2003 · Super Bowl XXXVIII · Game 1

Pregame

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

Super Bowl XXXVIII: Carolina Panthers face New England Patriots at Reliant Stadium. Kickoff: Sun February 1, 2004 at 6:25pm. Winner takes home the Lombardi Trophy. There is no next week for the loser.[1][2]

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

Super Bowl XXXVIII is the season's final accounting for 2003. Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots arrive at Reliant Stadium carrying every snap they have played since training camp. Championship games strip the rest of the schedule away; what is left is whichever team executes its identity longest under the brightest light. The narrative that wins is the one with the trophy attached. Lose, and the season collapses into a footnote no matter how it was played.

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

The whole league is watching Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots. Two conferences have produced their finalists; the rest of the 2003 season is already in the books. The Lombardi is decided here. Every other team's offseason calendar starts the morning after this kickoff.

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

Carolina Panthers versus New England Patriots in the Super Bowl XXXVIII. The teams who reach this round have already proven they survive a long schedule; the stats that matter most now are the ones that compress: scoring differential, red-zone efficiency, turnover margin. At this stage of the year, the simple math is that defenses tighten and the team that protects the ball wins more often than the team that scores the most. Whichever side of Carolina Panthers-New England Patriots cleans up the careless plays first usually walks out with the result. Conservative-game expectations should not surprise the reader; both staffs know exactly what worked all season and will lean hard on what travels. The early answer is the kicking game, where any swing of field position compounds.

League standings entering Week 18

Standings as of kickoff, Week 18 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Best record league-wide: New England Patriots (14-2).

AFC

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
New England Patriots14-2W12
Miami Dolphins10-6W2
Buffalo Bills6-10L3
New York Jets6-10L2

AFC North

TeamRecStrk
Baltimore Ravens10-6W2
Cincinnati Bengals8-8L2
Pittsburgh Steelers6-10L1
Cleveland Browns5-11W1

AFC South

TeamRecStrk
Indianapolis Colts12-4W1
Tennessee Titans12-4W3
Houston Texans5-11L4
Jacksonville Jaguars5-11L1

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Kansas City Chiefs13-3W1
Denver Broncos10-6L1
Oakland Raiders4-12L2
San Diego Chargers4-12W1

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
St. Louis Rams12-4L1
Seattle Seahawks10-6W2
San Francisco 49ers7-9L1
Arizona Cardinals4-12--

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
Philadelphia Eagles12-4W1
Dallas Cowboys10-6L1
Washington Redskins5-11L3
New York Giants4-12L8

NFC North

TeamRecStrk
Green Bay Packers10-6W4
Minnesota Vikings9-7L1
Chicago Bears7-9L1
Detroit Lions5-11W1

NFC South

TeamRecStrk
Carolina Panthers11-5W3
New Orleans Saints8-8W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers7-9L2
Atlanta Falcons5-11W2

Game video

▶ Open in YouTube 2003 Super Bowl: Patriots vs Panthers · channel: Patriots Dynasty

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Game info

Roof
retractable roof (closed)
Surface
grass
Vegas line
New England Patriots -7
Over/Under
38 (over)

Score

Reveal through:

Carolina Panthers None, New England Patriots None

1234T
Carolina Panthers010019010102929
New England Patriots014018014143232

Scoring plays

Q1

TeamPlayScore
No scoring this quarter.

Q2

TeamPlayScore
PatriotsDeion Branch 5 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Adam Vinatieri kick)0-7
PanthersSteve Smith Sr. 39 yard pass from Jake Delhomme ( John Kasay kick)7-7
PatriotsDavid Givens 5 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Adam Vinatieri kick)7-14
PanthersJohn Kasay 50 yard field goal10-14

Q3

TeamPlayScore
No scoring this quarter.

