By Keith Gentili
ATLANTA--Less than 24 hours after winning Super Bowl XXXIV MostValuable Player honors, Kurt Warner was introduced at the annualMVP news conference by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Likemost league observers who have been amazed by Warner's footballpilgrimage, Tagliabue summed things up when he said "I'llremember last night for the rest of my life." After all, it wasonly five years ago that an undrafted Warner was cut by theGreen Bay Packers and bagging groceries at an Iowa Hy-Vee. Thatwas followed by three years with the Iowa Barnstormers in theArena Football League and a season with the Amsterdam Admiralsin Europe. Now here Warner stood, not only as Super Bowl MVP andthe owner of the game's record for passing yards (414), but alsoas the NFL's regular-season MVP after throwing 41 touchdownsduring the year. "You may think of this as a Hollywood story,"the 28-year-old Warner told the media. "But it's just my life."
The Rams came out firing in Super Bowl XXXIV against theTennessee Titans. Led by Warner's right arm, the Rams reachedthe Red Zone on each of their first six possessions. Yet, allthat time up-and-down the field resulted in just 16 points;three Jeff Wilkins field goals in the first half and a nine-yardtouchdown reception by Torry Holt midway through the thirdquarter.
Meanwhile, the St. Louis defense was also enjoying success inshutting down Steve McNair and the Titans offense. Thefirst-half yardage totals said it all; Rams 294 (277 passing),Titans 89. "I knew that I had to have a good game for us to winthe Super Bowl--no question about that," Warner said toreporters. "But if you are a quarterback and you don't feel likeyou can make the plays and don't feel like you have got to makeplays every week, then you are in the wrong business and thewrong position."
Following Holt's score, McNair engineered a 12-play, 66-yarddrive that took seven minutes off the clock. Eddie George'sone-yard run with 14 seconds to play in the third quarter cutthe Rams lead to 16-6 (the two-point conversion failed). McNairduplicated his magic on Tennessee's next drive; throwing andrunning the Titans into Rams territory. Then, a 21-yard pass toJackie Harris put the ball on the St. Louis 3-yard line. Georgebroke the plane again, capping a 13-play, 79-yard drive thatchewed up another seven minutes. Rams 16, Titans 13. Tennessee'sdefense held and an Al Del Greco field goal tied the game withjust 2:12 to play. The comeback was the largest in Super Bowlhistory.
But Warner wasn't done. On the next play from scrimmage, heconnected with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown. The game wastied for all of 18 seconds. The call came from Rams offensivecoordinator Mike Martz who would be taking over for coach DickVermeil after the season. "It's what we call 'Twins right, Aceright, 999 Halfback Balloon,'" said Martz after the game. "Wehad five seconds left before the two-minute warning. We wantedto take a shot to Isaac over there, and we hadn't gotten it doneduring the game, for whatever reason."
With 1:54 remaining in Super Bowl XXXIV, McNair and the Titansgot one more chance and went to work. A 27-yard quarterbackscramble, a penalty, and a 16-yard pass helped move the ball allthe way to the Rams 10-yard line with six seconds to play.Tennessee then called its final time out to design a play. Thedecision? A slant to WR Kevin Dyson who made the catch insidethe 5-yard line and angled for the end zone. But Rams linebackerMike Jones wrapped up Dyson and pulled him down, hisoutstretched arms landing less than a yard from the end zone.
"When I saw that ball go in the air, I said 'It's a touchdown,'"Vermeil told reporters. "I was ready to call coach Martz andtell him to get the script ready for overtime." Bruce added"This one is for Jerome Bettis, Troy Drayton, and even DarrylHenley. This is for all of them. And this is for Los Angeles andSt. Louis. We did it for both cities."
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