October 8, 2021 • 35 mins
In this episode we look at the New England Patriots total-team road win in the AFC Championship over the Pittsburgh Steelers that sends them to the Super Bowl.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
The two thousand and one New England Patriots, the team
that started an NFL dynasty. In a season full of
dramatic twists and turns on and off the field, the
upstart Pats shocked the world, redefining what it meant to
be a team and a Patriot. Twenty years and six
Super Bowl Championships later, we're revisiting that historic season, hearing
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from different perspectives that were there to witness it firsthand
and tell the tale, from players to coaches, local and
national media, and even some fans. Mixed with some of
the most iconic sounds that defined the season. It will
be a unique six part journey back as we follow
the roots of the Patriots dynasty for the one championship
that started it all. We are all Patriots, and tonight
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the Patriots at champions I might do so. And this
is two thousand and one A Super Bowl Sound Odyssey,
Episode five Ignored. The noise were the final spot in
over time Lenny England Patriots sixteen in the Oakland Raiders
thirteen head is it from Snowbound Winter Wonderland, Foxborough. This
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is Gil Santo's reminding you. Next Sunday, the Patriots go
for the AFC Championship, either in Pittsburgh against the Steelers
or here against the Baltimore Right after narrowly defeating the
Oakland Raiders in the divisional round, the Patriots were set
to head to Pittsburgh for an unlikely AFC Championship game.
The Steelers had been the AFC's first dynasty, winning three
or five Super Bowls in the mid seventies. Gerry Bradshaw
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as that is greatest three games in a row when
he had to have him in a playoffs, got all
he carried off. They were about the worst team in
pro football when he took over. I would say their
first years are ahead of them. The nineteen seventy six
Patriots handed the two time defending champs a home loss
in Week three, the first memorable upset by New England
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in Pittsburgh, all right right down to the finale, maybe
three second plat Gerlado try a forty eight yard field
all for Pettburg, that the kicker is up and it
is no good, no good, three feet the Steelers thirty
to fotun it. In the nineties, the teams would meet
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twice in the playoffs, with the Patriots holding serve at
home twenty eight to three and route to Super Bowl
thirty one. Curtis Martin a little faith, Oh what a
cut at the twenty twenties Gone Thurty cuts down one
hundred sixty six yards for Martin. These were not the
Steelers that Bill Cower has grown to law. These were
the Patriots that Bill Partsels was seen on occasion. The
following year, the first under head coach Pete Carroll, the
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Patriots would fall in Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. It
wasn't pretty, it wasn't impressive, but it was a win
for a Bill Coward company seven to six, seven six
trudge and a game that was ended by a soon
to be familiar face. Blood Soel got sacked from behind
as he was bringing his arm forward, but ball came
close the official rules of a fumble and not a
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pass attempt. That's Burg recovers at the Patriot thirty four
with one forty four and gino. That looked like a
game winning rod. It looked like they had something going,
but persist Ben rushed from the backside that time, whereas
Drew was throwing the ball little sooner on the previous
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plays and just an outstanding play that time by Mike ravel,
the rookie who came from the backside. The Steelers missed
the playoffs for three seasons before putting it all together
and winning thirteen games in two thousand and one under
head coach Bill Cower, restoring the glory days of the
steel Curtain with one of the league's best defenses. They
had allowed the third fewest points in the league. The
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offense featured quarterback Cordell Stuart, who posted the most rushing
yards of his career, though still battling inconsistencies as a thrower.
Stewart running Stewart's got roomed Cordel Stewart. It's a sprint
out Stewart crossing the twenty five and then banged down
the hoard of Pro Bowl one thousand yard running back
Jerome Bettis. Bettis get to the club the game then
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strips attack them. Dennis has the first down and two
one thousand yard receivers in hines Ward, Hordell Stewart, the
Hines Ward and in the big patch of bottle. Hines
Ward takes the twenty nine varieties and Plexico Buris Cordell
drone open man Is Curus Plexico. Burtis trying to boutch
Off some tacklers. Together, they put up the third most
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yards in the league. Get down to the playoff games,
and they say, who runs it the best, who defends
it the best? The Steelers owned that number one category
during the regular season and today one hundred and fifty
six yards rushing. The Steelers entered the game nine and
one at home, having just avenged their only home loss
of the season by sending the Ravens home in the
divisional round. Division rivals super Bowl champs. You know, the
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whole nine yards, No him, it's aving all week. So
we just kind of tick that in a run with it.
I mean, we realized that, hey, we wrote to the
super Bowl, comes to the Burg and they came in
and got their bust kicked. You know, I'm saying, now
I'm got to take at him. No, I'm doing the patience.
Pittsburgh was ten point favorites over the snow surviving Patriots.
The Patriots, the Steeler the AFC Championship game. Scott Pioli,
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Patriots director of player personnel Bill knew that team very well,
right and again you mentioned confidence. There was a confidence
about our football team, and it wasn't an unrealistic confidence,
and certainly Bill kept the team constantly grounded well enough
that it wasn't this kind of confidence that was you know,
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that was not believable. That the players just felt prepared.
Run it again, hold up and run it again, Brady
Son of Redman Europe is going to be running next.
And I think that was a big part of it.
A lot of the confidence that our football team had,
not only that year, but in the next, you know,
however many years, is that they always felt prepared. And
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in that game in particular, I feel like our team,
on both sides of the ball felt prepared. Belichick had
become more familiar with the Steelers during his five years
in Cleveland as the Browns head coach, a place where
much of the foundation for the Patriot's future success was set.
Michael Lombardi, Coakland Raiders Senior personnel executive. Well, I mean,
I think a lot of what you know, Cleveland was
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basically the learning ground. I mean, Cleveland was the trial
and error, and so I think a lot of things
that Bill knew worked in Cleveland was going to work
in New England and made sure that's what he emphasized.
And you know from the grading system, to the development
of culture, to the ability to build a team. You know,
I think all that, you know, all that, what I'm
going to demand from the players and from the people
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in the organization is that they made the commitment towards
a championship. That's what our goal is. That's all I
really am about, is trying to win football games. I mean,
what people forget is Bill had success in Cleveland. Took
over a team that gave up over four hundred points
in one year, and you know, before the move, gave
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up two a record, two on a four points in
ninety four and one a playoff game. There's there's a
disconnect that things were bad in Cleveland. Things were good
in Cleveland until he moved the team. Mary Kay had
it Cleveland playing dealer. Well, he really did start to
build an incredible football team here in Cleveland, and I
think it kind of went It went unappreciated in a
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lot of ways because of what happened between Bill Belichick
and Bernie Kozar, and I think it prevented people from
really seeing the value of the football team that he
was assembling and just the quality of play, the quality
of the staff. That's one of the things that really
stands out to me is that he surrounded himself with
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really incredible people. They were there for the love of
the game. They would do it for almost nothing if
they had to. And he really did a phenomenal job
of assembling a staff that went on to do great
things with many of the same faces as he had
in Cleveland, including got Peally. Belichick was delivering earlier returns
in New England as the team prepared for the third
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conference championship game in franchise history, but battle for AFC
supremacy so hard lay contested these last two weeks. We'll
be decided here today. Captain's Tom Brady and lawyer Malloy
traveled early to Pittsburgh for media availabilities, and it was
already clear no one, especially in Pittsburgh of all places,
was giving the Patriots any chance. Lawyer Malloy safety, nobody
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gave us a shotting hill to to to beat the
Steelers in hindes Field like that. It just wasn't gonna happen.
And it was evident. And as soon as we flew
over Pittsburgh, like you know, it was all yellow and
gold um um. When we, you know, went out, I
think we went out, went out to breakfast. Me and
Tom had a lot of time to talk, and it
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was just all this Steeler you know, shit um uh
being you know, being worn, and you know, people were
talking about the game and you know, yeah, you know
this this this new kid Brady, you know, uh yeah,
he's good, but you know he has no chance against
our defense, you know, and he's sitting right there, you know,
and I'm just you know, we're just soaking it in. Men.
