5 times Belichick and Pats had no business winning, and did

1. The Greatest Show Not On Turf

Perhaps the most inconceivable from all of Belichick’s magical wins is the one that got the whole New England dynasty kicked off in the first place.

After defeating the top seeded Steelers in the 2002 AFC Championship game, the Patriots were Super Bowl bound against the heavily favored St. Louis Rams, dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf” for a star-studded offense led by Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt. (Man, do we all miss owning those guys in fantasy.)

The Pats were 14-point underdogs and seemed primed for a participation trophy at Super Bowl XXXVI after an already miraculous, Cinderella season. Belichick, however, was not cool with just getting there. The Patriots built a 17-3 lead off of Rams turnovers, before St. Louis eventually tied the game up. With zero timeouts and 1:30 left on the clock, the Pats saved a little magic for the very end, setting up and executing the game-winning 48-yard field goal from Vinatieri.

Did the Patriots deserve to win? Despite leading most of the game, the Patriots were out-yarded 427-267 by the Rams. Regardless, the Pats gutted out the victory and would go on to show way greater offensive prowess in the ensuing years. Belichick won his first Super Bowl and has never looked back.

(And just in case anyone thinks we forgot one; yes, still think the Seahawks should have run the ball.)