WARMING UP IN THE COLD
To help fans fight the cold, the Patriots distributed 10,000 HotHands-2 Hand Warmers, air-activated warmers that provide up to 10 hours of heat. In addition, fans wishing to warm up during the game were invited into a warming area in the Patriots Field House outside of the uBid Gate and were welcomed back into the stadium after they warmed up. Dunkin' Donuts provided fans with free coffee in the parking lots prior to the game and in the Field House during the game.
RECORD COLD
Tonight's game is the coldest in Patriots history. The temperature at kickoff was 4 degrees above zero with a north-northwest wind at 10 miles per hour, creating a wind chill of 10 degrees below zero. The Patriots' previous coldest game was on December 17, 1989 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, when the game-time temperature was five degrees for a Patriots-Steelers tilt. The previous coldest home game in Patriots history was on December 11, 1977 when it was 14 degrees for a Patriots-Dolphins game (-2 wind chill).
FIVE COLDEST PATRIOTS HOME GAMES
| **DATE** | **OPP** | **TEMP** | **WIND** | **WC** | **WEATHER** | **W/L** | **NE** | **OPP** |
| 01/10/2004 | Tennessee | 4 | NNW 10 | -10 | Clear, very cold | W | 17 | 14 |
| 12/11/1977 | Miami | 14 | WNW 17 | -2 | Clear, very cold | W | 14 | 10 |
| 12/11/1988 | Tampa Bay | 18 | NW 25 | 0 | Partly sunny | W ot | 10 | 7 |
| 12/26/1993 | Indianapolis | 19 | W 33 | -1 | Sunny, windy, cold | W | 38 | 0 |
| 12/24/1989 | L.A. Rams | 20 | NW 12 | 8 | Sunny | L | 20 | 24 |
FIVE COLDEST PATRIOTS GAMES OVERALL
| **DATE** | **OPP** | **TEMP** | **WIND** | **WC** | **WEATHER** | **W/L** | **NE** | **OPP** | |
| 01/10/2004 | Tennessee | 4 | NNW 10 | -10 | Clear, very cold | W | 17 | 14 | |
| 12/17/1989 | at | Pittsburgh | 5 | SW 9 | -9 | Partly cloudy, frigid | L | 10 | 28 |
| 12/14/1963 | at | Kansas City | 11 | NW 12 | -4 | Unavailable | L | 3 | 35 |
| 12/11/1977 | Miami | 14 | WNW 17 | -2 | Clear, very cold | W | 14 | 10 | |
| 12/11/1988 | Tampa Bay | 18 | NW 25 | 0 | Partly sunny | W ot | 10 | 7 |
HOME COOKING
The Patriots have won five consecutive playoff home games and are 5-0 in the playoffs since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994. All of the home playoff victories in team history have been recorded since 1996, a period over which New England is 7-3 in the playoffs.
PATRIOTS AT HOME IN THE PLAYOFFS (5-1)
| **Date** | **Round** | **Opponent** | **W/L** | **Score** |
| 01/10/04 | AFC Divisional | Tennessee | W | 17-14 |
| 01/19/02 | AFC Divisional | Oakland | W | 16-13 ot |
| 12/28/97 | AFC Wild Card | Miami | W | 17-3 |
| 01/12/97 | AFC Championship | Jacksonville | W | 20-6 |
| 01/05/97 | AFC Divisional | Pittsburgh | W | 28-3 |
| 12/31/78 | AFC Divisional | Houston Oilers | L | 14-31 |
New England is…
4-0 in the playoffs under Head Coach Bill Belichick
7-3 in the playoffs since 1996
3-0 in AFC Championship Games
19-3 overall at Gillette Stadium, including preseason, regular-season and postseason games
WINNING KICKS
Adam Vinatieri nailed a 46-yard field goal with 4:06 remaining in the game to give the Patriots a 17-14 win over the Titans. It was Vinatieri's third game-winning field goal in the playoffs and his 16th career game-winning kick. Vinatieri kicked two game-deciding boots in the 2002 playoffs, one in the AFC Divisional Round in a 16-13 overtime win over Oakland and another in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXXVI in New England's 20-17 win over the St. Louis Rams.
ADAM VINATIERI'S PLAYOFF GAME-WINNERS
| **Date** | **Opponent** | **Yds** | **Time** | **Score** |
| 01/10/04 | Tennessee | 46 | 4:06 | 17-14 |
| 02/03/02 | St. Louis | 48 | 0:07 | 20-17 |
| 01/19/02 | Oakland | 23 | 6:31(OT) | 16-13 |
PATRIOTS AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOTES
New England vs. Kansas City or Indianapolis
Sunday, January 18, 2004 – 3:00 p.m.
The Patriots will play in the AFC Championship Game for the fourth time in team history. The Patriots also played in the 1963 AFL Championship Game in the pre-Super Bowl era.
New England is 3-0 in its previous three AFC Championship Game appearances.
The Patriots will host the AFC Championship Game for the second time in team history. The 1996 AFC Championship Game was played at Foxboro Stadium on Jan. 12, 1997, with New England notching a 20-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
BRADY TO BETHEL
Bethel Johnson hauled in a 41-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady 4:01 into the game to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. It was Brady's second career postseason touchdown pass, with the other coming on an 8-yard scoring toss to David Patten in Super Bowl XXXVI. Johnson is the first Patriots rookie to score a postseason touchdown since Robert Edwards crossed the goal line on a 1-yard scamper against Jacksonville on January 3, 1999.
STARTING STRONG
Including the regular season, this is the fourth straight game in which the Patriots scored a touchdown on their opening possession of the game. It is the third time in the Patriots' 21 playoff games where they have scored a touchdown on their opening drive. New England scored on a 2-yard run by Curtis Martin to open their 1996 divisional game against Pittsburgh at Foxboro Stadium, then turned the trick again the next week in the AFC Championship Game when Martin plunged into the end zone on a 1-yard jaunt.
TURNING OVER POINTS
Rodney Harrison recorded his first career postseason interception when he picked off a Steve McNair pass in the second quarter. New England turned the pick into points, driving down the field to take a 14-7 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Antowain Smith. The Patriots have now notched at least one pick in each of their nine home games and in 16 of their 17 games this season, including the regular season.
EXTRA POINTS
·Antowain Smith scored his first postseason touchdown as a Patriot and notched his third career postseason score on a 1-yard run at the beginning of the second quarter to give New England a 14-7 lead.
·Richard Seymour recorded the Patriots' first blocked field goal since Brandon Mitchell rejected a Pittsburgh attempt in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 27, 2002
BIG MAC
·Willie McGinest broke into the backfield and tackled Frank Wycheck for a 10-yard loss in the final minute of the third quarter. The play kicked off a big three-and-out for the Patriots defense in a 14-14 game.
·McGinest sacked Steve McNair twice tonight, giving him 8.5 career postseason sacks.
SPREADING THE FIELD
Tom Brady completed passes to 10 different receivers tonight, setting a Patriots postseason record for pass distribution. New England had previously used eight different pass catchers in three postseason games. In the 2003 regular season, Brady completed passes to an average of 7.3 receivers per game. Brady also completed passes to 10 receivers in Week Two of the 2003 regular season in a 31-10 win at Philadelphia.