I remember me and Brady just like soaking in the
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atmosphere or whatever, and and I was like, man, see this,
this is what it's all about. Bro. It continued as
the full team arrived for the game. Damian Woody, offensive lineman.
I remember when we got to Pittsburgh, we got to
the to the team hotel. It seemed like the whole
city of Pittsburgh was in our hotel. Everyone was waving
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the Terrible cows. We got there, we couldn't even maneuver
to get into the hotel because it was like the
every every fan of the Seals was there waving their
terrible towers. But they were trying to intimidate her, and
so I'm just thinking like, Okay, it's own like it
is like it is on Antoine Smith running back. It
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was the disrespect man. It was a disrespect. People don't notice.
But when we got off though, when we got off
the bus to go play Pittsburgh, they had already had
the suitcases packed and everything to go to New Orleans.
You know, Belichick called Belichick, you know he he don't
miss messing and you know he's CD and I don't
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say the club was it, you know, don't give us here.
They already packed going to New Orleans. Like they didn't
won the game. You know, I think that just the
ultimate splay just you know, that's kind of little file
up on those Tom E current NBC Sports Boston. And
I truly felt that they would deal with the Steelers.
I felt that they would win that game. And it's
ironic because money Megliola, who was a columnist for the
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Middlesecon News Metro West Daily News. He was smart. He
was a parent caller before anybody else. He called Steve
Janette Belichick down in Annapolis and talked to them before
the game, and they told him the bill said to
pack their bags for New Orleans. So I really felt
that they would beat the Steelers Paul Parillo Patriots Football Weekend.
(10:55):
You know a lot of people would would like to
take away my Patriots dot com status because I don't
deserve it. But despite all of those wins, I still
didn't think they were going to win in Pittsburgh. I
felt like, yeah, this has been a great story, but
the ride's going to come to an end. And I
had said to Brian Morey, the curator Patriots Hall of Fame,
and Fred, if they win this game, I'm going to
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go on the bus. I'm gonna go on the team
bus and I'm going to sing I'm a believer after
the game. And I just I just don't see it.
I just don't have any confidence. Mary Kake had it.
The Steelers had a great defense. They always have a
really good defense. It just seems like, no matter what,
they know how to stock and build that defense. And
I think when you looked at it, the Steelers having
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gone thirteen and three and having that great defense, it
just almost seemed like, you know that this was a
no brainer that the Steelers We're going to advanced to
the super Bowl and you know, and just add another
Lombardi Trophy to their lobby. I remember thinking going into
that game that the Steelers were probably going to win
that one hands down, just being so familiar with the
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Steelers and what they were able to accomplish, but obviously
just wasn't their day. For one Patriot, it was a
homecoming of sorts, as Mike Rabel had spent the first
four seasons of his career with the Steelers and likely
would have returned to the team in free agency had
the Patriots not offered a chance for Rabel to play
a bigger role on defense. Back to throw was Delow.
Here's the us see sack back inside the fifteen yard line.
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Blasting after Meadal was Mike Brabel, who had nine and
a half regular season sacks. McNab back to throw the rush,
gonna be hit, Gonna be sacked back at the twenty
five yard line. Wow, Patriots came with a vengeance that time.
He had Rabel, McGinnis and Colden all in on the side.
Looks throw the other tough of by Mike Rabel. That's
a twenty at the fifteen and a pound of the
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ten yard line. Rabel would go on to become one
of the core members of the Patriots dynasty, embodying the
team's defensive approach with smarts, versatility, and toughness. Mike Rabel, linebacker, Man,
I think that I had gotten to that point probably
in Pittsburgh, you know, year three and a half four,
you know, and so I was playing you know, Pittsburgh,
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they were playing me, you know what I mean. I
was playing a series each half on both sides. Or
you know, I played behind Joey Porter and Jason Gilder.
You know, Joey came in and figured it out quicker
than I'd ended. So you know, there's a lot of
players that we developed, and I developed and changed positions
and played behind really good players. And so I still,
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I guess, had confidence to go to New England and
UM and be ready to try to take advantage for
whatever they asked me to do. And it's inaugural season.
Hines Field as extended to the limit its inhabitants of Wave,
the Terrible Towels in triumph and a bast in the
glow of the Glorious Steeler Round, and now the intruders
from New England present the final hurdle. Mike Greece espn
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to go to a game in Pittsburgh for people that
don't know Blake, that might be the greatest environment in
the NFL. With respect to lambeau Field. We're going to
probably have that conversation Arrowhead Stadium probably in that conversation,
happy to display all the costifications of doom. The Patriots
have shown up here today and will take the field
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against the Steelers. Both teams would struggle to move the
ball early on, with five straight punts starting the game
and neither team getting past midfield. After a sixth punt
was called back for a Steeler's penalty, Troy Brown would
make one of the plays that would define his career.
Troy Brown wide receiver, Pittsburgh. They were punting from their
left hash originally, and what happened was they had their
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gunner who ran out of bounds, were out of balls,
so they dropped the flag on him. But the referee
he spotted the ball on their right hash and therefore
he had to try to kick the ball out of
bounds to his left again. All right, Josh Miller set
the kicking away back at the forty five is Troy Brown.
Miller punning right to left, handles the snap and gets
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the kick away. This one is returnable coming right to
Troy Brown at the forty five, he has left to
the fifty straight up the middle of the forty five
till the forty till the thirty five to thirty twenty
five fifth game ten five putdown, hutch down, huts down,
Troy Grown. You could just see it coming all the
way up the middle where he always goes. Any player
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meet against Pittsburgh is my greatest after championship game was
it was was great taking the field go up and
lad on it backwards to returning the punt, but touchdown
tylo tylo hey. One guy picked up two sowharre in it.
So yeah, they did a good job from the forty
five to forty to thirty to fifteen to the five touchdown.
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Mike Greece, I think about Troy Brown like special teams
and how like everyone's Steelers gonna win the game, right,
like that's what all the experts are saying, and really
like when you think about what Bill Belichick believes in
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three phases, like they just absolutely dominant, aided the third
phase of the game that no one talks about. And
that's why I think at Troy Brown because why was
he even you know, I shouldn't say, why was he
on the team because he was a very productive offensive
player at that point. But prior to that, what was
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he known for, like early in his career special teams
right like, So that's why he was there, and the
ultimate underdog guy in Troy and the Patriots were the
ultimate underdog in that situation. The Patriots think they have
a decided advantage in special teams, especially with their punt
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return team. The Steelers would quickly respond on the ensuing drive,
Stuart would break free for a thirty four yard run,
a Pittsburgh would be forced to settle for a field
goal as the Patriots read zone defense stiffened. Well, the
Patriots defensively really doing a bang up job. That had
not been for that scamper of a run by Cordelle Stewart,
they wouldn't be in this position. But then again, I
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think they're confusing this kid because he looks a little
would bewildered back there. Patson Steelers then traded four punts
as it looked like a repeat of the last low
scoring playoff game between these two teams was bearing out
again until once again, the two thousand and one Patriots
season took a dramatic twist. One that would become another
touchtone moment of a magical season. Three receivers to the
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near side left for the Patriots, Brady out of a
shotgun j R. Redmond too was White in the backfield
and it's third down and eight direct snapped. The Brady
stands in the pocket, stands in the pocket, pulls the
trigger couplate. Troy Brown up the forty five at the
fifty at the forty five of Pittsburgh Dad Steeler. Forty
goes Troy Brown and a first down bullet delivered by
Tom Brady, and he's injured. He's down. The Patriot quarterback
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is down back at the twenty five yard line and limping.
Drew Bloodsow will come in for the first time since
the final minutes of the New York Jet game back
in the second week of the season. Damian Woody and
when Tom went down with devil that lower leg injury,
not a doubt in my mind to do What's gonna
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come in and we're gonna do what he had to
do to help us win the football game. Tom Brady,
the man who has captured the imagination of New England
sports fans twelve of eighteen for one hundred and eight
yards passing here in the first half of this one.
