By Mark Maske

updated 6:37 p.m. ET Feb. 4, 2004

HOUSTON - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was operating on one hour of sleep when he appeared at a news conference Monday morning. Coach Bill Belichick was there, too, but, in his meticulous, fanatic fashion, he already was looking ahead.

After a night of celebrating, the Patriots could take a few moments before leaving town to savor their long list of accomplishments this season, culminating with Sunday's 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in a pulsating Super Bowl. Brady and his teammates carved niches for themselves in NFL history on an evening that featured everything from a halftime peep show to a streaker to a memorable, riveting game in which the defenses dominated two quarters and the offenses piled up 61 points in the other two.

"I think I've coached close to 500 games, and I've never been in one that drained me as much," Belichick said on the morning after. "The feeling at the end was great, but the process was tough on the heart."

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said: "This is one of those moments after a Super Bowl game where you're still catching your breath with excitement. You know you've seen a very special sporting event."

When place kicker Adam Vinatieri's second Super Bowl-winning field goal in three years sailed through the uprights at Reliant Stadium with four seconds remaining Sunday, the Patriots ensured themselves of a place in history. They won't be remembered as a dominant team. But they will go down as one of the most resilient, resourceful bunches. Injuries forced them to use 42 different starters on offense and defense during the regular season, and yet they didn't lose after a defeat to the Washington Redskins on Sept. 28 at FedEx Field. They won their final 15 games, the second longest single-season streak in league history behind the 17 in a row of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins.

"I've never been around a team that was as consistent," Belichick said. "I think we've had around 110 practices, and every day these guys came and worked and tried to improve. It was such a group effort, to be a part of it was thrilling. . . . We've won, 32-29. We've won, 38-34, and we've won, 12-0. You never know with this team. But what has been consistent is the ability to make the key plays at the right time, whether on offense or defense."

Said Brady: "We're a selfless team. You have 22-year-old guys and 38-year-old guys. You have guys who are married with kids, and guys right out of college. Everybody is different. But we enjoy being around each other, and we really enjoy playing football."

Brady, whose biggest decision of the day was picking which Cadillac product he wanted as his MVP reward, spoke admiringly Monday of teammate Rodney Harrison. The veteran signed with New England as a free agent last offseason and filled the leadership void left when Belichick abruptly released fellow safety Lawyer Milloy five days before the season. Harrison ended Sunday's game out of the lineup, and Belichick said he didn't find out until Monday morning that Harrison's arm was broken. But he can enjoy a nice trip at Brady's expense while he recuperates. Brady said he owes Harrison two first-class airline tickets anywhere in the world after losing a bet during the two-minute-drill portion of Friday's practice, when Brady vowed to throw a touchdown pass over Harrison and Harrison vowed to get an interception.

"It ruined my weekend," Brady said, then added of Harrison: "We made him a captain after being here about 10 minutes. He has a lot of heart. To see him get a Super Bowl ring is special. Hopefully, he gets his arm better so he can carry that ring around."

Brady, at 26, becomes the youngest two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He is a two-time Super Bowl MVP, and he has a chance to just keep piling up wins and hardware. He already is fielding questions about where he belongs in relation to Joe Montana and John Elway in the pantheon of great, clutch quarterbacks.

"By the time he's done, he may end up being the greatest," said former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, an ESPN analyst.

Belichick shied from the D-word -- dynasty -- again Monday, but two Super Bowl crowns in three seasons is a significant achievement in the era of the salary cap and free agency. And the Patriots don't seem on the verge of falling off the precipice. Belichick has won two Super Bowls as an assistant coach and two as a head coach, and he appears at the top of his game. He's only 51. He has a close relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a smooth-functioning partnership with front-office chief Scott Pioli, whom the Patriots have been able to keep thus far from departing for a general manager's job elsewhere.

Belichick also is poised to retain his top two coaching lieutenants, thanks to the NFL's tampering rules that helped to keep offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel from getting head-coaching positions because they were tied to the Patriots through the Super Bowl, before which all the jobs were filled. The Patriots have two first-round selections and two second-round choices in the draft in April, helping to explain why Belichick was so anxious when speaking about catching up to the other teams in readying for offseason roster retooling. However, unless cornerback Ty Law's contract is renegotiated, he will count $9 million against the salary cap, which could present some challenges.

Brady, for his part, appears to crave more. "For as great as it was," he said of Sunday's game, "it wasn't really perfect. There's always room to improve. There's always room for progress. I just enjoy playing football. I like lifting weights. I like training in the offseason. I love training camp. I know that's sick, but I do. I like practicing and I like playing, and hopefully I'll keep doing that a long time."

Belichick grinned later when he said, "I can't wait to remind Tom sometime this August about how much he loves training camp."

Brady threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns Sunday and had the most completions -- 32 -- ever in a Super Bowl. But Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns, including an 85-yarder to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad in the fourth quarter that was the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history.

The defensive mastery of Belichick and Panthers Coach John Fox looked like it would be the story line when the game remained scoreless longer than any other Super Bowl. The Panthers didn't reach positive numbers in total offensive yards until the final three minutes of the first half. But the teams combined for 24 points in the final 3 minutes 5 seconds of the second quarter, then totaled 37 points in the fourth quarter.

"It just swung so dramatically so many times," Belichick said. "I remember thinking earlier in the game, 'If we can just get a field goal here, if we can just get a couple points, that might be all it takes.' There were times in the game where both teams played outstanding defense, and then there were times when nobody could stop anybody."

Said Brady: "It was a tremendous game. As a player, I don't think you could be any more proud of the guys you played with or the guys you played against."

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