| Show P Twqwvrw'ro"'w"1”-eronwioI- El 4-1L- i ri iUtS'' ctLi Record: 16-- 2 Regular season 14-- r 1 2 1 1 9 a i4: 1st round: Bye Divisional Playoff New I ngland 17 lonnossoo AFC Championship : At t : 14 Carolina must decide whether to avoid or challenge the Patriots' o cornerback 24 indianapoiss 14 Defense Yards allowed: 4666 Passing h La1 s -- Es t i k it t 2-- 0 Playoffs t ngland - HOUSTON PANTHERS i41- 1 New - PATRIOTS VS SUPER BOWL XXXVIII C8 Rushing A - I ---- ci ' -- 71--i i ' - All-Pr- - - go wow mawA Sacks Patriots Lj Opp BY JAM !SON I I LNSILEY nor Bah imam Sun 41 32 'The left side of the New En- IDUSTON gland Patriots' defense has become a danger zone That's the area ruled by cornerback Ty Law who struck fear in Steve McNair one week and shut down Peyton Manning the next In jut Mildating the NEL's Specialists Punt returns (average yards) Pa Iriots El u Opp 92 62 ilia 1) Adam Vinatieh 4:Nk4t e 4 tp ' r1 :It filt 11 1 40 49 48 58 50 Oil 30-3- 9 4-t 11 4 i 101 Alo on i "'"--- -- Offense - All-Pr- b 4)to yards: 5039 Rushing Passing 3 w I his 44o :)7rt0040011 postseason Iaw has presented the I Carolina Panthers with a diletma 44 heading int() today's Super Bowl: Do s and avoid their limit game plan they him? him or do they risk at I o — I If the PantheN ignore Law's side I 1 the way NIcNair did they would take A 1 their leading receiver Steve Smith out of the to game If they throw at Iaw like Manning did they would give the Pro Bowl defender more chances to e change the (ximplex ion of the game Whatever the decision the Patriots are confident Ty baligame Law will have an impact 01g "In the biggest games Ty Law comes through and Height: shows he's the best cornerback in the league" Patri- -— Weight: 200 pounds t ()ts linebacker Tedy Ilruschi said 01'811'''-'-' 4 ‘104 A muscular 5 foot-land 200 pounds Law has built AFC Championship: Law had 3 interceptions N a reputation as the game's most complete cover man I for 26 yards returned veteran is tough enough to jam reThe nine-yea-' o ceivers at the line of scrimmage taking them out of AFC Championship Pt II: Colts receiver t t their routes and he is agile enough to run with them Marvin Harrison caught three passes for 19 ' t downfield like an unwanted shadow In the AFC divisional game against Tennessee ' yards McNair threw in Law's direction on the Titans' first Stoppage time: Law will likely cover Carolina's incomplete to Derrick Mason play from scrimmage then didn't throw a pass in his area the rest of the Steve Smith who had 88 catches for 1110 ev night 0 7 IDs and A week later in the AFC championship i game Law's yards presence was felt a different way Ile picked off half of the passes thrown his way by Manning coming away with three interceptions "I want to go out there and be the best and I don't tot ' f mind telling anybody" Law said — -0 There were no arguments after his remarkable picks L'':---against the Colts k lie made a diving intercept ion Ile made a interception lie made a cunning interception coming off his man and stepping in front of Manning's throw at the last moment In the end haw actually gained more yards off passes (26 off three interception returns) than the Pro Bowl receiver Law covered Marvin I larrison (19 off three receptions) : There will be a fine line today on when to gamble to (calculated by a player's annual base salary bonuses -- "That was the best game I've ever seen played by a make plays Laws likely assignment will be tile laser-quicand money earned through incentive clauses with a corcornerback including myself" said former Smith who is enjoying a breakthrough playoff prorated portion of his signing bonus) is the highest for nerback Delon Sanders "Ile always takes his game to run too any player for either team by about $3 million another level in the big game" 324 receiving Smith has racked up a postseason-bes- t Law will enter next season with a salary-canumber heroics can be traced two years to 1aw's prime-timtouchdown catch that deincluding a yards million which of has that he $34 prompted speculation New England's last Super Bowl e win over St IAmis cided a could wind up as a salary-calike his close casualty to St Louis in the second With the Patriots down — "Ile's like a Dante Hall when he catches the ball" friend safety Lawyer Milloy quarter Law picked off a Kurt Warner pass and ran the Kansas City Chiefs said Law alluding to the I "I've let it be known want to stay a Patriot This is ball back 47 yards for a touchdown New England never returner —Illey're bigplay guys with the ability to take the only team that I know" Law said "But I also know I— trailed the rest of the way it the distance on any given play It's a matter of him can "We can all sit