Patriots capitalize big on Rams' miscues

The Patriots never trailed after Ty Law (24) returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. AP

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The one thing that slowed the St. Louis Rams' offense this season was turnovers. The New England Patriots turned those giveaways into 17 points Sunday to help win their first Super Bowl.

Ty Law ran back an interception 47 yards for the Patriots' first points. Terrell Buckley went 15 yards with a fumble recovery to set up another touchdown. And Otis Smith ran another interception 30 yards, leading to a field goal in New England's 20-17 victory.

Adam Vinatieri wouldn't have had the opportunity to kick his 48-yard field goal as the game ended without those takeaways.

The Patriots pressured league MVP Kurt Warner all day, getting three sacks. They also kept Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk from doing much damage. Faulk rushed for 76 yards, but made few big plays against the hard-hitting Patriots.

But it was the turnovers that decided one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. The Patriots were 14-point underdogs to St. Louis, which went 14-2 this season with a high-powered offense that scored 503 points. The Rams, however, also led the league with 44 giveaways.

The Rams averaged 19 points in the first half this season, yet had only three at halftime. Although the Patriots couldn't establish much on offense, they didn't need to because of the takeaways.

The Rams gave New England the break it was looking for in the second quarter.

Having slowed the pace, the Patriots sought a critical defensive play, which came when Mike Vrabel pressured Warner into an awful throw to his right. The ball floated directly to Law, who ran untouched for a score.

Later in the period, Ricky Proehl fumbled a reception when hit by Antwan Harris' helmet, and Buckley returned it to the St. Louis 40.

David Patten's leaping 8-yard catch made it 14-3 at halftime.

Smith knocked Torry Holt to the ground at the line on his pickoff. Warner threw to where he expected his receiver to be, but the misguided pass went directly to Smith.

His return to the Rams 33 set up Vinatieri's first field goal, a 37-yarder with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter.

While Warner led the Rams back, the only three turnovers of the game severely damaged St. Louis.

 

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