Bill Belichick 20/20 Podcast

For this special playoff installment of Belichick 20/20, we rewind to the 2003 AFC Divisional Game between the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans; one of the coldest games in NFL history. Tom Brady and Bethel Johnson would connect on a 41-yard deep ball for a touchdown giving the Patriots an early lead over the MVP led Steve McNair. But, McNair and the Titans would answer right back, needing only six plays to tie the game at seven. Brady and the Patriots would go in to halftime with a 14-7 lead, and after a first-half where Brady would throw for 166 yards and a touchdown; many were expecting a high scoring second half. However, the Patriots would come out flat to start the second half while McNair and the Titans would answer back on their first drive, tying the game at 14 after McNair connected with Derrick Mason for an 11-yard touchdown. With the score tied at 14 and six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Brady would get the Patriots in field-goal range for Adam Vinatieri who would connect on a 46-yard field-goal to give the Patriots a late 17-14 lead. McNair and company would sustain a long drive to nowhere as the Titans would stall and fail to convert on a fourth and 12, giving the Patriots the football and the victory.

For the final installment of Belichick 20/20 and one more Super Bowl to look back on, this week we revisit Bill Belichick’s greatest game; Super Bowl 36. The “Cinderella story” 11-5 Patriots were squaring off against the 14-2 “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams. The Rams were a 14-point favorite coming in to Super Bowl Sunday; the Patriots were also a 14-point underdog in the 1997 Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers. The Rams were heavily favored partly because of the play of the 2001 NFL MVP, Kurt Warner, but also because of the Rams week 10 victory over the Patriots; the last loss the Patriots would suffer in the 2001 season. The Rams would strike first in Super Bowl 36 when Jeff ‘Money’ Wilkins would hit a 50-yard field goal. However, after an unforgettable Ty Law pick-six, a David Patten leaping touchdown grab and an Adam Vinatieri field-goal, the Patriots would take a 17-3 lead going in to the fourth quarter. Warner and company would have their first red zone possession at the start of the fourth quarter, and after a dropped Lawyer Milloy end zone interception Warner would scramble in for a touchdown. After a couple of drives to nowhere, the Rams would tie the game up with a 1:30 left to play. Many imagined Belichick would have his young, inexperienced, sixth round quarterback run the clock out and play for overtime. But, after three straight check down passes to J.R. Redmond, a 23 yard pass to Troy Brown and a short pass to Jermaine Wiggins, the Patriots were in range for Adam Vinatieri. And as most are familiar with, Vinatieri would drill a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots their first Super Bowl.

This week’s edition of Belichick 20/20 features one of the greatest games ever played: Super Bowl 51. Both high scoring offenses would be held scoreless in the first quarter, but Atlanta would dominate the second quarter outscoring the Patriots 21-3; Falcons’ corner back, Robert Alford would intercept Tom Brady for an 82-yard pick six. The Patriots would go in to halftime trailing the league’s MVP Matt Ryan by a score of 21-3. To add insult to injury, the Falcons would strike first in the second-half to increase their lead to 28-3. The Patriots’ offensive struggles would continue in the third quarter, only scoring nine points as quarter three would end with the Falcons leading 28-9. However, a clutch Hightower strip-sack, a miraculous catch by Edelman and a Trey Flowers second-down sack in the final four minutes of regulation would result in 19 unanswered points for the Patriots to overcome a 25 point deficit; the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The Patriots and Falcons would head to overtime tied at 28; the first ever overtime in Super Bowl history. The Patriots would win the coin toss and elect to receive; Tom Brady would only need three minutes and eight plays to go 75 yards to complete the greatest comeback in NFL history. After a two-yard touchdown run by James White, the Patriots would defeat the Falcons 34-28 to secure their fifth Super Bowl title.

With three more weeks left of Belichick 20/20, we revisit the game that started the second chapter of the Patriots' dynasty under Bill Belichick; Super Bowl 49. Super Bowl 49 was a match up of two 12-4 number one seed teams as the Patriots would be going up against the Seattle Seahawks and the famed Legion of Boom. The Seahawks were returning to the Super Bowl a year after demolishing Peyton Manning's Broncos in a 43-8 blow out victory in Super Bowl 48. However, Super Bowl 49 would be anything but a blow out. Multiple lead changes, a dramatic end to the first half, an unbelievable last second catch and an unlikely hero all were on display as the Patriots would capture their first title in 10 years. 