As a looks like left knee injury. He's gone to
the sidelines to sit on the bench and Drew bloodso
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we'll check into the ball game at quarterback. Well, if
you have to go to your backup quarterback in a
championship playoff game, gino, it's not bad to have a
backup quarterback as good as Drew bloodshow Jermaine Wiggins tight end.
I mean, let's be honest. The guy, you know, he
had just signed a contract I want to say, like
for like one hundred million something like that back at
the time, and you know, he was the face of
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the franchise for the Patriots, and the guy had been
to a Super Bowl. I remember the ninety six. I
was in college and like I said, I was a fan.
So I mean, bledsoe was the face of the franchise,
and you know, and then he gets hurt and he
ultimately loses his job to injury, and you know, now
he becomes the backup and gets the opportunity to go
in there and help us, you know, get to a
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Super Bowl. Drew bledso I gotta believe has kept himself
ready if they ever needed him for the remainder of
this season, and he's in there now and they need
him now. Paul Perillo think I've already explained how Drew
was one of my favorites. I really enjoyed covering him.
That's really why I became a season ticket holder long
before I ever started working. Here was the day they
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signed Drew Blitzo, that they drafted Drew Blitzo one overall
back in ninety three. So he goes back in the game,
and now all I'm thinking is, oh God, now, like
this run, which which I thought was inevitably going to
come to one end that day anyway, now they're going
to get to blame Drew. Like if Tom didn't get hurt,
everything would have been great, and now it's all gonna
be Drew's fault. And I was a bundle of nerves
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and I know you're not supposed to be when you're
covering the game. He's supposed to be impartial and all
that crap. Well, yeah, I throw that all out the window.
I was just I wanted to puke, is what it
was probably the best way to do describing and he
comes out four plays touchdown. It was like pass pass
run gets lit up on the sideline touchdown pass and
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all of the passages were darts. I mean he came
in on fire back to throw looking fires to the right.
It is caught down to the Pittsburgh twenty five yard
line on a fifteen yard strike by Drew a Troy Brown.
What a way to start with your very first play.
And I was like, this is gonna be awesome. Jermaine Wiggins,
he had a play where where he scrambled. It was
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on the right sideline. It was like, I think it
was like out sideline and he runs and I'm like,
you know, I ran a route and then all of
a sudden, the play breaks down and you see him
scrambling and he's running on the sideline and it's almost
like the same spot where in the Jets game, same position,
same hit. I forget who hit him. I can't remember
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who was James Farrier. Somebody hit him out of bounds
and it was like, you know, everybody looked, you know,
like oh, and then he bounced right up as soon
as he got I mean he got drilled too. He
got drilled and he but he bounces right up and
runs back on the field, and I think the emotions
of like, you know what, I'm back. I'm good. You
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know that's not gonna phase me. Direct snapped to Drew
looking looking, starts to run to the right. He's gonna
keep it and go. He is down of the twenty
yard line and get shoved out of bounds. That's gotta
be a late hit. God has got to be a
late hit. Yeah, flat goes down, two, three, four, flags
went down. The defenders came up and shoved Blotso out
of bounds on the far side of the field with
no reason to do it, and Pittsburgh will be penalized
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right here and right now. You know, I even or
we could have thought that Bletso might have tried to
go up feel a little more, but he'd made it
intentional to everybody that he was taking this ball out
of bounds, and he even the defenders the Steelers could
see that what he was doing, and there was no
need for that hit, then they should be penalized. Letzo
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would finish off the drive that Brady started, finding David
Patton in the back of the end zone, giving New
England a fourteen three league just before the half. Florends
celebrations of the Patriots executive Fox celebrations around Drew bloods
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on the field. David Patton, wide receiver. I never forget
running that route. I think it was a corner route
and I was the inside I was the inside slot
guy to the right side and coming out of the
break and I remember coming around and I saw him.
I saw the ball actually leave his hand. I was like, oh,
I'm getting ready to score this touchdown and Drew, Drew
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just had he had he had a touch on the ball.
I think I think between the two two of those guys,
I would say Tom had the stronger arm, but Drew
just had a He had a for patting the ball
and like just flicking it out there. So you know,
he's the old adage, it doesn't matter who's in the game,
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it doesn't matter what the situation is. You have one responsibility.
That's to do your job, get open and catch the ball.
And that's what we did. What a story this is.
Drew Bloodsow comes in for the injured Tom Brady and
takes over at the Pittsburgh forty yard line. He completes
three passes three for three for thirty six yards and
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throws a ten yard touchdown pass to David Patton, Nick
Fitzie Stevens Patriots fan and personality, and I'm so glad
as a long suffering Pats fan and as someone who
loved Drew Bledsoe and knows what it meant to him
to be part of that team and to get his
shot and to throw that touchdown past to David Patton,
and that he helped get that w was so rewarding.
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He's such a significant part of that season, the emotional
support and the coaching he provided for Brady being a
good trooper. When when Belichick pulled the plug on him
being the starter again and to throw that pass and
get to win Damian Woody, that was sweet because Drew
being in that position where he had to watch, you know,
during the time that he was injured and you know,
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ultimately lose his job because of injury. I mean that
had to Drew the proper man that had to been
eating them up and in that moment to help us
get to Super Bowl. I couldn't have been a better
feeling for Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots have a fourteen
to three lead, and needless to say, the crowd here
in Pittsburgh is stunned. At the Patriots and the performance
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that they're putting on here so far in the first half.
After a roller coaster ending to the first half and
the Patriots up fourteen three, the defenses continue to carry
the day. As the third quarter started, the Patriots were
unable to score after recovering a fumble by Stuart and
Steeler territory in their first possession. First intend Putsburg Stewart
calling signal drops the balls on the ground. It's the
thirty five yard line, the Patriot Cordelle Stewart fambola snap.
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The Patriots have it at the Pittsburgh thirty five yard
line and would then see a Tebucky Jones interception called
back due to an offside's penalty. Stewart calling signals dropped
back to throw Stands in the pocket fires a bullet
in his chip damn intership pickof by Kubucky Jones at
the twenty five heading right to the thirty Tubucket wide
to the outside of the thirty two yard line and
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the Patriots takeover on the past interception by Tubucky Jones.
Penalty marker. I think the Patriots were offside pump side
New England number ninety eight in the intry zone of
the snap. That's a five yard penalty. The interception is overturned.
Fore first down, the Steelers will produce a drive into
Patriots territory, but they would be stifled on third down again.
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I'm forced to settle for another field goal attempt, and
for the second time in the game, special teams would
come through like they had all season long. Thirty four
yard field goal attempt for Chris Brown far hash mark
angle two was left Millard to hole. The snap of
the ball down the kick is the kick was blocked.
It's gonna be picked up by Troy Brown. He's across
the fifty ladders off slidline a flat Harris and he
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goes all the way from the tops down at twine Harris.
The ladder off from Troy Brown after the blockfield goal,
and the Patriots blocky field goal and get the clutch down,
and the crowd in Pittsburgh is stunned. WHOA what a
play the blockfield goal Troy Brown. The block kick in
Pittsburgh was huge, you know. And then doing what we practiced,
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you know for years. It was this scooping and scoring
with big guys on the field that can't catch you.
You know, scooping is scoring. I was scooped it up
and I couldn't score, So a lout back to Antoine
Harris right there, you know, so and he took it
in for the score. So it just plays like that.
There's a lot of team team coordination in that in
that particular play. Matt Chatham linebacker and special teamer that
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was such an incredibly talented and dominant by the by
the end of the season defense that we were playing with,
and as well as a special teams group. I mean,
we can't overlook that part. We we we sort of
procured multiple scorers in that Steelers game, and that was
a big part of why we advanced as well and
what it ended up being a really tight type contest.
