Super Bowl Preview -- Dome Dreaming
Or What To Look For Between Commercials
POSTED: 3:22 a.m. EST January 28, 2002
UPDATED: 3:23 a.m. EST January 28, 2002
If you're a football fan, you're going to spend the next week reading everything you can on the Rams and Patriots, trying to figure out who's got the edge. Let this be the first preview you read.
Patriots On Offense
The big question all week will be the health of QB Tom Brady. He's the feel-good story of the year, stepping in for the big-money starter in Week 2 and leading the Patriots to the AFC East Division title. But now Brady's not feeling too good himself, or at least his ankle isn't, after Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers rolled him up in the second quarter of Sunday's AFC Championship.
But for Feel Good, Part II, enter Drew Bledsoe. He hadn't taken a snap since Jets LB Mo Lewis turned his sternum into jelly with a vicious hit on Sept. 23, but he entered Sunday's game and immediately threw a trio of perfect passes to WR David Patten, the last one an 11-yard TD to give the Pats a 14-3 lead.
Bledsoe looked sharp, and Brady's high ankle sprain could be pesky, even though the young QB said after the game that he'd be ready to go on Sunday. Expect Pats coach Bill Belichick to play this one close to the vest, forcing the Rams to prepare for both Brady's ball-control, short passing game and Bledsoe's willingness to air it out downfield.
WR Troy Brown emerged as an All-Pro caliber receiver this year, while Bledsoe found instant chemistry with the underused Patten. Tight end Jermaine Wiggins caught 10 balls in the Divisional Playoffs victory over Oakland, but was not much of a factor against Pittsburgh.
On the ground, RB Antowain Smith rushed for 1157 yards on the season, but only gained 112 yards in the two playoff games. He'll need to be more effective if the Pats hope to keep the ball away from the explosive St. Louis offense.
Patriots On Defense
You probably aren't familiar with many of the names on the Patriots defense, but that doesn't mean they can be overlooked. Statistically, the defense is New England's weak link, ranking just No. 24 overall and against the pass, and No. 19 against the run. But in the playoffs, they've come up large. The Raiders only managed 77 yards on the ground against the Pats, and QB Rich Gannon passed for only 159 yards. Then the Pats put the clamps on Jerome Bettis and the Steelers' ground game on Sunday, allowing only 58 yards rushing, and picked off Kordell Stewart three times. The stalwarts on the New England D are veterans -- sixth-year LB Tedy Bruschi, 12th-year DE Anthony Pleasant, eighth-year pass-rusher Willie McGinest, and an experienced secondary that includes CBs Ty Law (7th year) and Otis Smith (12th year) and safety Lawyer Milloy, all holdovers from the Patriots' last Super Bowl team five years ago. And don't forget the venerable Bryan Cox, who provides leadership and the occasional big play. Patriots On Special Teams
If you watched Sunday's game, you know the Patriots won the game with their special teams. Brown, a dazzling kick returner, took back a punt 55 yards for a TD in the first quarter, and Brandon Mitchell blocked a field goal, which Brown picked up and lateralled to Antwan Harris for a 49-yard TD. Brown led the NFL with a 14.2 yard average on punt returns, but the Pats averaged a pedestrian 20.1 yards per kickoff return, ranking them 25th in the leagues. Punter Ken Walter was a midseason pickup who averaged 40.1 yards per kick -- 29th in the NFL -- but he was 8th in the league in net average at 38.9 yards and led the league by dropping 49 percent of his punts inside the 20. Kicker Adam Vinatieri showed all he needed to when he saved New England's season in the snow against Oakland, first knifing a 45-yarder through a blizzard to tie the game, then hitting the game-winner in overtime. He hit 24 of 30 field goals during the regular season and is 4-for-5 in the playoffs; his season-long kick came from 54 yards and he'd made 11 straight field goals before missing a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh. Rams On Offense
You know all about them. What more is there to say about Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and the rest of the denizens of the Big Top in St. Louis? This Rams offense was No. 1 overall in the NFL, No. 1 passing and fifth on the ground. Warner did throw 22 picks, second only to Peyton Manning's 23, but his passing rating of 101.4 led the league by almost six full points. Faulk finished fifth in the NFL with 1382 yards rushing and 12 TDs, and he added 83 receptions for 765 yards and 9 more scores for good measure. Trying to decide between Warner and Faulk for the NFL MVP is kind of like the Ginger vs. Maryann debate -- it just depends on your personal tastes. Backup Trung Canidate isn't much of a dropoff -- he rushed for 195 yards and a pair of scores when Faulk sat out a game against the Jets. Holt emerged as a steady go-to receiver in his third year, not suffering a dropoff after his breakout sophomore season, while Bruce remains dangerous from anywhere on the field. Veteran Ricky Proehl and TE Ernie Conwell are Warner's security blankets, teaming for 78 grabs, almost 1000 yards and 9 TDs. The Rams' passing game remains one of the league's most diverse -- nine different players caught TDs from Warner this season. The Pats will have to pick their poison and hope Warner has an off day -- which he could, if his touchy ribs flare up on Sunday. Rams On Defense
