95 Roman Phifer OLB 99 T. J. Turner OLB R 50 Mike Vrabel OLB Defensive Backs 29 Hakim Akbar SS R 27 Terrell Buckley CB 30 Je'Rod Cherry FS 23 Antwan Harris FS 34 Tebucky Jones FS 24 Ty Law CB 36 Lawyer Milloy SS 25 Leonard Myers CB R 22 Terrance Shaw CB 45 Otis Smith CB 26 Matt Stevens SS Special Teams 13 Lee Johnson P 66 Lonie Paxton LS  4 Adam Vinatieri K		Reserve Lists 88 Terry Glenn WR (Left Squad) 38 Ray Hill CB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 49 Jabari Holloway TE (IR) R File:Injury icon.svg 59 Andy Katzenmoyer ILB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 48 Arther Love TE (PUP) R File:Injury icon.svg 28 Brock Williams CB (IR) R File:Injury icon.svg 14 Walter Williams RB (IR) UR File:Injury icon.svg Practice Squad 68 Tom Ashworth OT UR 58 Matt Chatham OLB 82 Curtis Jackson WR 60 Drew Inzer G/C UR 92 David Nugent DT Notations R: 2001 Rookie UR: 2001 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.

Standings

Template:2001 AFC East standings

Postseason results

• Main article: 2001–02 NFL playoffs

Divisional Round vs. Oakland Raiders

• Main article: Tuck rule game

1 2 3 4 OT Total Raiders 0 7 6 0 0 13 Patriots 0 0 3 10 3 16 at Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST Game weather: Template:Convert/°F, heavy snow Game attendance: 60,292 Referee: Walt Coleman TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color commentator), and Armen Keteyian (sideline reporter)

The game, the final one in the history of Foxboro Stadium, played in a heavy snowfall, will be remembered for a call near the end of the game, in which the referees initially ruled that New England quarterback Tom Brady had fumbled on a pass attempt, with Oakland protecting a three-point lead. Invoking the "tuck rule", where a ball is ruled an incomplete pass after the quarterback starts any forward motion, the referee overturned the decision after reviewing the instant replay, calling the drop an incomplete pass rather than a fumble.

Both teams struggled in the heavy snow storm during the first half, combining for the same number of punts as first downs (11) and converting only one of 13 third downs. However, Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon was efficient, completing 10 of 14 passes for 87 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to James Jett early in the second quarter.

In the second half, things began to open up, especially for New England, who almost completely abandoned their running game and relied on Brady. He ended up completing 26 of 39 passes for 238 yards in the second half. On the opening drive of the third quarter, he led the Patriots 62 yards in 12 plays to the Raiders' 5-yard line, where Adam Vinatieri made a 23-yard field goal to cut the score, 7-3. Oakland responded with a 10-play, 43 yard drive, and scored a 38-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski. Then after forcing a punt, a 22-yard reception by receiver Jerry Rice set up Janikowski's second field goal, giving the Raiders a 13-3 lead with 2 minutes left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Brady led the Patriots on a 10-play, 67-yard drive, completing 9 consecutive passes for 61 yards and finishing it with a 6-yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter, the infamous "tuck" incident occurred. As Brady dropped back to pass, he lost the ball while being tackled by former college teammate Charles Woodson, and Oakland linebacker Greg Biekert recovered it with 1:47 left. However, a bitterly disputed instant replay challenge caused referee Walt Coleman to overturn the fumble, ruling Brady's arm had been moving forward while being tackled and making the play an incomplete pass. Taking advantage of his second chance, Brady led the Patriots inside the Raiders' 30-yard line where Vinatieri made a 45-yard field goal with 27 seconds left, a dramatic kick through heavy snowfall that barely cleared the crossbar, sending the game into overtime.

New England won the coin toss and drove for the winning field goal on a possession that featured a risky fourth down and 4 conversion attempt from Brady, who threw a 6-yard pass to David Patten at the Raiders' 22-yard line to keep the drive alive. Following five runs from Antowain Smith and one from Brady, Vinatieri made a 23-yard field goal to win the game.

