Panthers-Patriots Super Bowl XXXVIII with Steven Ruiz

Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) and host Thomas Emerick consider whether this Super Bowl is a more proper analog for LX than the previous Patriots-Seahawks title matchup. They also examine how this finale to the 2003-2004 NFL season not only showcases the early 2000s brand of winning football, but also in fits and starts manages to tear a portal into the post-2004 game. 

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Also check out Steven Ruiz's work at The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/creator/steven-ruiz

• Ranking all 50 Super Bowl QB performances of the 21st century https://www.theringer.com/2026/02/03/nfl/ranking-super-bowl-quarterback-performances-tom-brady-patrick-mahomes

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More episode threads: 

• Super Bowl XXXVIII Box Score: New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29 (Pro Football Reference)
• Is this Super Bowl a more proper analog for LX than the previous Patriots-Seahawks SB?
• I’ll reference the Panthers-Rams ‘03 game we did and whether it was just house money for you at that point as a fan coming from 1-15
• Belichick-Milloy break-up on even of season and losing 31-0 to Buffalo Week 1
  • Then cap regular season 31-0. Weirdest Week 1 result for any SB team in recent memory?
• Is the 2003 NFL meta on the march, and is that part of why we’re getting a Super Bowl LX matchup of teams that went from missing playoffs to the Super Bowl for the first time in 22 years?
  • Is that also why it kept happening in that era (Rams-Titans, Giants-Ravens so 3 of the 6 to ever happen) or could the dramatic upward and downward mobility of teams in that era be attributed to other things?
  • Defenses striking back in a manner similar to 2000-2003 stretch? 3 of top 5 all-time units in ppg w/ 2000 BAL, 2000 TEN, and 2002 TB
• Was there a distinct moment in your memory where you remember feeling cooked, and conversely when you believed the Panthers could pull it off?
• Is there a little Delhomme in Darnold?
  • And what to make of the quarterbacks famous for melting down. How much is it just being high-variance or streaky, or having weaknesses that some teams are equipped to hammer. Opposed to purely the mental that they’re cooked for the day: Delhomme nears halftime 1/9 for 1 yd with sack fumble yet pulls out of the tail dive.
• John Fox and Dan Henning must establish the run and stop the run as a life philosophy….but little room for Stephen Davis early. They do keep with it and spring one on the last offensive play in the half to reach FG range. 14-10. Nowadays how much is the meta shifting back to size, defense, and run game…. in more of a 2003 fashion?
  • How much does this game in an almost bipolar fashion showcase both the early 2000s brand of SB-winning football and then in other fits also what we’ll see post-2004? How much is this owed to the way this game was officiated from the start (called much tighter in pass coverage than in the conference championships to the dismay of Colts and Eagles fans)
• Dan Henning said he doesn’t have an opening script for Delhomme and gives him a lot of freedom for Delhomme, Smith, and Muhammad to feel it out once they get to the line essentially. Could you imagine Kyle Shanahan. And of course Brady would only gain more control
  • It seems like the meta’s also shifted toward playcaller than the quarterback in recent years. Does it seem like it will continue that way, and how different was the era back then circa ‘03?
  • Is this part of why Delhomme kept starting the half cold before heating up?
  • Also do we see Brady staples post-Weiss that day? I was getting some 2018 playoff run vibes from how they countered a DL that can get upfield and seen to have advantage (vs Chargers, SB vs Rams come to mind)
• Investing high picks vs FA bargains / reclamations / general tire kicking
  • QB investment a very different calculation for franchises in the early aughts. Doubtful the first 10 picks will be that QB-light in the latter 2020s, but could we see teams grow more reticent to take or trade up for QBs early in the draft relative to the past 15 years. Move in the direction of the ‘03 meta here?
• Anatomy of a touchdown: Why it worked
  • Brady touchdowns off play-action to Branch, Givens, and Vrabel
  • DeShaun Foster TD
    • Side Q: Eugene Wilson looking like he whiffed with the Madden hit stick that would be introduced that calendar year 2004, good/bad feature? Your fav/least fav Madden feature adds for that era?
  • Delhomme bombs to Smith and Muhammad, beating the blitz to Proehl
    • Side Q: Does it get anymore post-Y2K NFL than Ricky Proehl and Jermaine Wiggins. Rod “He Hate Me” Smart carrying the XFL legacy in kick returns? (poorly, accurately?)
• Anatomy of a turnover:
  • Brady fooled, panicked? On hideous RZ INT.
  • Delhomme strip-sacked by Mike Vrabel
    • Mike Vrabel-style LBs. Did it seem like those peaked in 2000s, but are also kinda makin a comeback?
• Color commentator Phil Simms in the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame with some great pre-production nuggets on the Patriots and his old Giants colleague Bill Belichick, who I guess being taught some sort of first ballot lesson by voters for the other Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Remiss in a mention of the halftime show. Memories of the live broadcast there. Started with a get out the vote PSA! Choose to Vote. Then Jessica Simpson says Houston choose to party and some other stuff happens after that. We used to have programs to begin it or themes for every Super Bowl halftime. Maybe what aged well, not well. Also some guy got inspired to start YouTube.
• CBS Vision: They had like a 360 matrix bullet cam thing going on, and called it CBS Vision. Did we like it or nah, at the time and looking back. Also, are there any 2000s NFL broadcast flourishes we miss, or good riddance, or can’t get over in some way.
• Favorite Panthers from that year.
  • And did Dan Morgan seem like the straw that stirred the drink for Carolina defense when healthy in sort of a Bob Sanders way. As in not the HoFer with the unit but did it all just start to click with him in. And job you think he’s done as GM.
• Did the Brady GW drive and Vinatieri when it counts, how inevitable did that feel watching it so early in Brady’s career? Panthers the cardiac cats that year

HOST

Remember That Game creator and producer Thomas Emerick

GUEST

The Ringer NFL Analyst Steven Ruiz (Author Page)

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