Q4

TeamPlayScore
PatriotsAntowain Smith 2 yard rush ( Adam Vinatieri kick)10-21
PanthersDeShaun Foster 33 yard rush (pass failed)16-21
PanthersMuhsin Muhammad 85 yard pass from Jake Delhomme (pass failed)22-21
PatriotsMike Vrabel 1 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Kevin Faulk run)22-29
PanthersRicky Proehl 12 yard pass from Jake Delhomme ( John Kasay kick)29-29
PatriotsAdam Vinatieri 41 yard field goal29-32

Recap

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

New England Patriots defeated Carolina Panthers 32-29 at Reliant Stadium in the Super Bowl XXXVIII. The final scoring play was Patriots: Adam Vinatieri 41 yard field goal. The result came down to the final possession; New England Patriots won by 3. Top line of the day: Tom Brady: 354 pass yards on 32-of-48, 3 TD, 1 INT. New England Patriots take home the Lombardi Trophy.[1][2]

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

New England Patriots walked out of Reliant Stadium as the team that survived a Super Bowl XXXVIII Carolina Panthers will replay in its head for the entire offseason. The scoreboard says 32-29. The game stayed within 3 points throughout, the kind of contest where every drive felt like a referendum and every defensive stop carried twice its usual weight. The final scoring play came from Patriots: Adam Vinatieri 41 yard field goal. Whether it was the game-decider or just the period at the end of the sentence depends on what the camera caught earlier. New England Patriots hoist the Lombardi.

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29. Round: Super Bowl XXXVIII. Attendance: 71525. Q2: 4 scoring plays. Q4: 6 scoring plays. Top performers:
- Tom Brady: 354 pass yards on 32-of-48, 3 TD, 1 INT
- Antowain Smith: 83 rush yards on 26 carries
- Deion Branch: 10 catches for 143 yards

AI summary, sourced from 1 period article (Pro-Football-Reference)

Super Bowl XXXVIII, played at Reliant Stadium. Final: Carolina Panthers 29, New England Patriots 32, with New England Patriots taking the result by 3. **Second quarter**

- Patriots: Deion Branch 5 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Adam Vinatieri kick)
- Panthers: Steve Smith Sr. 39 yard pass from Jake Delhomme ( John Kasay kick)
- Patriots: David Givens 5 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Adam Vinatieri kick)
- Panthers: John Kasay 50 yard field goal

Fourth quarter

- Patriots: Antowain Smith 2 yard rush ( Adam Vinatieri kick)
- Panthers: DeShaun Foster 33 yard rush (pass failed)
- Panthers: Muhsin Muhammad 85 yard pass from Jake Delhomme (pass failed)
- Patriots: Mike Vrabel 1 yard pass from Tom Brady ( Kevin Faulk run)
- Panthers: Ricky Proehl 12 yard pass from Jake Delhomme ( John Kasay kick)
- Patriots: Adam Vinatieri 41 yard field goal

Top performers

- Tom Brady: 354 pass yards on 32-of-48, 3 TD, 1 INT
- Antowain Smith: 83 rush yards on 26 carries
- Deion Branch: 10 catches for 143 yards

A 3-point margin in Super Bowl XXXVIII is the kind of result that defines reputations on both sidelines.

Box score

PanthersPatriots
Team totals
First Downs1729
Total Yards387481
Turnovers11
Passing
Comp/Att16/3332/48
Pass yards323354
Pass TD33
Interceptions01
Sacks taken40
Sack yards lost280
Net pass yards295354
Rushing
Rushes1635
Rush yards92127
Rush TD11
Discipline
Fumbles11
Fumbles lost10
Penalties128
Penalty yards7360

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
CAR
Jake Delhomme16/3332330
NWE
Tom Brady32/4835431

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
CAR
Stephen Davis1349021
DeShaun Foster343133
NWE
Antowain Smith268319
Kevin Faulk642023
Tom Brady212012
Troy Brown1-100-10

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
CAR
Muhsin Muhammad4140185
Steve Smith Sr.480139
Ricky Proehl471131
Jermaine Wiggins221015
DeShaun Foster1909
Kris Mangum1202
NWE
Deion Branch10143152
Troy Brown876013
David Givens569125
Daniel Graham446033
Kevin Faulk41907
Mike Vrabel1111

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