• Scoring
  • OAK - Jett 13 pass from Gannon (Janikowski kick) OAK 7-0
  • NE - field goal Vinatieri 23 OAK 7-3
  • OAK - field goal Janikowski 38 OAK 10-3
  • OAK - field goal Janikowski 45 OAK 13-3
  • NE - Brady 6 run (Vinatieri kick) OAK 13-10
  • NE - field goal Vinatieri 45 Tie 13-13
  • NE - field goal Vinatieri 23 NE 16-13

AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh Steelers

1 2 3 4 Total Patriots 7 7 7 3 24 Steelers 0 3 14 0 17 at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST Game weather: Template:Convert/°F, partly sunny Game attendance: 64,704 Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color commentator), Armen Keteyian and Bonnie Bernstein (sideline reporters)

The Patriots' storybook season continued as Drew Bledsoe came into the game in the second quarter in place of an injured Tom Brady - who replaced Bledsoe himself early in the season when he suffered a sheared blood vessel.

Patriots receiver Troy Brown opened up the scoring with a 55-yard punt return touchdown with 3:42 left in the first quarter. Pittsburgh responded by driving 65 yards in 10 plays and scoring with a 30-yard field goal from Kris Brown. Later in the quarter, Brady completed a 28-yard pass to Brown at the Steelers 40-yard line, but was knocked out of the game on the play. Bledsoe took over without missing a beat, rushing for four yards and completing three passes to David Patten for 37 yards, the last one an 11-yard touchdown to give the Patriots a 14-3 lead.

On the first drive of the second half, New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi recovered a fumbled snap on the Steelers 35-yard line. But the Patriots gained only two yards on their next 4 plays and ended up turning the ball over on downs. Pittsburgh subsequently drove 52 yards to the 16-yard line to set up Brown's second field goal attempt, but this time his kick was blocked by defensive tackle Brandon Mitchell and Troy Brown recovered the ball. After returning it 11 yards, Brown threw a lateral pass to Antwan Harris, who took the ball the remaining 45 yards for a touchdown to increase New England's lead to 21-3.

The Steelers struck back with quarterback Kordell Stewart completing a 24-yard pass to Hines Ward and a 19-yard screen pass to Amos Zereoue on an 8-play, 79-yard drive. Jerome Bettis finished it off with a 1-yard touchdown run, cutting the score to 21–10 with 5:11 left in the third quarter. New England was forced to punt after linebacker Jason Gildon sacked Bledsoe on third down, and Troy Edwards returned the punt 28 yards to the Patriots 32-yard line. Five plays later, Zereoue scored with an 11-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–17.

Early in the fourth quarter, Adam Vinatieri's 44-yard field goal increased New England's lead to 24–17. Later in the period, the Patriots made two key stops to clinch the victory. First, safety Tebucky Jones intercepted a pass from Stewart and returned it 19 yards to the Steelers 34-yard line. Pittsburgh's defense managed to prevent a first down and Vinatieri missed a 50-yard field goal attempt that would have sealed the game, giving the Steelers the ball back on their own 40-yard line, but a few plays later, Lawyer Milloy intercepted a pass from Stewart with 2:02 left to seal the game, and the Patriots were able to run out the rest of the clock.

• Scoring
  • NE - Brown 55 punt return (Vinatieri kick) NE 7-0
  • PIT - field goal Brown 30 NE 7-3
  • NE - Patten 11 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick) NE 14-3
  • NE - Harris 45 lateral from Brown (Vinatieri kick) NE 21-3
  • PIT - Bettis 1 run (Brown kick) NE 21-10
  • PIT - Zereoue 11 run (Brown kick) NE 21-17
  • NE - field goal Vinatieri 44 NE 24-17

Super Bowl XXXVI vs. St. Louis Rams

• Main article: Super Bowl XXXVI

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 3 0 0 14 17 Patriots 0 14 3 3 20 at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST Game weather: Played indoors, domed stadium Game attendance: 72,922 Referee: Bernie Kukar TV announcers (Fox): Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator), and Pam Oliver (sideline reporter)

The Rams scored first midway through the first quarter, driving 48 yards in 10 plays to set up a 50-yard field goal by kicker Jeff Wilkins. At the time, the field goal was the third longest in Super Bowl history. The rest of the quarter was scoreless.