With four weeks left of Belichick 20/20 and four more Super Bowl victories to visit, we rewind to February 1st, 2004. The 14-2 Patriots were squaring off against the 11-5 Carolina Panthers. The Panthers, two years removed from a 1-15 season, entered the playoffs as a Wild-Card team and after beating Dallas, St. Louis in double overtime, and Philadelphia, the stage for Super Bowl 38 was set. Super Bowl 38 was an 'every-other-quarter' type of game; zero total combined points in quarters one and three with 61 total combined points in quarters two and four. Tied at 29 with 1:08 left to play, Panthers' kicker John Kasey kicked the ensuing kickoff out-of-bounds, giving Tom Brady and the Patriots the football at their own 40-yard line. Brady would then lead the Patriots to the Panthers' 24-yard line where Adam Vinatieri would connect on a 41-yard field goal to give the Patriots their second Super Bowl title. 

Another week, another Super Bowl victory for this edition of Belichick 20/20. This week, we rewind to Super Bowl 39 where the New England Patriots faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 13-3 NFC Champions Andy Reid led Eagles were headlined by; Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Terrell Owens and Brian Dawkins. Super Bowl 39 was a heavy-weight battle the whole way through. The game was tied at seven going into halftime and then on the Patriots' first drive of the third quarter, Mike Vrabel would catch a two-yard touchdown to give the Patriots their first lead of the game. Super Bowl 39 would be tied at 14 going into the fourth quarter, the first time a Super Bowl was tied going into the fourth quarter. The Patriots would score 10 points in the fourth quarter and after a Rodney Harrison interception the Patriots would capture their third Super Bowl in four years. 

For this edition of Belichick 20/20 we rewind to February of this year for a Super Bowl 53 match up against the Los Angeles Rams. Super Bowl 53 was the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever; Belichick's Patriots were able to neutralize the youthful Sean McVay's Los Angeles Ram's offense in a 13-3 victory. The Patriots were able to hold Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks and the rest of the high powered Rams' offense to 260 total net yards. Julian Edelman was was the main story of Super Bowl 53, moving past Michael Irvin into second place in all-time playoff receiving yards. Edelman finished with 10 receptions for 141 yards, a Super Bowl MVP and his third Super Bowl victory.

For this installment of Belichick 20/20 we revisit the infamous 2001 "Tuck Rule" game. Belichick's 12-4 Patriots, led by a 25 year-old sixth round draft pick named Tom Brady would square off against Jon Gruden's 11-5 Oakland Raiders. The snowfall would halt both offenses as the Patriots would trail the Raiders 7-0 at halftime with a combined 238 total net yards from both teams. Belichick and the Patriots would come out hot to start the third quarter, going 62 yards on their first possession of the half, ending in a field goal; the Patriots would net only 21 yards for the remainder of the quarter. However, the Patriots would score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a six-yard touchdown rush by Brady which was emphasized by his now signature spike. Then, with the Patriots trailing by 3 with two-minutes to go, Brady would be sacked by college teammate, Charles Woodson, with the initial call being a fumble and recovered by the Raiders. But, the call would be reviewed and reversed saying that Brady's arm was going forward on the play, with the call being reversed as an incomplete pass. The Patriots would take advantage of the call, hitting a field-goal to tie the game at 13 and head into overtime. The Patriots would receive to start overtime and go 61 yards on 15 plays, ending with an iconic 23-yard field-goal from Adam Vinatieri which would send the Patriots to the AFC Championship game.

We do not have to rewind that far for this installment of Belichick 20/20. Staying in 2019, we look back at the AFC Championship game where Belichick and Brady took on the 2018 NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes and company. The Patriots were looking to win an AFC Championship game on the road for the first time since 2005, and it was certainly looking that way with the Patriots leading 14-0 at halftime. However, the Chiefs would outscore the Patriots 31-17 in the second half. 24 of those Kansas City points came in the fourth quarter. With 2:03 left, Damien Williams would rush for a two-yard touchdown and give Kansas City a 28-24 lead. But like clockwork, Tom Brady would lead a two-minute drive that would end with a four-yard touchdown run from Rex Burkhead. Patrick Mahomes, down three, needed only two plays and 31 seconds to get the Chiefs into field goal range. Harrison Butker would hit a 39 yard field goal to send the game into overtime. The Patriots would win the coin toss and march through Kansas City's defense, converting on three third and longs on their overtime drive. Rex Burkhead would score on a two-yard touchdown run and send Bill Belichick and the Patriots to their third straight Super Bowl.

For this installment of Belichick 20/20, we recall another close game during week 13 of the 2009 season between the once rivals Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. Both teams came into this game sitting at 9-2 with massive playoff implications on the line. With the Patriots leading 38-34 late in the fourth quarter, the Patriots' defense needed a big stop. Manning, with 2:57 left to play, would march into the red zone. Manning and the Colts would have first and goal from the Patriots 2-yard line. However, the Patriots' defense would come up with three big stops, setting up a fourth and goal from the Patriots' 1-yard line. And on fourth and goal, Willie McGinest would stuff Edjerrin James to secure the Patriots' eighth straight victory.