Blue Bayou
For many Patriots fans, the excitement over the team's first visit to the Super Bowl in 11 years was tempered considerably when news broke nearly a week before kickoff that coach Bill Parcells - viewed as the franchise's savior by many - would not be on the sidelines the next season because of a deteriorating relationship with owner Bob Kraft.
And while that may have left a sour taste in some mouths, the players appeared unaffected by the controversy and turned in a pretty decent performance against the heavily favored Packers at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Still, there's the perception the Patriots were blown out in Super Bowl XXXI - but the game was a lot closer than most remember.
New England led, 14-10, after the first quarter and trailed, 27-21, late in the third quarter of the eventual 35-28 loss.
Sure there was an ominous start when league MVP Brett Favre connected with Andre Rison for a 54-yard touchdown on the Packers' second play from scrimmage. But New England hung tough and refused to be intimidated by rampaging Reggie White and Green Bay's stout defense.
What killed the Patriots in this one was a pair of momentum-changing big plays.
The first came soon after Ben Coates gave the Patriots a second-quarter lead on a 4-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe. On the ensuing drive, Favre, who had a rather pedestrian 14-of-27, 246-yard effort, hit Antonio Freeman behind the New England secondary for an 81-yard touchdown strike.
The second came after Curtis Martin's 18-yard run had pulled the Patriots within 6 points with 3:27 left in the third quarter. The era of good feelings lasted all of 17 seconds, because on the ensuing kickoff, Desmond Howard ran right through the Patriots' coverage and right through their fans' hearts for a 99-yard touchdown.
"Our special teams have gotten better and better all year," Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren said. "And they know that if they make the right block and do the right thing, if they get the job done, then [Howard] can score every single time he gets the ball."
It was the biggest chunk of game MVP Howard's 244 return yards.
"In a big game, if you fail to concentrate on one play, that play can make the difference," said Parcells. 