Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
January 30, 2004, Washington Post

Super Questions, Pat Answers

Before any Super Bowl, there always are lots of questions. And they're often the same each year. So let's look at some of the big questions before Sunday's big game between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers.

Which team has the best quarterback?

Some quarterbacks are flashier and more fun to watch, but the Patriots' Tom Brady is playing in his second Super Bowl in three years. So he must be doing something right. Brady is very accurate, especially on short passes. He rarely throws an interception. During the regular season, Brady threw 23 touchdowns but only 12 interceptions.

The Panthers' Jake Delhomme is also underrated. He has helped the Panthers win a bunch of close games this season by bringing his team back in the fourth quarter. Delhomme does everything well, just not as well as Tom Brady. Give the advantage at quarterback to the Pats.

Which team has the best defense?

It is said, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." If that's true, either the Patriots or the Panthers can win Super Bowl XXXVIII. Both teams have solid defenses that are playing great. The Panthers shut down the Eagles in the NFC championship game. The Patriots did the same to the Colts' red-hot Peyton Manning and all-everything receiver Marvin Harrison. So call the defenses even and look for a tight, low-scoring game.

Who's going to be the surprise hero?

Everybody talks about Carolina running back (and ex-Redskin) Stephen Davis, but watch out for DeShaun Foster. The Panthers' second-string runner is quicker than Davis and getting better every game. If he gets the chance, Foster might break out against the Pats.

The Patriots intercepted more passes (29) than any other team in the NFL. Look for one of the cornerbacks, Ty Law or Tyrone Poole, to pick one off from Delhomme for a big play.

Which ad will be the coolest?

What makes the Super Bowl so much fun to watch even for people who don't like football are all the wild and crazy ads. Companies spend more than $2 million for a 30-second ad trying to get kids and grown-ups to notice and remember their products. Why do they spend so much money? Simple, last year's Super Bowl was the most-watched TV show ever, with 138.9 million people tuning in for the game. In fact, the 10 most-watched TV shows are all Super Bowls.

What should you eat during the Super Bowl?

The big game and all the ads are a great excuse for a party. But what should you eat? Seems like everybody likes pizza. But if you are tired of the same old cheese and pepperoni, there's a Web site with lots of very different pizza recipes. Would you believe a shrimp pesto or peanut butter pizza? Or how about a cookie pizza, complete with semisweet chocolate pieces, jellybeans and gumdrops? Go to houseandhome.msn.comand click on the 57 Super Bowl recipes.

On second thought, maybe I will eat Joe Montana chili.

Which team will win?

The Patriots have the quarterback, the defense and Super Bowl experience. So I think they will beat the Panthers, 21-13.

No question about it.