Early in the second quarter, the Rams drove to New England's 34-yard line, but quarterback Kurt Warner threw an incompletion on third down, and Wilkins' subsequent 52-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.

With 8:49 left in the second quarter, New England defensive back Ty Law intercepted a pass intended for receiver Isaac Bruce and scored on a 47-yard return to give the Patriots a 7-3 lead. With less than two minutes left in the first half, Warner completed a pass to receiver Ricky Proehl at the Patriots 40-yard line, but New England defensive back Antwan Harris forced a fumble while tackling him, which was recovered by Patriots defensive back Terrell Buckley. New England quarterback Tom Brady would lead a drive that culminated with an 8-yard touchdown pass to receiver David Patten with 31 seconds left in the half to give New England a 14-3 halftime lead. This was the first time in the 2001 season that St. Louis fell behind in a game by more than eight points.

The Patriots took the opening kickoff of the second half, but could only reach the St. Louis 43-yard line before being forced to punt. Aided by a 20-yard reception by wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim, a 22-yard reception by Bruce, and a defensive pass interference penalty on Patriots defensive back Otis Smith, the Rams advanced to the New England 41-yard line. However, on the next play, linebacker Mike Vrabel and defensive lineman Richard Seymour sacked Warner for a 9-yard loss. Warner then threw 2 consecutive incomplete passes, which resulted in the Rams punting.

Later in the third quarter, Otis Smith intercepted a pass intended for Rams wide receiver Torry Holt after Holt slipped while coming off the line of scrimmage, and returned the ball 30 yards to the Rams 33-yard line. Though St. Louis' defense did not give up a touchdown to the Patriots, kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 37-yard field goal to increase New England's lead to 17-3.

The Rams responded by driving to the Patriots' 3-yard line on their ensuing drive. On fourth-and-goal, the Rams attempted to score a touchdown, calling for a quarterback sneak by Warner. Warner fumbled the ball while being tackled by linebacker Roman Phifer, which was recovered by defensive back Tebucky Jones who returned it 97 yards for a touchdown that would have increased the Patriots lead to 23-3. However, the play was nullified by a holding penalty on linebacker Willie McGinest, which in turn gave the Rams a first down on the 1-yard line instead. On second down, Warner scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to make the score 17-10, Patriots.

After Warner's touchdown, the Rams defense forced the Patriots to a three-and-out. St. Louis then drove from their own 7-yard line to the New England 36-yard line, aided by a 30-yard reception by Proehl. However, McGinest sacked Warner for a 16-yard loss on second down, pushing the Rams back to their 46-yard line. St. Louis ended up punting after Warner's third down pass was incomplete.

The Rams forced New England to another three-and-out, and got the ball back on their own 45-yard line with 1:51 left in the game. Warner threw three consecutive completions: an 18-yard pass to Hakim, an 11-yard one to receiver Yo Murphy, and finally a 26-yard touchdown completion to Proehl that tied the game 17-17 with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots had no timeouts left for their ensuing drive, which resulted in color commentator John Madden initially suggesting that the Patriots should run out the clock and attempt to win to overtime. Instead, New England attempted to get the winning score in regulation on the final drive. Brady opened the drive with three completions to running back J.R. Redmond, which moved the ball to their 41-yard line with 33 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Brady completed a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Troy Brown, and followed it up with a 6-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Wiggins to advance to the Rams' 30-yard line. Brady then spiked the ball with seven seconds left, which set up Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal attempt. Vinatieri's game-winning kick was successful, marking the first (and so far, only) time in Super Bowl history that a game was won by a score on the final play.

