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Super Bowl XXXVIII (38) was played on February 1, 2004, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The New England Patriots, champions of the AFC, faced off against the Carolina Panthers, champions of the NFC.
In the big game, Tom Brady had the opportunity to prove he was more than just a player blessed with a great defense and some lucky circumstances. He faced the Panthers, who were making their Super Bowl debut
New England had another dominant regular season, finishing with a record of 14-2. They won their division and then defeated the Tennessee Titans and Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs.
Quarterback Tom Brady led the team, completing 317 passes for 3,620 yards and 23 touchdowns. The defense was led by safety Rodney Harrison, who recorded three interceptions and 2.5 sacks that season.
The Panthers also had a successful regular season, finishing with a record of 11-5, after going 1-15 the previous year. They won their division and then defeated the Dallas Cowboys, the St. Louis Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles to advance to the big game.
Quarterback Jake Delhomme led the team's offense, completing 318 passes for 3,219 yards and 19 touchdowns. The defense was solid, led by Julius Peppers, who recorded 7 sacks and three forced fumbles that season.
Super Bowl XXXVIII: How the Patriots escaped with victory
The match was a tough battle and started slowly. Neither team scored in the first quarter and for more than half of the second. However, the game came to life with 24 points scored before the half.
The third quarter was again scoreless before an electric back-and-forth end to the game. The match was tied at 29-29 as time was running down, but the Patriots were able to score a game-winning field goal with just under four minutes remaining in the game to secure a 32-29 victory.
Tom Brady was named the Super Bowl MVP after his outstanding performance, throwing for 354 yards and three touchdowns. The win marked the Patriots' second Super Bowl victory in three years and solidified their status as one of the NFL's elite teams of the early 2000's.
