Number five on our list of the greatest Patriots regular season games of the decade comes from 2002. The Patriots were defending Super Bowl champions, and for the first time in franchise history, they were the hunted. However, their championship defense was not going as planned, as the Patriots had lost four straight games after starting the season 3-0. On this day, the Patriots traveled to Champaign, Illinois, temporary home of the defending NFC Central Division champions, the Chicago Bears.
The game was tied 6-6 going into halftime, after Adam Vinatieri buried a franchise-long 57-yard field goal to end the first half. Coming out of the locker room, the Bears were clearly the better team. The Bears recovered a Tom Brady fumble inside of the Patriots 20, and two plays later the Bears were the first team in the end zone, when Bears quarterback Jim Miller found a wide-open Stanley Pritchard. A three-and-out for the Patriots on the next possession gave Chicago great field position, set up at the New England 44. The Bears ran a trick play, as Miller handed the ball to wide receiver Marty Booker, who in turn threw the ball to an open Marcus Robinson for a touchdown, extending the Chicago lead to 20-6 with the third quarter barely five minutes old.
On the next Patriots' possession, Tom Brady was intercepted by Brian Urlacher, setting the Bears up again in Patriots territory. After a 34-yard run by Anthony Thomas, the Bears once again got on the board, when Thomas bowled through the Pats' goal-line defense for a two-yard touchdown run and a 27-6 edge.
Then, the comeback began.
It started slowly, as the Patriots matriculated the ball down the field, thanks to Kevin Faulk, who gained 36 total yards on the drive, including a 16-yard touchdown catch to narrow the gap to 27-13. On Chicago's next possession, Otis Smith intercepted Jim Miller, and the Patriots added a field goal to cut the lead to eleven, at 27-16. The Bears added a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter to move the lead back to thirteen, at 30-16. It was the last time the Bears would light up the scoreboard on this day.
Vinatieri added another field goal, as the Bears once again stymied the Patriots offense. With just over five minutes left, the Patriots trailed 30-19. After the defense held the Bears to a three-and-out, Brady found Troy Brown and David Givens, en route to a 36-yard touchdown pass to Faulk, his second of the day. After failing to convert the two-point conversion, the score stood at 30-25. Once again, the Patriots defense held the Bears to nothing offensively, setting the stage for one of Tom Brady's more dramatic final drives.
After moving the ball into Chicago territory with ease, Brady hit a snag. Facing 4th and 3 from the Chicago 30 with only 54 seconds remaining, Brady ran for the first down and killed the clock with a spike.
After an incomplete pass and a seven-yard gain, the Patriots faced 3rd and 3 at the Bears' 20 with 27 seconds left. Brady dropped back, pumped twice, then floated a prayer into the back corner of the end zone. The ball fell into the waiting hands of David Patten, who dragged his toes into the orange turf of the end zone. The referee raised his arms to signal a touchdown, as the Patriots players raised their arms to signal a sure victory. After a booth review confirmed what was already known, the Patriots led 33-30 with 20 seconds left.
Chicago was unable to get anything going on their final drive. The Bears hung their heads in defeat even as the offense walked onto the field with only few seconds remaining. The final score was 33-30 and the Patriots moved to 6-4 in one of the more dramatic wins in franchise history. Up to that point.
Coming tomorrow is the #4 regular season game in Patriots history. Here's a little hint: how many times do you see teams intentionally give up points?
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