This has been a turnaround season for the Rams D, thanks to the addition of defensive coordinator Lovey Smith and a trio of first-round picks. Oh, and that new guy in the secondary -- Aeneas Williams -- he's not bad either. Williams labored for 10 seasons in Arizona with the woeful Cardinals, and some felt he was making the Pro Bowl merely on his reputation the past few years. But he's been rejuvenated in St. Louis, picking off four passes in the two playoff games and providing leadership for his young mates. On the line, Leonard Little registered 14½ sacks, and if Grant Wistrom walked off the field without making a big play this year, I didn't see that game. Young linebackers London Fletcher (4th year) and rookie Tommy Polley hit hard and often, and safety Adam Archuleta doesn't play like the rookie that he is. Dre Bly provides a nice compliment opposite Williams at the corner, while Kim Herring brought his Super Bowl ring from Baltimore to fill the other safety slot. All that adds up to the No. 2 ranked defense in the NFL, a quick and brutal bunch who will be that much quicker and more brutal on the turf in New Orleans. Rams On Special Teams
Here's where the Rams might be a touch vulnerable. Kicker Jeff Wilkins led the league in scoring, but with this offense, all he had to do was show up on time to make that happen. He'd missed his last three field goals from 40-to-49 yards before hitting a 41-yarder against Philadelphia. Punter John Baker averaged a middle-of-the-pack 42.1 yards, and his 20.9 percent inside the 20 was one of the worst in the league. But again, with this offense and coach Mike Martz's go-for-the-throat style, he didn't have much opportunity to perfect his situational punting. Canidate is a solid if not spectacular kickoff returner, and Az-Zahir Hakim lost his job returning punts after a prolonged case of fumblitis. Now Bly returns punts, where his speed could cause the Pats headaches, and Yo Murphy had a key 43-yard kickoff return against the Eagles, who tried to keep it away from Canidate. Coaching
Martz is coaching in his first Super Bowl, although he was the architect of the offense that led Dick Vermeil's Rams to the title two years ago. He's a . . . confident man, whose ego sometimes makes Brian Billick look like Tony Dungy. But you can't argue with his record. No doubt he'll find a way to motivate his team, probably using the media or Vegas bookmakers as incentive. Belichick deserves all the kudos he will undoubtedly receive for turning around the Patriots' fortunes, especially after Bledsoe went down and the team started 0-2. He's a defensive mastermind and he cooked up schemes that shut down Gannon and Stewart in the playoffs. If anybody can throw a defense at Warner that ties him into knots, it's Belichick. After the AFC Championship, New England owner Bob Kraft said it was well worth the first-round pick they had to give the Jets to land Belichick as their head coach two years ago. From the depths of his nightmare first stint in Cleveland, Belichick has resurrected his career like few others in NFL history. Intangibles
The Patriots play outdoors, on grass. The Rams are a dome team. The Super Bowl will be played in a dome. Warner is 5-1 as a starter in the playoffs and has never set foot in the great outdoors in the process. Score one for the Rams. But the Pats will have the Rodney Dangerfield angle on their side -- as in, they're getting no respect. That's always a motivational factor for professional athletes. The Rams have the experience of their Super Bowl win over Tennessee two years ago still under their belts, while the Patriots only return four starters from their last Super Bowl -- five years ago against the Packers -- but all four are on defense, the unit that will be under the most pressure to perform against the Rams. Quirky facts: The Patriots have made the Super Bowl three times, all of them in New Orleans. And no team has won the Super Bowl in the same season in which they've lost to the Buccaneers. (Tampa Bay 24, St. Louis 17, Nov. 26) Prediction
If this game were outdoors, it would be tempting to pick the upset, but that Rams offense is too daunting. But 14 points might be too much to cover against this rejuvenated Patriots defense. Final score --- Rams 27, Patriots 17.
