It was January 19, 2002. The New England Patriots were hosting the Oakland Raiders at Foxboro Stadium, the last game ever played at the old venue. New England, 11-5 and riding a six-game winning streak, had first-year starter Tom Brady at quarterback. Oakland, 10-6, was coming off a 38-24 victory over the New York Jets the weekend before.
Nobody realized it then, but the game would become an iconic moment in NFL history. It launched a dynasty for one team, and began the downfall for another.
For those unfamiliar, the Patriots would win on this snow-covered evening, topping the Raiders 16-13 in overtime after a controversial call now known as the Tuck Rule. For all the world, Raiders corner Charles Woodson had stripped Brady of the ball with it being recovered by Oakland. With under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the game would have been over. Referee Walt Coleman took to the replay booth and overruled the initial call of fumble, stating Brady’s arm was going forward and had not yet tucked the ball away.
Adam Vinatieri then kicked two clutch field goals, and the Patriots moved on to ultimately win Super Bowl XXXVI in a tremendous upset of the St. Louis Rams.
So why remember the moment now? Because we are at the Divisional round again, the Patriots are still playing, and it is incredible to look into history 13 years later.
Following its magical championship season of 2001, New England has made the playoffs in 11 times in 13 campaigns with four more Super Bowl appearances. Brady earned two additional Super Bowl rings in 2003 and 2004, while he and head coach Bill Belichick have led the Patriots to an astounding seven AFC championship games. With a win on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium, New England will make its fourth consecutive trip to the conference championship.
Whether you are a Patriots fan or not, it would be an injustice not to appreciate the greatness of the franchise since that cold night in a creaky stadium. New England is seen as a premiere organization now, but was a consistent afterthought before Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe and created history.
From their inception in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League through the conclusion of the 2000 season, the Patriots reached the AFC Championship game twice. Despite winning both times (1985, 1996), New England was beaten handily in the Super Bowl. During that 40-year span, the Patriots only made 10 playoff appearances.
Coleman’s ruling allowed New England to become a powerhouse and began the Hall of Fame run for both the quarterback and coach combination. The Raiders traded head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that offseason, only to lose to him in the Super Bowl in 2002. Oakland has not reached the playoffs since that defeat.
On one play, one night, everything changed. That is what the playoffs are all about.