CNNSI.com NFL Playoffs 2001 NFL Playoffs 2001


  Posted: Tuesday January 29, 2002 6:29 PM

The New England Patriots played in the following Super Bowls:
XX: Bears-Patriots XXXI: Patriots-Packers

SUPER BOWL XX
Jan. 26, 1986 at New Orleans | Attendance: 73,818
1 2 3 4 F
Chicago
Bears
13 10 21 2 46
New England
Patriots
3 0 0 7 10
  William Perry (72) and the Bears did the Super Bowl Shuffle up and down the field against the Patriots. Mike Powell/Allsport
Chicago won its first NFL championship since 1963 by setting a Super Bowl-record for points scored in defeating New England 46-10. The NFC champions, who won by the largest margain in Super Bowl history, broke the old record for points in a game set by San Francisco and the Los Angeles Raiders in the previous two Super Bowls.

The Patriots, capitalized on a Chicago fumble to score the quickest points in Super Bowl history on Tony Franklin's field goal. Chicago then scored 44 unanswered points to put the game out of reach.

The Bears' defense, who allowed only 10 points in post-season play, held New England to seven yards rushing and 116 yards passing.

Jim McMahon, who passed for 256 yards, became the first quarterback to rush for two touchdowns. Richard Dent, who contributed 1 1/2 sacks, was named the MVP.

SUPER BOWL XXXI
Jan. 26, 1997 at New Orleans | Attendance: 72,301
1 2 3 4 F
New England
Patriots
14 0 7 0 21
Green Bay
Packers
10 17 8 0 35
  Brett Favre used his legs and arms to score two first-half touchdowns against the Patriots. Al Bello/Allsport
Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes and ran for one as the Packers won their first Super Bowl in 29 years. The big play was Desmond Howard's 99-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.

Howard, the MVP, set a Super Bowl record with 244 total return yards.

On the second play from scrimmage, Favre hit Andre Rison with a 54-yard touchdown pass.

Following a Doug Evans interception, the Packers went ahead 10-0 just 6:18 into the game. The Patriots came back with two scores in the quarter, Drew Bledsoe passes to Keith Byars and Ben Coates, to take their only lead of the game.

Green Bay scored 56 seconds into the second quarter as Favre hit Antonio Freeman with a Super Bowl-record 81-yard touchdown pass. Favre later scored on a 2-yard run to give the Packers a 27-14 halftime lead.

New England closed the gap on Curtis Martin's 18-yard run late in the third quarter. Howard took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to break the Patriots' momentum.

The Packers' defense took over in the fourth quarter, intercepting Bledsoe twice, and preventing the Patriots from passing midfield in four possessions.

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