New England Patriots safety Lawyer Milloy saw all the predictions and all the graphics showing which Super Bowl team was considered stronger in crucial matchups. But he knew the key to the game was in another unmentioned category.
The St. Louis Rams “had all those . . . so-called advantages,” Milloy gloated. “But on the `knock-your-block-off’ side, we had the advantage.”
Milloy and the Patriots began hitting the Rams from the outset of Super Bowl XXXVI, believing that the speed-oriented Rams would wilt from the pounding just like a boxer eventually breaking under too many hard body blows. The Patriots forced the Rams into a series of turnovers and dropped balls, resulting in New England’s first 17 points.
“They say this is the fastest offense in the NFL,” said cornerback Ty Law. “But I never saw anybody win a 100-yard dash with somebody standing in front of them.”
It was all part of a greater strategy, one forged in the film sessions reviewing the Rams’ 24-17 victory at Foxboro, Mass., on Nov. 18. In that game the Patriots tried blitzing St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner–35 times, in fact–and while they did get four turnovers, they knew that their play had not caused them.
So coach Bill Belichick and coordinator Romeo Crennell devised a scheme that would force Warner to find his receivers in traffic.
The Patriots used five and six defensive backs during more than half of Sunday’s game. They caused three “coverage” sacks of Warner when he held the ball too long, looking for a receiver.
“The secondary played their hearts out,” Belichick said. “This is a great offense and [the Patriots’ defensive backs] try to challenge the receivers.”
That was the critical second part of the plan: hit the Rams, again and again and again. The Patriots noticed that Rams receivers and running backs tended to go down or out of bounds frequently to avoid collisions.
The Patriots didn’t consider the Rams cowards, they said, just people who didn’t want to be hit.
The Patriots laid off receivers in zone coverages at times and then came up with the intent of the most physical hits possible
“Their players want to stay in the game and that’s how they stay healthy,” Milloy said of the Rams going down. “We wanted to get them before they could go down.”
In the second quarter, when substitute right tackle Rod Jones blocked to the inside on a Warner pass drop, linebacker Mike Vrabel came unchecked on one of the Patriots’ few blitzes.
Vrabel hit Warner as the Rams quarterback threw. The ball sailed over intended receiver Isaac Bruce to Law at the St. Louis 47. Law twisted through the pursuing Rams and broke free down the left sideline for the Patriots’ first touchdown.
Later in the quarter, with the Rams in their own territory, Warner threw to Ricky Proehl, who fumbled when cornerback Antwan Harris delivered a blow with his helmet. Terrell Buckley recovered and returned the ball 15 yards to the St. Louis 40. The Patriots scored five plays later.
In the third quarter, cornerback Otis Smith, who was quietly designated as the target of the Rams’ offense rather than Law on the other side, jammed Az-Zahir Hakim coming off the line. Hakim stumbled, and the delay was costly as Warner threw the ball to where Hakim was supposed to be.
The throw went straight into Smith’s midsection at the New England 37 and he returned it 30 yards to the St. Louis 33.
Five plays later Adam Vinatieri converted a 37-yard field goal for a 17-3 Patriots lead.
“We shocked the world,” Smith said. “We shocked the world today.”
