Vinatieri Does It Again

This is a simple 2-stage Multi, no puzzle involved. The summary below is for sports fans, especially from New England, celebrating the Patriots second Super Bowl Win.

After missing the playoffs the year after their first Super Bowl win, the Patriots were back in the big game after a 14-2 regular season to face the Carolina Panthers.

This was an odd game for scoring as both the 1st and 3rd quarters were scoreless as was most of the 2nd. In the final 3 minutes of the 2nd quarter, the two teams combined for 24 points.

The final quarter started with the Patriots leading 14-10 but then the flood gates opened.

Patriots Running back Antowain Smith scored with a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play on the fourth quarter to increase their lead, 21–10.

Jake Delhomme started out Carolina's ensuing drive with a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. After committing a false start penalty on the next play, Delhomme completed a pair of passes for gains of 18 and 22 yards. Running back DeShaun Foster then scored on a 33-yard touchdown run, cutting the Panthers' deficit to 21–16 after Delhomme's 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete. The Patriots responded on their ensuing possession by driving all the way to Carolina's 9-yard line, but the drive ended when Panthers defensive back Reggie Howard intercepted a third down pass from Brady in the end zone. Then on 3rd down from his own 15-yard line, Delhomme threw for the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history, an 85-yard touchdown completion to Muhammad. Carolina's 2-point conversion attempt failed again, but they took their first lead of the game, 22–21, with 6:53 remaining.

However, New England retook the lead on their next drive, advancing 68 yards with the aid of a pair of completions from Brady to Givens for gains of 18 and 25 yards. Once again the Patriots were faced with third down and goal, but this time they scored with Brady's 1-yard pass to Mike Vrabel, who had lined up in an eligible tight end position. Then on a two-point conversion attempt, running back Kevin Faulk took a direct snap and ran into the end zone to make the score 29–22.

The Panthers countered on their next possession. Delhomme completed a 19-yard pass to Muhammad, followed by a 31-yard completion to receiver Ricky Proehl. Then Proehl finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown reception. John Kasay's ensuing extra point tied the game, 29–29, with 1:08 to play in regulation.

Tom Brady led the Patriots offense down the field with a 13-yard pass to Troy Brown on second down. Another 13-yard reception to Brown and a 4-yard pass to Daniel Graham brought up a critical 3rd down and 3 from the Carolina 40-yard line. The Panthers defense could not prevent the Patriots from gaining the first down, as Brady completed a 17-yard pass to Deion Branch. On the next play, Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England the lead, 32–29, with four seconds left in the game. Carolina failed on their last chance, as Rod Smart went nowhere on the ensuing kickoff, and the Patriots had won their second Super Bowl in three years.

CONGRATS TO FLIC FOR THE FTF!!

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