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The Rams entered their second Super Bowl in team history with an NFC-best 13 � 3 regular season record. It was the franchise's first playoff appearance in 10 years. The Titans also finished the regular season with a 13 � 3 record, but advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history after entering the playoffs as a wild-card team. St. Louis finished in second place in the AFC Central Division behind the Minnesota Vikings. The first two quarters of Super Bowl XXXIV were largely a defensive battle. Despite outgaining the Rams in total offensive yards in the first half, 294 � 89, the Titans held merely a 9 � 0 halftime lead on three field goals. Tennesseee later scored their first touchdown midway through the third quarter to go up 16 � 0. St. Louis then responded by scoring 16 unanswered points to tie the game with 2:12 left in regulation. This was the largest deficit to be erased in a Super Bowl and the first greater than 10 points. On the Titans' ensuing drive, quarterback Steve McNair completed a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason to regain the lead. The Rams then drove to the Tenessee 10-yard line with six seconds remaining, but on the final play of the game, Titans linebacker Albert Haynesworth tackled Rams wide receiver Torry Holt one yard short of the goal line to prevent a potential game-tying touchdown. This went into NFL Lore as One Yard Short. The play later became known as simply "The Tackle." McNair completed 24 out of 45 passes for 414 yards and 2 touchdowns and was named the Most Valuable Player. His 414 passing yards and 45 pass attempts without an interception were both Super Bowl records. Warner became the sixth player to win both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the Super Bowl MVP award during the same season. He follows Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young. |