Super Bowl XXXIV
Saint Louis Rams 23
Tennessee Titans 16
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Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired, preserving the Rams' first-ever Super Bowl title. The Rams drove inside the Titans' 20 with each of their first six possessions, but compiled just 3 field goals and 1 touchdown to take a 16-0 lead. Holder Mike Horan's bobbled snap averted a 35-yard field-goal attempt to conclude the Rams' first drive.
The Titans responded with a 42-yard drive, their longest of the half, but Al Del Greco missed a 47-yard attempt. Jeff Wilkins added 3 field goals and missed a 34-yard attempt while the Titans did not threaten the rest of the half, giving the Rams a 9-0 lead at the intermission despite outgaining the Titans in total yards (294-89).
Tennessee drove 43 yards with the second half's opening kickoff, but Todd Lyght blocked Del Greco's 47-yard attempt to keep the Titan's off the board. Kurt Warner's 31-yard pass to Isaac Bruce keyed the ensuing drive that was capped by Warner's 9-yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt with 7:20 left in the third quarter to give the Rams a 16-0 lead.
The Titans responded with touchdown drives in excess of seven minutes on each of their next two possessions. Steve McNair's 23-yard scramble set up Eddie George's 1-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter. McNair's 2-point conversion pass to Frank Wycheck was incomplete, but the Titan's defense forced a punt and the offense drove 79 yards in 13 plays, highlighted by 21-yard passes to Isaac Byrd and Jackie Harris, and capped by George's 2-yard run to cut the deficit to 16-13 with 7:21 remaining.
The Rams once again failed to get a first down, and following a punt, the Titans needed just 28 yards to set up Del Greco's game-tying 43-yard kick with 2:12 left. On the next play from scrimmage, Warner fired a deep pass down the right sideline to Bruce, who caught the ball at the Titan's 38, cut toward the inside, and outran the defense to the end zone to give the Rams a 23-16 lead with 1:54 left.
The Titans drove downfield, and McNair avoided a sack and completed a 16-yard pass to Kevin Dyson to place Tennessee at the Rams' 10 with six seconds remaining. With no timeouts, McNair attempted a quick pass to a slanting Dyson, who caught the ball in stride at the Rams' 3. However, Jones reacted quickly and stepped up to tackle Dyson at the 1-yardline as time expired.
Warner, who was named the game's most valuable player, was 24 of 45 for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards and 2 touchdowns. Bruce had 6 catches for 162 yards, and Holt had 7 for 109 yards.
McNair was 22 of 26 for 214 yards.
The Titans were the first team to come back from a 16-point deficit.
Super Bowl XXXIV: MVP Kurt Warner, QB, Saint Louis Rams
Kurt Warner was greeted by the rare winter chill last week. He experienced those same conditions when he participated in NFL Europe League training camp two years ago in Atlanta.
"It was ironic when we came out last week and it was cold and the icy rain," Warner said.
So on Sunday, Warner took it upon himself to heat up the town.
Warner, making his prime-time NFL debut, passed for a record 414 yards and won MVP honors as the Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner erased Joe Montana's old Super Bowl record of 357 yards in Super Bowl XXIII.
"I'll remember last night for the rest of my life," Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said as he introduced Warner during Monday's Super Bowl MVP news conference.
Warner put St. Louis ahead with 1:54 left to play when he hooked up with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown. He didn't see the play as it unfolded because Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse was bearing down on him. However, Warner did watch the replay from his hotel room several times.
"The great catch he made, then the run after the catch (was great)," Warner said.
Warner did most of his damage in the first half when he passed for 277 yards and drove St. Louis into the red zone on five straight trips. His performance was indicative of the type of passing clinic he put on throughout the year.
Warner beat out teammate Marshall Faulk for league MVP honors after passing for 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns and leading the Rams to a 13-3 mark in the regular season. He only got a chance to start this year because Trent Green, signed last offseason by the Rams, suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason.
"I was going to continue to play football as long as I could," the signal-caller from Northern Iowa said. "… I was getting to the point thinking how much longer am I going to have before people say he is too old to give him an opportunity."
Previously, Warner got his opportunities in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe but had no serious shot in the NFL after being cut by the Green Bay Packers in 1994.
"From a quarterback standpoint, it's easier to fall through the cracks than any other position," Rams coach Dick Vermeil said, "because normally within a pro football franchise you already have a starting quarterback or you're about to draft a first-round pick … This type of athlete entering the National Football League doesn't get what you call an equal opportunity."
Warner made the best of his.
SUPER BOWL XXXIV SCORING
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|
Saint Louis Rams | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 23 |
|
Tennessee Titans | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
1st Quarter
STL FG, Wilkins 27 Yd, 12:00
2nd Quarter
STL FG, Wilkins 29 Yd, 10:44
STL FG, Wilkins 28 Yd, 14:45
3rd Quarter
STL TD, Holt, 9 Yd pass from Warner (Wilkins kick), 7:40
TEN TD, George, 1 Yd run (pass failed), 14:46
4th Quarter
TEN TD, George, 2 Yd run (Del Greco kick), 7:39
TEN FG, Del Greco 43 Yd, 12:45
STL TD, Bruce, 73 Yd pass from Warner (Wilkins kick), 13:06
January 30, 2000
Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia)
Attendance: 72,625
Super Bowl XXXIV: Ticket and Championship Ring
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