• Scoring
  • STL - FG: Jeff Wilkins 50 yards 3-0 STL 3:10. Drive: 10 plays,48 yards in 5:05
  • NE - TD: Ty Law 47 yard interception return (Adam Vinatieri kick) 7-3 NE 8:49
  • NE - TD: David Patten 8 yard pass from Tom Brady (Adam Vinatieri kick) 14-3 NE 0:31. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards in 0:49
  • NE - FG: Adam Vinatieri 37 yards 17-3 NE 1:18. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards in 2:07
  • STL - TD: Kurt Warner 2 yard run (Jeff Wilkins kick) 17-10 NE 9:31. Drive:12 plays, 77 yards in 6:47
  • STL - TD: Ricky Proehl 26 yard pass from Kurt Warner (Jeff Wilkins kick) 17-17 tie 1:30 Drive: 3 plays, 55 yards in 0:21
  • NE - FG: Adam Vinatieri 48 yards 20-17 NE 0:00 Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards in 1:30

Final roster

New England Patriots 2001 final roster
Quarterbacks 11 Drew Bledsoe 12 Tom Brady 19 Damon Huard Running Backs 44 Marc Edwards FB 33 Kevin Faulk 35 Patrick Pass FB/KR 21 J. R. Redmond 32 Antowain Smith Wide Receivers 80 Troy Brown PR 84 Fred Coleman 15 Jimmy Farris UR 81 Charles Johnson 86 David Patten Tight Ends 48 Arther Love R 83 Rod Rutledge 85 Jermaine Wiggins		Offensive Linemen 63 Joe Andruzzi G 77 Mike Compton G 74 Kenyatta Jones T/G R 72 Matt Light T R 61 Stephen Neal T/G 64 Greg Robinson-Randall T 67 Grey Ruegamer C/G 76 Grant Williams T 65 Damien Woody C Defensive Linemen 91 Bobby Hamilton DE 55 Willie McGinest DE 96 Brandon Mitchell DT 92 David Nugent DT 97 Riddick Parker DE 98 Anthony Pleasant DE 93 Richard Seymour DT R 71 Chris Sullivan DT		Linebackers 54 Tedy Bruschi ILB 58 Matt Chatham OLB 51 Bryan Cox ILB 53 Larry Izzo OLB 52 Ted Johnson ILB 95 Roman Phifer OLB 50 Mike Vrabel OLB Defensive Backs 27 Terrell Buckley CB 30 Je'Rod Cherry FS 23 Antwan Harris FS 34 Tebucky Jones FS 24 Ty Law CB 36 Lawyer Milloy SS 25 Leonard Myers CB R 22 Terrance Shaw CB 45 Otis Smith CB 26 Matt Stevens SS Special Teams 66 Lonie Paxton LS  4 Adam Vinatieri K 13 Ken Walter P		Reserve Lists 29 Hakim Akbar SS (NF-Inj.) R File:Injury icon.svg 99 Kole Ayi ILB (IR) URFile:Injury icon.svg 88 Terry Glenn WR (Left Squad) 38 Ray Hill CB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 49 Jabari Holloway TE (IR) R File:Injury icon.svg 82 Curtis Jackson WR (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 59 Andy Katzenmoyer ILB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 31 Ben Kelly CB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 70 Adrian Klemm OT (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 90 Marty Moore ILB (IR) File:Injury icon.svg 94 Jace Sayler DT (IR) UR File:Injury icon.svg 28 Brock Williams CB (IR) R File:Injury icon.svg 14 Walter Williams RB (IR) UR File:Injury icon.svg Practice Squad 68 Tom Ashworth OT UR 75 Maurice Anderson DT 62 Setema Gali DE UR 60 Drew Inzer G/C UR 16 Scott McCready WR UR Notations R: 2001 Rookie UR: 2001 Undrafted Rookie Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.

Further reading

• Cafardo, Nick (2002), The Impossible Team: The Worst to First 2001 Patriots' Super Bowl Season, Triumph Books, Template:ISBN 
• Johnson, Pepper; Gutman, Bill (2002), Won for All: The Inside Story of the New England Patriots' Improbable Run to the Super Bowl, McGraw-Hill, Template:ISBN 
• Kirsch, Fred (2002), Patriots United: The New England Patriots World Championship Season, Team Power Publishing, Template:ISBN 

External links

• Season page on Pro Football Reference