(27:15):
You look at you look at the Steelers group, you know,
and they could have been a dynasty themselves. And that
was the high flying team of that ASC group. And
if they slide past us, who knows what they do
and who knows what their arc is After this season,
Antoine Smith to the ball like first eighteen times of
the game, kind of change pace on them, and defense
was played exceptional and I think they kind of threw
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them off and you know, we went on to win
the game. Especial teams did a good job. Everybody played
a privle the road in that game. Nick Fitzie Stevens,
I mean, the Steelers at the class of the league.
They have no business winning this game. And to think
that they could go in there and pull off that
upset and it was just all like all the hallmarks
of this team, like great defense, just enough offense, incredible
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special teams. Of the things that I love about the
Patriots that you know, the coach preaches and the owner
preaches and all the other coaches and the players talk
about He's like, you want to make the Pats. You
want to make an impact on this team, play special
teams like not like it's like chicks dig the long ball,
man like yeah, but you know who gets it. You
know who gets it done at the end of the night.
And special teams that's what gets it done. Chris Berman, ESPN.
(28:20):
You could see it then looking back, there were a
couple of regular season games in which special teams played
a huge role, and then of course the championship game
with Pittsburgh with two special team scores. Right, so the
block the block punts of Troy Round picked up and
he shoveled at to Hansel and Harris and Troy at
a punt return earlier. Troy was really invaluable. He was
(28:41):
their MVP right. He caught a hundred balls, his role
on special teams, could even throw the ball off. But
Pittsburgh would not go away, as the Steelers would score
touchdowns on their next two drives, quickly closing a twenty
one three gap to a four point game. I have
a Pittsburgh Steelers drive down the field and get a
big touchdown here in this third water with five eleven
(29:01):
to play on the one yard run by Jerome Gottas
Cordell a hand off to zero way to the right,
he plows it in for a touchdown. Oh boy, boy
picked his way and nicely amos zero Way ten yards
out with one twenty nine to go, and now it
is really tight, needing to respond with a score of
(29:22):
their own. Bledsoe in the offense delivered within eleven play
forty five yard drive that took the game into the
fourth quarter. Snap is there, the ball is down, the
kick is up, it is on the way, and it
is gone. That's eleven in a row. Now for Adam Vinati,
he hits a forty four yard field goal, time out
on the field with eleven twelve to play on the
score of the Patriots twenty four Pittsburgh seventeen down by
(29:45):
only a touchdown. The Steeler's offense was held to just
thirty two total yards in their final three possessions, with
a punt and two interceptions. Direct snapped, the Stewart got
lots of time, steps up, fires down the field to
pat It incept it except up by a coupacky child
at the fifty at the forty five, a forty to
the thirty five to the Pittsburgh thirty four tabacky Jones
(30:06):
with a bastet exception forward Pittsburgh turnover of the game.
Second down in ten Pittsburgh at their own forty again
out of a shotgun store It takes the direct snap,
stands up in the pocket, looks fires down the field,
couldn't be picked us, gets intercepted, picked off by the Patriots,
falling to the ground at the fifty yard line as
Lawyer malloy as the Patriots defense stepped up and closed
(30:28):
out the team's first AFC Championship victory since the nineteen
ninety six season. Drew touches the knee down. The clock
ticks inside a minute, and Bill Belichick's New England Patriots
are going to the Super Bowl. Do you know what
it means to miss New Orleans? Ba ba ba ba bappa. Alright,
(30:49):
look out Bourbon Street, here come the New England Patriot fans.
Mike Rabel I think the game ended. We were on defense,
they were in two minutes, yeah, and kind of Cordell
was kind of scrambled out and we forced him out
of pocket, and I was kind of chasing him over
to the sidelines towards the end of the game, and
he kind of threw it out of bounds or something,
and I would near that sideline and you know it
(31:10):
kind of saw some smirks on the faces, and you know,
I mean just you know, I think it was pretty cool.
And I had never played it, you know, that was
the first year back in hines Field. Didn't play in
hines Field, you know, And so that was pretty unique
to go back to Pittsburg and to be able to
win the AFC Championship Game in a place that I
had played in it for four years. Drew touches the
knee down in the final seconds tick away Patriots players
(31:33):
coming out of the field. Then we're hitting the New
Orleans as the American Football Conference champions for the second
time in the last six years. Joe Andrews, offensive lineman,
you know, knowing that we were a bunch of nobodies
that went out there and proved people wrong. And you know,
without Drew, you know, we wouldn't have won either. And
(31:53):
Drew stood there. He didn't stab anybody in the back.
He turned around. I'm sure he wasn't happy, and many
people when you get injured, you don't want to be
sitting watching on the sidelines. So Drew sat there and
became another coach for Tom and then all of a
sudden he's called it to action against the Stealers THEFC
(32:13):
championship game, and he went in there and just flung
it around and gave us a chance, an opportunity to
you know, win that game and get to the Super Bowl,
which you know we loved to this day. Pepper Johnson,
linebackers coach. We had a lot of tough battles. We
went through a lot of adversity, losing our start quarterback,
(32:38):
our starting quarterback coming back, the backup quarterback gets hurt
in the ANFC Championship game. Our skin was so taught,
our scan was so tough at that given time that
we never lost focus. Tom e current after that. Quite honestly,
I'm not going to romanticize the way so many people
have over the years to put the page has survived.
(33:00):
Drew Bledsoe in the AFC Championship he hit Joey Porter
between the fives. He threw a backwards over the head
falling down paths that also could have impacked and would
have been if people actually expected the ball to become
popping out. You've got every bit of evidence as to
why Drew Bledsoe was valuable, tough, could make some throws,
and why he was never going to get his job back.
(33:21):
Some ridiculously bad decisions. But it was a great team win.
As you pointed out, Mike Greece, I remember Drew's eyes
afterwards like almost like watering, you know, the emotion because
of everything that had happened, and I'm looking to draw
on the sidelines. He's got tears in his eyes. He's
(33:42):
got tears in his eyes, And I think that's one
thing I'd say about Drew, Like he's got heart, he's sincere,
he's real, right, That's what I remember most when I
think about Drew in that game. Paul Perillo, our photographer
David Silverman got a great shot Drew and Tom with
a trophy, and I just thought that really encapsulated because
(34:05):
I know it wasn't easy for Drew Bledsoe to sit
back and watch this guy. And Jew's not a dumb guy.
He knows what was happening. He knows he didn't just
lose his job for two thousand and one he's gonna lose.
He had a good idea he lost his job forever.
And that was probably my highlight, even more so than
the super Bowl itself. That was my highlight was having
(34:25):
Drew come in and him and Tom get to enjoy
that and Teddy Bruski crying hugging Drew. That's the kind
of stuff. I just thought. That was a great Hollywood
ending to the Bledsoe era in New England, and he
got a chance to make that one last contribution. He
didn't play great in the game. He started off great,
and he was kind of up and down in the
second half, but again he avoided the mistakes that cost
(34:48):
you games and they were able to win with special
teams and everything else. The AFC champion New England, Patriot's
twenty four, the Pittsburgh Steelers seventeen. That is it. From Pittsburgh.
This is Gil Sandos reminding you next Sunday afternoon, we'll
be in New Orleans to do the Super Bowl next time.
On two thousand and one, a Super Bowl Sound Odyssey,
the Patriots make history, winning their first championship by pulling
(35:10):
off the upset of the new millennium. Can't get enough
Patriots two thousand and one content Relive the historic year
by following the Patriots time Machine, a social media account
twenty years after its time, following the Patriots two thousand
and one season as if it were happening live. See
daily transactions, watch game highlights, and go back in time
(35:33):
to the start of the Patriots Super Bowl dynasty. Follow
along on Twitter and Instagram at pass time Machine
The two thousand and one New England Patriots, the team
that started an NFL dynasty. In a season full of
dramatic twists and turns on and off the field, the
upstart Pats shocked the world, redefining what it meant to
be a team and a Patriot. Twenty years and six
Super Bowl Championships later, we're revisiting that historic season, hearing
(00:26):
from different perspectives that were there to witness it firsthand
and tell the tale, from players to coaches, local and
national media, and even some fans. Mixed with some of
the most iconic sounds that defined the season. It will
be a unique six part journey back as we follow
the roots of the Patriots dynasty for the one championship
that started it all. We are all Patriots, and tonight
(00:47):
the Patriots at champions I might do so. And this
is two thousand and one A Super Bowl Sound Odyssey,
Episode five Ignored. The noise were the final spot in
over time Lenny England Patriots sixteen in the Oakland Raiders
thirteen head is it from Snowbound Winter Wonderland, Foxborough. This
(01:08):
is Gil Santo's reminding you. Next Sunday, the Patriots go
for the AFC Championship, either in Pittsburgh against the Steelers
or here against the Baltimore Right after narrowly defeating the
Oakland Raiders in the divisional round, the Patriots were set
to head to Pittsburgh for an unlikely AFC Championship game.