there and watch a game and every play football regardless of what uniform I'm in You catching the ball We just have to go out there and do : can take Ty Law's uniform but you can't take me out of Once in a while before the ball is even snapped we all about it" something the know this is going to be a key play in this game" Patrigame Law may not have won MVI) honors but he is the "If this does turn out to be my last game with the Pa- - -- ots coach Bill Bel ichick said "A lot of Ty's plays have most expensive player in the Super Bowl triots come at that time" then I want to go out with a bang" 2003 season salary-caHis figure for the ( 1617 20-2- oo I 00 Yards t lc! c Field goals Total net NN L000 238 221 L:::::j CN4) ' '4' -- ILI Kickoff returns (average yards) Patriots I rv '- First downs: 294 Iiir 1 Passing Rushing -- - By penalties 26 d Receiving PLAYER 1 REC YDS ID AVG Minch 57 803 14 1 3 awl Ghnifts 34 510 15 0 6 40 472 11 8 4 48 440 92 0 11041 my Ilmvon t(rmn atAt F Danoll Graham 38 409 10 8 4 Chnstan soma 28 285 102 2 Johrtion 13 2 16 209 I Mvici ninon 9 140 156 IkKlm: Wad 7 106 151 19 106 56 1 14 92 66 0 2 311 190 0 4 21 53 0 2 12 60 0 1 B 80 0 I 0 0 0 lidight4 any Colton Antowan Sewth J Sh1v Pith 'atm (1141PACrary Mike CA41 J014 AM11171 1 0 1 Man-fling'- s k All-Pr- p e double-overtim- 29-2- p 3-- fleet-foote- VA-millio- p Rushing YDS Arrnrwaori Smoth 182 642 35 3 Kfmn Fill& 1 78 638 36 0 27 118 44 5 Moko arTy Cloud Caltiws 39 82 21 Lim Brady AVG 42 63 1 A 1 Yards: 3219 TDs: INTs: 19 Tr'IkM1 6 27 45 0 6 27 4 5 0 College: Louisiana Lafayette 1 11 110 0 2 5 25 0 David Patton 1 4 40 0 3 3 10 0 2 0 0 0 Braryti MiCrary KtiWaRtw Damon 1144ht4 Riad 1 1 1 0 0 skiwrion 1 12 12 0 0 CD - Belichick won Super Bowl Belichick titles as the defensive architect of the New York Giants in 1986 and 1990 and a conference championship as the assistant head coach and defensive assistant for the Pattiots in 1996 Directed the Patriots from a worst-tofirturnaround in 2001 and claimed a Super Bowl title in just his second year as head coach ' WR 8 3 1 Deion Branch LI al Matt Light IG 71 Russ Hochsteli 1 v R5 32 Antowain Smtth start but they go to back-u- p Kevin Faulk at times Tom (Cleveland New England) W I T PCT season 72 72 0 Playoffs 6 503 857 - The road to Houston SS 30 Mike Minter Heart of the defense Intimidating over the middle Witherspoon g T 114sii New England Patriots (16-2- ) 10-3- 1 at Buffalo 914 at Philadelphia W 0 NY Jets 921 W 23-1- 6 L 17-2- 0 928 at Washington W 38-3- 0 105 Tennessee 10112 NY Giants W 17-- 6 1019 at Miami W 19-1- 3 W 9--3 1026 Cleveland W 30-2- 6 113 at Denver 1116 Dallas W 12-- 0 1 lt23 at Houston W 23-2- 0 W 38-3- 4 1130 at Indianapolis W 12-- 0 127 Miami 1214 Jacksonville W 27-1- 3 12t20 at NY Jets 6 W 1227 Buffalo W31-- 0 - ' - NILS 55 Dan MOtgan ' RDT 77 Kds Jenkins ' A : - qr--- ' - ok I- 03 12 rrady -1' arotitslitorecsilseos tlyti rertivers Makes plays when warn noco's them roost f "Amr Cl13 53 N CrFvors b ' RG 63 Andruzzi Playoffs Tennessee 110 118 Indianapolis at Carolina Panthers ge" 0 : 1 e-- A "IP ': 14 - IC3 24 Tom Ashworti - TE 83 T 111 Christian rauria Val 80 Troy Brown Jacksonville 914 at Tampa Bay 928 Atlanta 105 New Orleans 1012 at Indianapolis 1019 Tennessee 10126 at New °deans 112 at Houston 119 Tampa Bay ILDIEIL::Perirs - c-- - ''' 4 I PI It' ill W 17-1- 4 W 24-1- 4 : 917 :- RI L63 113uckneros ' cKop01 Jco deZri ) ' '‘4: i - cc:ft ) Ilel - 1::1 et sc LaDreTngts9on 0 - - FS 27 Deon Grant Regular 1 Patriots 08 Tom Brady Will - FB 31 Limy C Weight 220 Height: College: Michigan Will 54 C)) at Will win Career record Csit 12 Age: 26 917 between the tackles 4 jel !NY's: 859 Rating: Reggie Howard Antowain Smith to pound the ball j Yards: 3620 RCB 23 ROE 93 Mike Rucker Teams with Jenkins to make excellent duo Will make it difficult lot I Completions percentage: 60 TDs: 23 (Probable starters) neutralize Carolina's pass rush by using quick-hi- t pass plays premier in I Patriots with the ball Will look to liegarded as one of the Bill Tom Brady Patriots A7) - Head coach defensive strategists the game tAdt it Weight: 215 1A starting quarterbacks match up ( 16 Age: 29 Patnci Pass Dan KInrko at how the Acquaintances ' t - ' Panthers Completions percent: 592 Rating: 806 Height: 6 toot 2 DoKwi look - 17- Jake Delhomme 0 5 o Passing ID ATT PLAYER '1 Eichy Lanning (14-5- W ' ) W 12-W 23--3 W W 19-1- 3 23-2- 0 I 17-3- W 23-2- 0 L W 27-2- 4 W 20-1- 7 1123 L 1130 Philadelphia 127 at Atlanta 1214 at Arizona 1221 Delmit 1228 al NY Giants Playoffs 0 l 20-2- 4 3' L 16-2-5 L 14-2-0 W 2017 W 20-1- 4 W 37-2- 4 13 Dallas W 1110 at St Louis at Philadelphia W 29-2- 3 118 - 10-1- 4 1116 Washington M DaPas ti 1 24-2- 3 W 2910 14-- :7 3 I I |
