ORDER and tradition overcame upstart ambition as the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers sent the expansion teams back down south. The Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-6 and head to New Orleans for Super Bowl XXXI hoping to erase memories of a 46-10 humiliation at the hands of the Chicago Bears 11 years ago.
Earlier the Packers had bolstered their status as the league's best team with a solid, 30-13 win over the Carolina Panthers. But the Patriots shook off the Jaguars only late in the game for a victory described by Bill Parcells, New England's coach, as a "helter skelter" affair.
The expected shoot out never materialised as defences dominated in a game halted for 11 minutes by a power failure on a chilly afternoon at windswept Foxboro Stadium. Drew Bledsoe, so effective at quarterback against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week repeatedly failed to keep drives alive as his team approached Jacksonville's end zone.
The game remained close until the last four minutes, when the Patriots' defence made the big plays to end Jacksonville's remarkable run.
With just under four minutes left, the Jaguars were threatening to score a touchdown that would tie the game 13-13. It would have been entirely in character - Jacksonville have been in the habit of staying with the opposition and then delivering the knock-out punch at the end of the game - but the game deviated from the script on this occasion.
Mark Brunell, the quarterback who can vault over defenders like a deer, gunned the ball over the middle, but Willie "Big Play" Clay caught a pass meant for Derek Brown at the back of the end zone. Brunell dropped to his knees, hands clutching his face in despair.
It got worse for the Jaguars moments later when their running back, James Stewart, was jarred and the ball flew gift wrapped to Otis Smith, who raced off for a 47-yard touchdown to make it 20-6.
The normally reliable Brunell was then intercepted for the second time in the game to complete the late flurry of turnovers. "The things that have not plagued us hurt us today," said Tom Coughlin, the Jaguars coach.
The Jaguars allowed the Patriots to open the scoring on a mistake, a fumbled punt in the opening minutes of the game. Bryan Barker took a high snap and tried to make a run for it instead of booting the ball. He ran smack into Larry Whigham and was brought down at Jacksonville's four yard line. Two plays later Curtis Martin banged in from the one.
The Jaguars got on the board with a field goal after Bledsoe threw an interception, but another error from the Jaguars' special teams on a fumbled punt return allowed Adam Vinatieri to kick a field goal.
The Patriots widened the lead on a solid drive with seconds left in the second quarter. Bledsoe threw a perfect pass to Shawn Jefferson down the left sideline for a 38 yard reception, but the Patriots had to settle for a field goal and a 13-3 lead at the half.