The Steelers had been the AFC's first dynasty, winning three
or five Super Bowls in the mid seventies. Gerry Bradshaw
(01:31):
as that is greatest three games in a row when
he had to have him in a playoffs, got all
he carried off. They were about the worst team in
pro football when he took over. I would say their
first years are ahead of them. The nineteen seventy six
Patriots handed the two time defending champs a home loss
in Week three, the first memorable upset by New England
(01:51):
in Pittsburgh, all right right down to the finale, maybe
three second plat Gerlado try a forty eight yard field
all for Pettburg, that the kicker is up and it
is no good, no good, three feet the Steelers thirty
to fotun it. In the nineties, the teams would meet
(02:12):
twice in the playoffs, with the Patriots holding serve at
home twenty eight to three and route to Super Bowl
thirty one. Curtis Martin a little faith, Oh what a
cut at the twenty twenties Gone Thurty cuts down one
hundred sixty six yards for Martin. These were not the
Steelers that Bill Cower has grown to law. These were
the Patriots that Bill Partsels was seen on occasion. The
following year, the first under head coach Pete Carroll, the
(02:34):
Patriots would fall in Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. It
wasn't pretty, it wasn't impressive, but it was a win
for a Bill Coward company seven to six, seven six
trudge and a game that was ended by a soon
to be familiar face. Blood Soel got sacked from behind
as he was bringing his arm forward, but ball came
close the official rules of a fumble and not a
(02:57):
pass attempt. That's Burg recovers at the Patriot thirty four
with one forty four and gino. That looked like a
game winning rod. It looked like they had something going,
but persist Ben rushed from the backside that time, whereas
Drew was throwing the ball little sooner on the previous
(03:18):
plays and just an outstanding play that time by Mike ravel,
the rookie who came from the backside. The Steelers missed
the playoffs for three seasons before putting it all together
and winning thirteen games in two thousand and one under
head coach Bill Cower, restoring the glory days of the
steel Curtain with one of the league's best defenses. They
had allowed the third fewest points in the league. The
(03:41):
offense featured quarterback Cordell Stuart, who posted the most rushing
yards of his career, though still battling inconsistencies as a thrower.
Stewart running Stewart's got roomed Cordel Stewart. It's a sprint
out Stewart crossing the twenty five and then banged down
the hoard of Pro Bowl one thousand yard running back
Jerome Bettis. Bettis get to the club the game then
(04:01):
strips attack them. Dennis has the first down and two
one thousand yard receivers in hines Ward, Hordell Stewart, the
Hines Ward and in the big patch of bottle. Hines
Ward takes the twenty nine varieties and Plexico Buris Cordell
drone open man Is Curus Plexico. Burtis trying to boutch
Off some tacklers. Together, they put up the third most
(04:22):
yards in the league. Get down to the playoff games,
and they say, who runs it the best, who defends
it the best? The Steelers owned that number one category
during the regular season and today one hundred and fifty
six yards rushing. The Steelers entered the game nine and
one at home, having just avenged their only home loss
of the season by sending the Ravens home in the
divisional round. Division rivals super Bowl champs. You know, the
(04:45):
whole nine yards, No him, it's aving all week. So
we just kind of tick that in a run with it.
I mean, we realized that, hey, we wrote to the
super Bowl, comes to the Burg and they came in
and got their bust kicked. You know, I'm saying, now
I'm got to take at him. No, I'm doing the patience.
Pittsburgh was ten point favorites over the snow surviving Patriots.
The Patriots, the Steeler the AFC Championship game. Scott Pioli,
(05:09):
Patriots director of player personnel Bill knew that team very well,
right and again you mentioned confidence. There was a confidence
about our football team, and it wasn't an unrealistic confidence,
and certainly Bill kept the team constantly grounded well enough
that it wasn't this kind of confidence that was you know,
(05:32):
that was not believable. That the players just felt prepared.
Run it again, hold up and run it again, Brady
Son of Redman Europe is going to be running next.
And I think that was a big part of it.
A lot of the confidence that our football team had,
not only that year, but in the next, you know,
however many years, is that they always felt prepared. And
(05:55):
in that game in particular, I feel like our team,
on both sides of the ball felt prepared. Belichick had
become more familiar with the Steelers during his five years
in Cleveland as the Browns head coach, a place where
much of the foundation for the Patriot's future success was set.
Michael Lombardi, Coakland Raiders Senior personnel executive. Well, I mean,
I think a lot of what you know, Cleveland was
(06:18):
basically the learning ground. I mean, Cleveland was the trial
and error, and so I think a lot of things
that Bill knew worked in Cleveland was going to work
in New England and made sure that's what he emphasized.
And you know from the grading system, to the development
of culture, to the ability to build a team. You know,
I think all that, you know, all that, what I'm
going to demand from the players and from the people
(06:39):
in the organization is that they made the commitment towards
a championship. That's what our goal is. That's all I
really am about, is trying to win football games. I mean,
what people forget is Bill had success in Cleveland. Took
over a team that gave up over four hundred points
in one year, and you know, before the move, gave
(06:59):
up two a record, two on a four points in
ninety four and one a playoff game. There's there's a
disconnect that things were bad in Cleveland. Things were good
in Cleveland until he moved the team. Mary Kay had
it Cleveland playing dealer. Well, he really did start to
build an incredible football team here in Cleveland, and I
think it kind of went It went unappreciated in a
(07:23):
lot of ways because of what happened between Bill Belichick
and Bernie Kozar, and I think it prevented people from
really seeing the value of the football team that he
was assembling and just the quality of play, the quality
of the staff. That's one of the things that really
stands out to me is that he surrounded himself with
(07:43):
really incredible people. They were there for the love of
the game. They would do it for almost nothing if
they had to. And he really did a phenomenal job
of assembling a staff that went on to do great
things with many of the same faces as he had
in Cleveland, including got Peally. Belichick was delivering earlier returns
in New England as the team prepared for the third
(08:04):
conference championship game in franchise history, but battle for AFC
supremacy so hard lay contested these last two weeks. We'll
be decided here today. Captain's Tom Brady and lawyer Malloy
traveled early to Pittsburgh for media availabilities, and it was
already clear no one, especially in Pittsburgh of all places,
was giving the Patriots any chance. Lawyer Malloy safety, nobody
(08:25):
gave us a shotting hill to to to beat the
Steelers in hindes Field like that. It just wasn't gonna happen.
And it was evident. And as soon as we flew
over Pittsburgh, like you know, it was all yellow and
gold um um. When we, you know, went out, I
think we went out, went out to breakfast. Me and
Tom had a lot of time to talk, and it
(08:46):
was just all this Steeler you know, shit um uh
being you know, being worn, and you know, people were
talking about the game and you know, yeah, you know
this this this new kid Brady, you know, uh yeah,
he's good, but you know he has no chance against
our defense, you know, and he's sitting right there, you know,
and I'm just you know, we're just soaking it in. Men.
I remember me and Brady just like soaking in the
(09:08):
atmosphere or whatever, and and I was like, man, see this,
this is what it's all about. Bro. It continued as
the full team arrived for the game. Damian Woody, offensive lineman.
