The Patriots intercepted Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, the league's co-MVP, four times, winning 24–14 and advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers.

Before the season began, the Patriots acquired defensive tackle Ted Washington in a trade with the Chicago Bears and released safety Lawyer Milloy after he refused to take a pay cut.

Behind 30 completions in 44 attempts for 247 yards and three touchdowns (two to Christian Fauria and one to Deion Branch), Tom Brady led the Patriots to their first win of the season over the Eagles.

Donovan McNabb was hammered by the Patriots defense, limited to just 18 completions in 46 throws; he was picked off twice (Tedy Bruschi ran back an interception for an 18-yard touchdown) and sacked eight times.

Fans cheering for the Red Sox–Oakland A's playoff game concurrent with Tennessee's scoring drives[18] caused a stir on the sidelines and in the CBS and Patriots radio broadcast booths.

The Dolphins drove downfield but missed another 35-yard field goal try, in part because Olindo Mare could not plant his foot on the infield dirt, which was still in place because of the Florida Marlins' run towards their 2003 World Series victory.

The Broncos held a 24–23 lead in the fourth with backup quarterback Danny Kanell starting and despite injuries to receiver Ed McCaffrey and kicker Jason Elam.

Tony Banks erupted for three second-half touchdowns as the Texans' defense bullied the Patriots into a fumble (recovered by Jay Foreman) and a Tom Brady INT.

Trailing 20–13 in the final minutes of regulation, the Patriots drove downfield; at the Texans' 4-yard line, Brady was chased out of the pocket and threw a pass caught in the endzone in mid-air by Daniel Graham.

Though Tom Brady had faced Peyton Manning twice coming in, this game marked the true beginning of the most celebrated quarterback rivalry in NFL history.

Another monster Johnson kick return set up a Brady to Deion Branch touchdown, but after a Kevin Faulk fumble and ensuing Mike Vanderjagt field goal the score stood at 38–34 Patriots.

A heroic goal-line stand led by Willie McGinest and Ted Washington stopped the Colts from scoring and the win left several Patriots visibly shaken.

In the fourth quarter, punter Brooks Barnard (replacing Ken Walter, who had been cut a week after poor punts against the Colts), would pin the Dolphins at their own 4-yard line.

At the two-minute warning, Brady would pooch-punt and pin the Dolphins at their own 1-yard line; Fiedler was sacked a few plays later for a safety that sealed a 12–0 Patriots victory and the division title.

The game was ultimately unaffected, as two Tom Brady touchdown throws, an Antowain Smith rushing score, and two Vinatieri field goals were enough for a 27–13 Patriots win.

Revenge drove the Patriots as Tom Brady threw four touchdowns, all in the first half, and despite an ugly hit in the legs by Lawyer Milloy in the second quarter.

Roman Phifer almost ended the drive by intercepting a pass from McNair, but lineman Richard Seymour was penalized for roughing the passer and the Titans got the ball back with a first down on the New England 9-yard line.

The drive ended with no points when Vinatieri missed a 44-yard field goal attempt, but on the next play safety Rodney Harrison intercepted a pass from McNair and returned it 7 yards to the Patriot's 43-yard line.

Brady subsequently completed four of six passes for 49 yards and rushed for 3 on the way to a 1-yard touchdown run by Antowain Smith to retake the lead less than two minutes into the second quarter.

Later in the period, the Titans drove 51 yards in nine plays to the Patriot's 13-yard line, including a 29-yard completion from McNair to Mason, but New England's defense kept them out of the end zone and blocked Gary Anderson's 31-yard field goal attempt.

New England's defense dominated the Colts, only allowing 14 points, intercepting 4 passes from Peyton Manning (3 of them by Ty Law), recording 4 sacks (three by Jarvis Green), and forcing a safety.

Although New England's offense fared no better and only scored one touchdown, Vinatieri's 5 field goals made up for the difference as the Patriots won, 24–14, to advance to their second Super Bowl appearance in 3 seasons.

For the first time in the entire postseason, the Colts were forced to punt on their next drive, and the snap from center Justin Snow sailed over the head of punter Hunter Smith.

The Colts had a great opportunity to score when rookie defense back David Macklin recovered a fumble from receiver Bethel Johnson three plays after the free kick, giving Indianapolis a first down on the Patriot's 41-yard line.

Antowain Smith then rushed four times for 53 yards on New England's next possession, advancing the ball to the Colts' 3-yard line where Vinatieri kicked his fourth field goal.

After Carolina was forced to punt on their opening drive, Patriots receiver Troy Brown gave his team great field position with a 28-yard return to the Panther's 47-yard line.

New England then drove to the 31-yard line, but on third down linebacker Will Witherspoon tackled Brown for a 10-yard loss on an end-around play, pushing the Patriots out of field goal range.

The Panthers stormed down the field on their ensuing possession, driving 95 yards in 8 plays, and tying the game on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Delhomme to wide receiver Steve Smith with just 1:07 left in the half.

Panthers running back Stephen Davis then ran for 21 yards on the next play to set up kicker John Kasay's 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half, cutting Carolina's deficit to 14–10.

But with 3:57 left in the period, the Patriots put together a 71-yard, 8-play scoring drive, featuring tight end Daniel Graham's 33-yard reception to advance to the Carolina 9-yard line.