The big question all week will be the health of QB Tom Brady. He's the feel-good story of the year, stepping in for the big-money starter in Week 2 and leading the Patriots to the AFC East Division title. But now Brady's not feeling too good himself, or at least his ankle isn't, after Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers rolled him up in the second quarter of Sunday's AFC Championship.
But for Feel Good, Part II, enter Drew Bledsoe. He hadn't taken a snap since Jets LB Mo Lewis turned his sternum into jelly with a vicious hit on Sept. 23, but he entered Sunday's game and immediately threw a trio of perfect passes to WR David Patten, the last one an 11-yard TD to give the Pats a 14-3 lead.
Bledsoe looked sharp, and Brady's high ankle sprain could be pesky, even though the young QB said after the game that he'd be ready to go on Sunday. Expect Pats coach Bill Belichick to play this one close to the vest, forcing the Rams to prepare for both Brady's ball-control, short passing game and Bledsoe's willingness to air it out downfield.
WR Troy Brown emerged as an All-Pro caliber receiver this year, while Bledsoe found instant chemistry with the underused Patten. Tight end Jermaine Wiggins caught 10 balls in the Divisional Playoffs victory over Oakland, but was not much of a factor against Pittsburgh.
On the ground, RB Antowain Smith rushed for 1157 yards on the season, but only gained 112 yards in the two playoff games. He'll need to be more effective if the Pats hope to keep the ball away from the explosive St. Louis offense.
Patriots On DefenseYou probably aren't familiar with many of the names on the Patriots defense, but that doesn't mean they can be overlooked. Statistically, the defense is New England's weak link, ranking just No. 24 overall and against the pass, and No. 19 against the run. But in the playoffs, they've come up large. The Raiders only managed 77 yards on the ground against the Pats, and QB Rich Gannon passed for only 159 yards. Then the Pats put the clamps on Jerome Bettis and the Steelers' ground game on Sunday, allowing only 58 yards rushing, and picked off Kordell Stewart three times. The stalwarts on the New England D are veterans -- sixth-year LB Tedy Bruschi, 12th-year DE Anthony Pleasant, eighth-year pass-rusher Willie McGinest, and an experienced secondary that includes CBs Ty Law (7th year) and Otis Smith (12th year) and safety Lawyer Milloy, all holdovers from the Patriots' last Super Bowl team five years ago. And don't forget the venerable Bryan Cox, who provides leadership and the occasional big play. Patriots On Special Teams
If you watched Sunday's game, you know the Patriots won the game with their special teams. Brown, a dazzling kick returner, took back a punt 55 yards for a TD in the first quarter, and Brandon Mitchell blocked a field goal, which Brown picked up and lateralled to Antwan Harris for a 49-yard TD. Brown led the NFL with a 14.2 yard average on punt returns, but the Pats averaged a pedestrian 20.1 yards per kickoff return, ranking them 25th in the leagues. Punter Ken Walter was a midseason pickup who averaged 40.1 yards per kick -- 29th in the NFL -- but he was 8th in the league in net average at 38.9 yards and led the league by dropping 49 percent of his punts inside the 20. Kicker Adam Vinatieri showed all he needed to when he saved New England's season in the snow against Oakland, first knifing a 45-yarder through a blizzard to tie the game, then hitting the game-winner in overtime. He hit 24 of 30 field goals during the regular season and is 4-for-5 in the playoffs; his season-long kick came from 54 yards and he'd made 11 straight field goals before missing a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh. Rams On Offense
You know all about them. What more is there to say about Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and the rest of the denizens of the Big Top in St. Louis? This Rams offense was No. 1 overall in the NFL, No. 1 passing and fifth on the ground. Warner did throw 22 picks, second only to Peyton Manning's 23, but his passing rating of 101.4 led the league by almost six full points. Faulk finished fifth in the NFL with 1382 yards rushing and 12 TDs, and he added 83 receptions for 765 yards and 9 more scores for good measure. Trying to decide between Warner and Faulk for the NFL MVP is kind of like the Ginger vs. Maryann debate -- it just depends on your personal tastes. Backup Trung Canidate isn't much of a dropoff -- he rushed for 195 yards and a pair of scores when Faulk sat out a game against the Jets. Holt emerged as a steady go-to receiver in his third year, not suffering a dropoff after his breakout sophomore season, while Bruce remains dangerous from anywhere on the field. Veteran Ricky Proehl and TE Ernie Conwell are Warner's security blankets, teaming for 78 grabs, almost 1000 yards and 9 TDs. The Rams' passing game remains one of the league's most diverse -- nine different players caught TDs from Warner this season. The Pats will have to pick their poison and hope Warner has an off day -- which he could, if his touchy ribs flare up on Sunday. Rams On Defense