I remember when we got to Pittsburgh, we got to
the to the team hotel. It seemed like the whole
city of Pittsburgh was in our hotel. Everyone was waving
(09:29):
the Terrible cows. We got there, we couldn't even maneuver
to get into the hotel because it was like the
every every fan of the Seals was there waving their
terrible towers. But they were trying to intimidate her, and
so I'm just thinking like, Okay, it's own like it
is like it is on Antoine Smith running back. It
(09:51):
was the disrespect man. It was a disrespect. People don't notice.
But when we got off though, when we got off
the bus to go play Pittsburgh, they had already had
the suitcases packed and everything to go to New Orleans.
You know, Belichick called Belichick, you know he he don't
miss messing and you know he's CD and I don't
(10:13):
say the club was it, you know, don't give us here.
They already packed going to New Orleans. Like they didn't
won the game. You know, I think that just the
ultimate splay just you know, that's kind of little file
up on those Tom E current NBC Sports Boston. And
I truly felt that they would deal with the Steelers.
I felt that they would win that game. And it's
ironic because money Megliola, who was a columnist for the
(10:34):
Middlesecon News Metro West Daily News. He was smart. He
was a parent caller before anybody else. He called Steve
Janette Belichick down in Annapolis and talked to them before
the game, and they told him the bill said to
pack their bags for New Orleans. So I really felt
that they would beat the Steelers Paul Parillo Patriots Football Weekend.
(10:55):
You know a lot of people would would like to
take away my Patriots dot com status because I don't
deserve it. But despite all of those wins, I still
didn't think they were going to win in Pittsburgh. I
felt like, yeah, this has been a great story, but
the ride's going to come to an end. And I
had said to Brian Morey, the curator Patriots Hall of Fame,
and Fred, if they win this game, I'm going to
(11:17):
go on the bus. I'm gonna go on the team
bus and I'm going to sing I'm a believer after
the game. And I just I just don't see it.
I just don't have any confidence. Mary Kake had it.
The Steelers had a great defense. They always have a
really good defense. It just seems like, no matter what,
they know how to stock and build that defense. And
I think when you looked at it, the Steelers having
(11:37):
gone thirteen and three and having that great defense, it
just almost seemed like, you know that this was a
no brainer that the Steelers We're going to advanced to
the super Bowl and you know, and just add another
Lombardi Trophy to their lobby. I remember thinking going into
that game that the Steelers were probably going to win
that one hands down, just being so familiar with the
(11:59):
Steelers and what they were able to accomplish, but obviously
just wasn't their day. For one Patriot, it was a
homecoming of sorts, as Mike Rabel had spent the first
four seasons of his career with the Steelers and likely
would have returned to the team in free agency had
the Patriots not offered a chance for Rabel to play
a bigger role on defense. Back to throw was Delow.
Here's the us see sack back inside the fifteen yard line.
(12:19):
Blasting after Meadal was Mike Brabel, who had nine and
a half regular season sacks. McNab back to throw the rush,
gonna be hit, Gonna be sacked back at the twenty
five yard line. Wow, Patriots came with a vengeance that time.
He had Rabel, McGinnis and Colden all in on the side.
Looks throw the other tough of by Mike Rabel. That's
a twenty at the fifteen and a pound of the
(12:41):
ten yard line. Rabel would go on to become one
of the core members of the Patriots dynasty, embodying the
team's defensive approach with smarts, versatility, and toughness. Mike Rabel, linebacker, Man,
I think that I had gotten to that point probably
in Pittsburgh, you know, year three and a half four,
you know, and so I was playing you know, Pittsburgh,
(13:01):
they were playing me, you know what I mean. I
was playing a series each half on both sides. Or
you know, I played behind Joey Porter and Jason Gilder.
You know, Joey came in and figured it out quicker
than I'd ended. So you know, there's a lot of
players that we developed, and I developed and changed positions
and played behind really good players. And so I still,
(13:22):
I guess, had confidence to go to New England and
UM and be ready to try to take advantage for
whatever they asked me to do. And it's inaugural season.
Hines Field as extended to the limit its inhabitants of Wave,
the Terrible Towels in triumph and a bast in the
glow of the Glorious Steeler Round, and now the intruders
from New England present the final hurdle. Mike Greece espn
(13:44):
to go to a game in Pittsburgh for people that
don't know Blake, that might be the greatest environment in
the NFL. With respect to lambeau Field. We're going to
probably have that conversation Arrowhead Stadium probably in that conversation,
happy to display all the costifications of doom. The Patriots
have shown up here today and will take the field
(14:07):
against the Steelers. Both teams would struggle to move the
ball early on, with five straight punts starting the game
and neither team getting past midfield. After a sixth punt
was called back for a Steeler's penalty, Troy Brown would
make one of the plays that would define his career.
Troy Brown wide receiver, Pittsburgh. They were punting from their
left hash originally, and what happened was they had their
(14:29):
gunner who ran out of bounds, were out of balls,
so they dropped the flag on him. But the referee
he spotted the ball on their right hash and therefore
he had to try to kick the ball out of
bounds to his left again. All right, Josh Miller set
the kicking away back at the forty five is Troy Brown.
Miller punning right to left, handles the snap and gets
(14:49):
the kick away. This one is returnable coming right to
Troy Brown at the forty five, he has left to
the fifty straight up the middle of the forty five
till the forty till the thirty five to thirty twenty
five fifth game ten five putdown, hutch down, huts down,
Troy Grown. You could just see it coming all the
way up the middle where he always goes. Any player
(15:10):
meet against Pittsburgh is my greatest after championship game was
it was was great taking the field go up and
lad on it backwards to returning the punt, but touchdown
tylo tylo hey. One guy picked up two sowharre in it.
So yeah, they did a good job from the forty
five to forty to thirty to fifteen to the five touchdown.
(15:34):
Mike Greece, I think about Troy Brown like special teams
and how like everyone's Steelers gonna win the game, right,
like that's what all the experts are saying, and really
like when you think about what Bill Belichick believes in
(15:55):
three phases, like they just absolutely dominant, aided the third
phase of the game that no one talks about. And
that's why I think at Troy Brown because why was
he even you know, I shouldn't say, why was he
on the team because he was a very productive offensive
player at that point. But prior to that, what was
(16:15):
he known for, like early in his career special teams
right like, So that's why he was there, and the
ultimate underdog guy in Troy and the Patriots were the
ultimate underdog in that situation. The Patriots think they have
a decided advantage in special teams, especially with their punt
(16:36):
return team. The Steelers would quickly respond on the ensuing drive,
Stuart would break free for a thirty four yard run,
a Pittsburgh would be forced to settle for a field
goal as the Patriots read zone defense stiffened. Well, the
Patriots defensively really doing a bang up job. That had
not been for that scamper of a run by Cordelle Stewart,
they wouldn't be in this position. But then again, I
(16:57):
think they're confusing this kid because he looks a little
would bewildered back there. Patson Steelers then traded four punts
as it looked like a repeat of the last low
scoring playoff game between these two teams was bearing out
again until once again, the two thousand and one Patriots
season took a dramatic twist. One that would become another
touchtone moment of a magical season. Three receivers to the
(17:18):
near side left for the Patriots, Brady out of a
shotgun j R. Redmond too was White in the backfield
and it's third down and eight direct snapped. The Brady
stands in the pocket, stands in the pocket, pulls the
trigger couplate. Troy Brown up the forty five at the
fifty at the forty five of Pittsburgh Dad Steeler. Forty
goes Troy Brown and a first down bullet delivered by
Tom Brady, and he's injured. He's down. The Patriot quarterback
(17:40):
is down back at the twenty five yard line and limping.
Drew Bloodsow will come in for the first time since
the final minutes of the New York Jet game back
in the second week of the season. Damian Woody and
when Tom went down with devil that lower leg injury,
not a doubt in my mind to do What's gonna
(18:01):
come in and we're gonna do what he had to
do to help us win the football game. Tom Brady,
the man who has captured the imagination of New England
sports fans twelve of eighteen for one hundred and eight
yards passing here in the first half of this one.
