New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady calls signals at the line of scrimmage during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the
ninth time in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era. The incredible run for coach
and quarterback started back in the 2001 season, when Brady took over as
starting quarterback and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title.
Their opponent 17 years ago in Super Bowl XXXVI was the
Rams, who called St. Louis their home from the 1995 through the 2015 seasons
before relocating back to Los Angeles where the team had played from the 1946
season through the 1994 season.
Back in 2002, the Rams were back in the Super Bowl for the
second time in three years and favored to beat the Patriots. Their offense
included Kurt Warner. Marshall Faulk. Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. They were the
Greatest Show on Turf, but the Patriots beat them, 20-17.
Since February 3, 2002, the fortunes of the teams have been
very different. In the ensuing years, New England has become the greatest
dynasty in football history. Since 2001, the Patriots have won 220
regular-season games, 16 AFC East titles and are 29-10 in playoff games.
The Rams, meanwhile, haven’t been back in the Super Bowl
since that then. They missed the playoffs in the 2002-2003 season, and lost in
the divisional playoff round the next two years before missing the playoffs for
12 consecutive years without having a winning season.
The Patriots opened as a Super Bowl underdog. But a flood of money came in on Brady’s team,
and the line went as high as Rams +2. If the Patriots close as underdogs, it
would be the first time they’ve held that distinction in a Super Bowl since the
last time the played the Rams.
The Super Bowl traces its roots back to January 15, 1967. On
that day, U.S. military and the South Vietnamese army were fighting Vietcong
and North Vietnamese forces in the Mekong River delta, and the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” was the top song
on the radio.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with his teammates after the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Super Bowl I between National Football League’s powerhouse
Green Bay and the American Football League champion Kansas City was aired on both
CBS and NBC. NFL games were carried on CBS then, and NBC aired the AFL games. The
Chiefs kept it close for a half but lost 35-10.
Two years later, the New York Jets of the AFL defeated the
Baltimore Colts of the NFL 16-7 in a stunning upset that Jets quarterback Joe
Namath had guaranteed in spite of being a 18-point underdog. The upstart league
won the next two games and were finally taken seriously.
In spite of three straight Super Bowl victories, the
undefeated Miami Dolphins were 2-point underdogs before beating the Washington
Redskins 14-7 in 1973. Forty-six years later, no NFL team has ever completed an
undefeated season – although the Patriots came close 11 years ago.
The 2007-2008 Patriots team in its 8th season under
Belichick, won 16 straight regular season games and two playoff games to enter
Super Bowl XLII 18-0. On the brink of making history, and starting the game as
12-point favorites, the Patriots lost to the New York Giants, 17-14.
While the Patriots have the most Super Bowl berths (11), the
Dallas Cowboys are tied for second with eight. The Cowboys, who won their first
Super Bowl in 1972, have won the world championship five times. But the last
time was 23 years ago, when Dallas beat Pittsburgh 27-17.
It was forty years ago when Roger Staubach and the Dallas
Cowboys battled Terry Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers in what many
consider to be the best Super Bowl of all times. The Cowboys lost 35-31 after Jackie
Smith dropped an easy pass in the end zone.
The Cowboys hopes of earning their sixth championship ring
in 2019 ended in Los Angeles on January 12th when they lost to the
Rams 30-22. The Cowboys had advanced to the divisional round for the first time
in four years, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 24-22 the previous week.
The Houston Texans finished the 2018 regular season with an
11-5 record, which was good enough to win the AFC South. After losing the first
three games, the Texans won nine straight but bowed out in the first playoff
game, losing 21-7 to the Indianapolis Colts.
Area Round of the 2019 Central Texas High School Playoffs as the tournaments continue. Lake Travis has a rematch against San Antonio Madison at Rattlers Stadium in San Marcos. Westlake would go on the Win the State Championship while Cavs would defeat Judson again in 3rd round at the Alamodome but would fall the following […]
Steve and Russell breakdown the 2019 High School Playoffs in Central Texas on 104.9 Horn FM. Bi-District week where districts collide in this first round. McCallum and Westwood battled out....Giddings defeated Houston Kashmir 50-0. Georgetown at LBJ, Lake Travis at Smithson Valley, Vandegrift hosts Bridgeland at home led by Jax Mccauley in a close comeback […]
Russell & Steve cover week 11 on our 10th show as teams get near the playoffs and districts begin to line up as teams edge each other out for the final playoff spots. Russell became a grandpa the night before this show. . . Vista Ridge beat Round Rock 41-38.
Week 9 of The Friday Night Countdown on 104.9 Horn FM is your Pre-Game for Central Texas High School Football for 2019 Season! Thursday Night games we rained out and delayed. Weiss winning 14-7 over Eastview.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Seven-time GRAMMY award winner Big Boi, one-half of OutKast, will headline Longhorn City Limits presented by Still Austin Whiskey Co. on Saturday, Sept. 16. The FREE gameday concert, located on the LBJ Lawn, will open at 3 p.m. with live music prior to the Texas Football vs. Wyoming game at 7 p.m.
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