No one expected great things for the 2001 New England Patriots, and their upstart reputation persisted until the final seconds of Super Bowl XXXVI, when a winning field goal at long last established them as football's best. This rousing NFL Films production follows their entire season, beginning with a horrendous 1-3 record and the loss of quarterback Drew Bledsoe before they kept finding ways to win in a season that couldn't help but be emotional. Playing when America was attacked and went to war held a special meaning for the Patriots, who at one game paid tribute to teammate Joe Andruzzi's three brothers who work as New York City firefighters. The Patriots' postseason victories, including a memorable overtime upset in a snowstorm against the fearsome Raiders, are dramatically depicted. And 17 minutes of highlights from the Super Bowl game against the heavily favored St. Louis Rams are presented with all the devotion that only NFL Films can bring.
It is fun watching highlights from that magical season for Patriot fans, but it seems like they could have done much better. It was their first Super Bowl win, after all. Wasn’t it worth a more in-depth depth look than ninety minutes allows for? But I am sure most Patriot fans were glad just to be able to put it on their shelves. Who knew so many more championships would follow?