As a looks like left knee injury. He's gone to
the sidelines to sit on the bench and Drew bloodso
(18:22):
we'll check into the ball game at quarterback. Well, if
you have to go to your backup quarterback in a
championship playoff game, gino, it's not bad to have a
backup quarterback as good as Drew bloodshow Jermaine Wiggins tight end.
I mean, let's be honest. The guy, you know, he
had just signed a contract I want to say, like
for like one hundred million something like that back at
the time, and you know, he was the face of
(18:44):
the franchise for the Patriots, and the guy had been
to a Super Bowl. I remember the ninety six. I
was in college and like I said, I was a fan.
So I mean, bledsoe was the face of the franchise,
and you know, and then he gets hurt and he
ultimately loses his job to injury, and you know, now
he becomes the backup and gets the opportunity to go
in there and help us, you know, get to a
(19:05):
Super Bowl. Drew bledso I gotta believe has kept himself
ready if they ever needed him for the remainder of
this season, and he's in there now and they need
him now. Paul Perillo think I've already explained how Drew
was one of my favorites. I really enjoyed covering him.
That's really why I became a season ticket holder long
before I ever started working. Here was the day they
(19:27):
signed Drew Blitzo, that they drafted Drew Blitzo one overall
back in ninety three. So he goes back in the game,
and now all I'm thinking is, oh God, now, like
this run, which which I thought was inevitably going to
come to one end that day anyway, now they're going
to get to blame Drew. Like if Tom didn't get hurt,
everything would have been great, and now it's all gonna
be Drew's fault. And I was a bundle of nerves
(19:49):
and I know you're not supposed to be when you're
covering the game. He's supposed to be impartial and all
that crap. Well, yeah, I throw that all out the window.
I was just I wanted to puke, is what it
was probably the best way to do describing and he
comes out four plays touchdown. It was like pass pass
run gets lit up on the sideline touchdown pass and
(20:10):
all of the passages were darts. I mean he came
in on fire back to throw looking fires to the right.
It is caught down to the Pittsburgh twenty five yard
line on a fifteen yard strike by Drew a Troy Brown.
What a way to start with your very first play.
And I was like, this is gonna be awesome. Jermaine Wiggins,
he had a play where where he scrambled. It was
(20:32):
on the right sideline. It was like, I think it
was like out sideline and he runs and I'm like,
you know, I ran a route and then all of
a sudden, the play breaks down and you see him
scrambling and he's running on the sideline and it's almost
like the same spot where in the Jets game, same position,
same hit. I forget who hit him. I can't remember
(20:55):
who was James Farrier. Somebody hit him out of bounds
and it was like, you know, everybody looked, you know,
like oh, and then he bounced right up as soon
as he got I mean he got drilled too. He
got drilled and he but he bounces right up and
runs back on the field, and I think the emotions
of like, you know what, I'm back. I'm good. You
(21:15):
know that's not gonna phase me. Direct snapped to Drew
looking looking, starts to run to the right. He's gonna
keep it and go. He is down of the twenty
yard line and get shoved out of bounds. That's gotta
be a late hit. God has got to be a
late hit. Yeah, flat goes down, two, three, four, flags
went down. The defenders came up and shoved Blotso out
of bounds on the far side of the field with
no reason to do it, and Pittsburgh will be penalized
(21:37):
right here and right now. You know, I even or
we could have thought that Bletso might have tried to
go up feel a little more, but he'd made it
intentional to everybody that he was taking this ball out
of bounds, and he even the defenders the Steelers could
see that what he was doing, and there was no
need for that hit, then they should be penalized. Letzo
(21:58):
would finish off the drive that Brady started, finding David
Patton in the back of the end zone, giving New
England a fourteen three league just before the half. Florends
celebrations of the Patriots executive Fox celebrations around Drew bloods
(22:23):
on the field. David Patton, wide receiver. I never forget
running that route. I think it was a corner route
and I was the inside I was the inside slot
guy to the right side and coming out of the
break and I remember coming around and I saw him.
I saw the ball actually leave his hand. I was like, oh,
I'm getting ready to score this touchdown and Drew, Drew
(22:47):
just had he had he had a touch on the ball.
I think I think between the two two of those guys,
I would say Tom had the stronger arm, but Drew
just had a He had a for patting the ball
and like just flicking it out there. So you know,
he's the old adage, it doesn't matter who's in the game,
(23:08):
it doesn't matter what the situation is. You have one responsibility.
That's to do your job, get open and catch the ball.
And that's what we did. What a story this is.
Drew Bloodsow comes in for the injured Tom Brady and
takes over at the Pittsburgh forty yard line. He completes
three passes three for three for thirty six yards and
(23:31):
throws a ten yard touchdown pass to David Patton, Nick
Fitzie Stevens Patriots fan and personality, and I'm so glad
as a long suffering Pats fan and as someone who
loved Drew Bledsoe and knows what it meant to him
to be part of that team and to get his
shot and to throw that touchdown past to David Patton,
and that he helped get that w was so rewarding.
(23:53):
He's such a significant part of that season, the emotional
support and the coaching he provided for Brady being a
good trooper. When when Belichick pulled the plug on him
being the starter again and to throw that pass and
get to win Damian Woody, that was sweet because Drew
being in that position where he had to watch, you know,
during the time that he was injured and you know,
(24:14):
ultimately lose his job because of injury. I mean that
had to Drew the proper man that had to been
eating them up and in that moment to help us
get to Super Bowl. I couldn't have been a better
feeling for Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots have a fourteen
to three lead, and needless to say, the crowd here
in Pittsburgh is stunned. At the Patriots and the performance
(24:37):
that they're putting on here so far in the first half.
After a roller coaster ending to the first half and
the Patriots up fourteen three, the defenses continue to carry
the day. As the third quarter started, the Patriots were
unable to score after recovering a fumble by Stuart and
Steeler territory in their first possession. First intend Putsburg Stewart
calling signal drops the balls on the ground. It's the
thirty five yard line, the Patriot Cordelle Stewart fambola snap.
(25:03):
The Patriots have it at the Pittsburgh thirty five yard
line and would then see a Tebucky Jones interception called
back due to an offside's penalty. Stewart calling signals dropped
back to throw Stands in the pocket fires a bullet
in his chip damn intership pickof by Kubucky Jones at
the twenty five heading right to the thirty Tubucket wide
to the outside of the thirty two yard line and
(25:23):
the Patriots takeover on the past interception by Tubucky Jones.
Penalty marker. I think the Patriots were offside pump side
New England number ninety eight in the intry zone of
the snap. That's a five yard penalty. The interception is overturned.
Fore first down, the Steelers will produce a drive into
Patriots territory, but they would be stifled on third down again.
(25:45):
I'm forced to settle for another field goal attempt, and
for the second time in the game, special teams would
come through like they had all season long. Thirty four
yard field goal attempt for Chris Brown far hash mark
angle two was left Millard to hole. The snap of
the ball down the kick is the kick was blocked.
It's gonna be picked up by Troy Brown. He's across
the fifty ladders off slidline a flat Harris and he
(26:09):
goes all the way from the tops down at twine Harris.
The ladder off from Troy Brown after the blockfield goal,
and the Patriots blocky field goal and get the clutch down,
and the crowd in Pittsburgh is stunned. WHOA what a
play the blockfield goal Troy Brown. The block kick in
Pittsburgh was huge, you know. And then doing what we practiced,
(26:31):
you know for years. It was this scooping and scoring
with big guys on the field that can't catch you.
You know, scooping is scoring. I was scooped it up
and I couldn't score, So a lout back to Antoine
Harris right there, you know, so and he took it
in for the score. So it just plays like that.
There's a lot of team team coordination in that in
that particular play. Matt Chatham linebacker and special teamer that
(26:53):
was such an incredibly talented and dominant by the by
the end of the season defense that we were playing with,
and as well as a special teams group. I mean,
we can't overlook that part. We we we sort of
procured multiple scorers in that Steelers game, and that was
a big part of why we advanced as well and
what it ended up being a really tight type contest.
