The Saint Louis Rams are two touchdown favorites to beat the New England Patriots Sunday in the National Football League's Championship Game, Super Bowl XXXVI. St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner and star runningback Marshall Faulk lead the Rams' potent offense.
Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk have taken turns winning the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award the last three years, and with good reason. The Rams offense led the league by gaining more than 418 yards per game and scoring 503 points this season.
For Faulk and Rams cornerback Aeneas Williams, the Super Bowl will be a homecoming. Both men grew up in New Orleans, and are anxious to be back playing in front of family and friends.
When the Patriots have the ball, they will be led by second-year quarterback Tom Brady, who is coming off an ankle injury that knocked him out of last week's American Conference title victory over Pittsburgh. Brady is thrilled to be starting.
"Coming out here on Sunday, there's going to be a lot of excitement, a lot of enthusiasm. My heart is going to be racing faster than it ever has my whole life," says Brady. "You dream of days like this Sunday. I do not use the word 'dream' too much, but this is a dream come true to play in the Super Bowl."
While the Patriots may believe they are a team of destiny, their history points otherwise. New England has played in two previous Super Bowls, both here in New Orleans. They lost them both - by a combined margin of 50 points.