This has been a turnaround season for the Rams D, thanks to the addition of defensive coordinator Lovey Smith and a trio of first-round picks. Oh, and that new guy in the secondary -- Aeneas Williams -- he's not bad either. Williams labored for 10 seasons in Arizona with the woeful Cardinals, and some felt he was making the Pro Bowl merely on his reputation the past few years. But he's been rejuvenated in St. Louis, picking off four passes in the two playoff games and providing leadership for his young mates. On the line, Leonard Little registered 14½ sacks, and if Grant Wistrom walked off the field without making a big play this year, I didn't see that game. Young linebackers London Fletcher (4th year) and rookie Tommy Polley hit hard and often, and safety Adam Archuleta doesn't play like the rookie that he is. Dre Bly provides a nice compliment opposite Williams at the corner, while Kim Herring brought his Super Bowl ring from Baltimore to fill the other safety slot. All that adds up to the No. 2 ranked defense in the NFL, a quick and brutal bunch who will be that much quicker and more brutal on the turf in New Orleans. Rams On Special Teams
Here's where the Rams might be a touch vulnerable. Kicker Jeff Wilkins led the league in scoring, but with this offense, all he had to do was show up on time to make that happen. He'd missed his last three field goals from 40-to-49 yards before hitting a 41-yarder against Philadelphia. Punter John Baker averaged a middle-of-the-pack 42.1 yards, and his 20.9 percent inside the 20 was one of the worst in the league. But again, with this offense and coach Mike Martz's go-for-the-throat style, he didn't have much opportunity to perfect his situational punting. Canidate is a solid if not spectacular kickoff returner, and Az-Zahir Hakim lost his job returning punts after a prolonged case of fumblitis. Now Bly returns punts, where his speed could cause the Pats headaches, and Yo Murphy had a key 43-yard kickoff return against the Eagles, who tried to keep it away from Canidate. Coaching
Martz is coaching in his first Super Bowl, although he was the architect of the offense that led Dick Vermeil's Rams to the title two years ago. He's a . . . confident man, whose ego sometimes makes Brian Billick look like Tony Dungy. But you can't argue with his record. No doubt he'll find a way to motivate his team, probably using the media or Vegas bookmakers as incentive. Belichick deserves all the kudos he will undoubtedly receive for turning around the Patriots' fortunes, especially after Bledsoe went down and the team started 0-2. He's a defensive mastermind and he cooked up schemes that shut down Gannon and Stewart in the playoffs. If anybody can throw a defense at Warner that ties him into knots, it's Belichick. After the AFC Championship, New England owner Bob Kraft said it was well worth the first-round pick they had to give the Jets to land Belichick as their head coach two years ago. From the depths of his nightmare first stint in Cleveland, Belichick has resurrected his career like few others in NFL history. Intangibles
The Patriots play outdoors, on grass. The Rams are a dome team. The Super Bowl will be played in a dome. Warner is 5-1 as a starter in the playoffs and has never set foot in the great outdoors in the process. Score one for the Rams. But the Pats will have the Rodney Dangerfield angle on their side -- as in, they're getting no respect. That's always a motivational factor for professional athletes. The Rams have the experience of their Super Bowl win over Tennessee two years ago still under their belts, while the Patriots only return four starters from their last Super Bowl -- five years ago against the Packers -- but all four are on defense, the unit that will be under the most pressure to perform against the Rams. Quirky facts: The Patriots have made the Super Bowl three times, all of them in New Orleans. And no team has won the Super Bowl in the same season in which they've lost to the Buccaneers. (Tampa Bay 24, St. Louis 17, Nov. 26) Prediction
If this game were outdoors, it would be tempting to pick the upset, but that Rams offense is too daunting. But 14 points might be too much to cover against this rejuvenated Patriots defense. Final score --- Rams 27, Patriots 17.
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