(27:15):
You look at you look at the Steelers group, you know,
and they could have been a dynasty themselves. And that
was the high flying team of that ASC group. And
if they slide past us, who knows what they do
and who knows what their arc is After this season,
Antoine Smith to the ball like first eighteen times of
the game, kind of change pace on them, and defense
was played exceptional and I think they kind of threw
(27:36):
them off and you know, we went on to win
the game. Especial teams did a good job. Everybody played
a privle the road in that game. Nick Fitzie Stevens,
I mean, the Steelers at the class of the league.
They have no business winning this game. And to think
that they could go in there and pull off that
upset and it was just all like all the hallmarks
of this team, like great defense, just enough offense, incredible
(27:58):
special teams. Of the things that I love about the
Patriots that you know, the coach preaches and the owner
preaches and all the other coaches and the players talk
about He's like, you want to make the Pats. You
want to make an impact on this team, play special
teams like not like it's like chicks dig the long ball,
man like yeah, but you know who gets it. You
know who gets it done at the end of the night.
And special teams that's what gets it done. Chris Berman, ESPN.
(28:20):
You could see it then looking back, there were a
couple of regular season games in which special teams played
a huge role, and then of course the championship game
with Pittsburgh with two special team scores. Right, so the
block the block punts of Troy Round picked up and
he shoveled at to Hansel and Harris and Troy at
a punt return earlier. Troy was really invaluable. He was
(28:41):
their MVP right. He caught a hundred balls, his role
on special teams, could even throw the ball off. But
Pittsburgh would not go away, as the Steelers would score
touchdowns on their next two drives, quickly closing a twenty
one three gap to a four point game. I have
a Pittsburgh Steelers drive down the field and get a
big touchdown here in this third water with five eleven
(29:01):
to play on the one yard run by Jerome Gottas
Cordell a hand off to zero way to the right,
he plows it in for a touchdown. Oh boy, boy
picked his way and nicely amos zero Way ten yards
out with one twenty nine to go, and now it
is really tight, needing to respond with a score of
(29:22):
their own. Bledsoe in the offense delivered within eleven play
forty five yard drive that took the game into the
fourth quarter. Snap is there, the ball is down, the
kick is up, it is on the way, and it
is gone. That's eleven in a row. Now for Adam Vinati,
he hits a forty four yard field goal, time out
on the field with eleven twelve to play on the
score of the Patriots twenty four Pittsburgh seventeen down by
(29:45):
only a touchdown. The Steeler's offense was held to just
thirty two total yards in their final three possessions, with
a punt and two interceptions. Direct snapped, the Stewart got
lots of time, steps up, fires down the field to
pat It incept it except up by a coupacky child
at the fifty at the forty five, a forty to
the thirty five to the Pittsburgh thirty four tabacky Jones
(30:06):
with a bastet exception forward Pittsburgh turnover of the game.
Second down in ten Pittsburgh at their own forty again
out of a shotgun store It takes the direct snap,
stands up in the pocket, looks fires down the field,
couldn't be picked us, gets intercepted, picked off by the Patriots,
falling to the ground at the fifty yard line as
Lawyer malloy as the Patriots defense stepped up and closed
(30:28):
out the team's first AFC Championship victory since the nineteen
ninety six season. Drew touches the knee down. The clock
ticks inside a minute, and Bill Belichick's New England Patriots
are going to the Super Bowl. Do you know what
it means to miss New Orleans? Ba ba ba ba bappa. Alright,
(30:49):
look out Bourbon Street, here come the New England Patriot fans.
Mike Rabel I think the game ended. We were on defense,
they were in two minutes, yeah, and kind of Cordell
was kind of scrambled out and we forced him out
of pocket, and I was kind of chasing him over
to the sidelines towards the end of the game, and
he kind of threw it out of bounds or something,
and I would near that sideline and you know it
(31:10):
kind of saw some smirks on the faces, and you know,
I mean just you know, I think it was pretty cool.
And I had never played it, you know, that was
the first year back in hines Field. Didn't play in
hines Field, you know, And so that was pretty unique
to go back to Pittsburg and to be able to
win the AFC Championship Game in a place that I
had played in it for four years. Drew touches the
knee down in the final seconds tick away Patriots players
(31:33):
coming out of the field. Then we're hitting the New
Orleans as the American Football Conference champions for the second
time in the last six years. Joe Andrews, offensive lineman,
you know, knowing that we were a bunch of nobodies
that went out there and proved people wrong. And you know,
without Drew, you know, we wouldn't have won either. And
(31:53):
Drew stood there. He didn't stab anybody in the back.
He turned around. I'm sure he wasn't happy, and many
people when you get injured, you don't want to be
sitting watching on the sidelines. So Drew sat there and
became another coach for Tom and then all of a
sudden he's called it to action against the Stealers THEFC
(32:13):
championship game, and he went in there and just flung
it around and gave us a chance, an opportunity to
you know, win that game and get to the Super Bowl,
which you know we loved to this day. Pepper Johnson,
linebackers coach. We had a lot of tough battles. We
went through a lot of adversity, losing our start quarterback,
(32:38):
our starting quarterback coming back, the backup quarterback gets hurt
in the ANFC Championship game. Our skin was so taught,
our scan was so tough at that given time that
we never lost focus. Tom e current after that. Quite honestly,
I'm not going to romanticize the way so many people
have over the years to put the page has survived.
(33:00):
Drew Bledsoe in the AFC Championship he hit Joey Porter
between the fives. He threw a backwards over the head
falling down paths that also could have impacked and would
have been if people actually expected the ball to become
popping out. You've got every bit of evidence as to
why Drew Bledsoe was valuable, tough, could make some throws,
and why he was never going to get his job back.
(33:21):
Some ridiculously bad decisions. But it was a great team win.
As you pointed out, Mike Greece, I remember Drew's eyes
afterwards like almost like watering, you know, the emotion because
of everything that had happened, and I'm looking to draw
on the sidelines. He's got tears in his eyes. He's
(33:42):
got tears in his eyes, And I think that's one
thing I'd say about Drew, Like he's got heart, he's sincere,
he's real, right, That's what I remember most when I
think about Drew in that game. Paul Perillo, our photographer
David Silverman got a great shot Drew and Tom with
a trophy, and I just thought that really encapsulated because
(34:05):
I know it wasn't easy for Drew Bledsoe to sit
back and watch this guy. And Jew's not a dumb guy.
He knows what was happening. He knows he didn't just
lose his job for two thousand and one he's gonna lose.
He had a good idea he lost his job forever.
And that was probably my highlight, even more so than
the super Bowl itself. That was my highlight was having
(34:25):
Drew come in and him and Tom get to enjoy
that and Teddy Bruski crying hugging Drew. That's the kind
of stuff. I just thought. That was a great Hollywood
ending to the Bledsoe era in New England, and he
got a chance to make that one last contribution. He
didn't play great in the game. He started off great,
and he was kind of up and down in the
second half, but again he avoided the mistakes that cost
(34:48):
you games and they were able to win with special
teams and everything else. The AFC champion New England, Patriot's
twenty four, the Pittsburgh Steelers seventeen. That is it. From Pittsburgh.
This is Gil Sandos reminding you next Sunday afternoon, we'll
be in New Orleans to do the Super Bowl next time.
On two thousand and one, a Super Bowl Sound Odyssey,
the Patriots make history, winning their first championship by pulling
(35:10):
off the upset of the new millennium. Can't get enough
Patriots two thousand and one content Relive the historic year
by following the Patriots time Machine, a social media account
twenty years after its time, following the Patriots two thousand
and one season as if it were happening live. See
daily transactions, watch game highlights, and go back in time
(35:33):
to the start of the Patriots Super Bowl dynasty. Follow
along on Twitter and Instagram at pass time Machine
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