Vinatieri Kicks Patriots to 28-25 Overtime Win

The field was slippery, the rain was falling and struggling rookie Adam Vinatieri faced a pressure kick. Seconds later, he was mobbed by jubilant teammates.

Vinatieri, who earlier missed an extra point and a field-goal attempt, came through with his fifth field goal, a 40-yarder 2:36 into overtime. It gave the New England Patriots a 28-25 victory Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Patriots overcame Mark Brunell’s 432 passing yards and three long touchdown passes--two to Andre Rison--after New England (2-2) took a 22-0 lead. The Jaguars fell to 1-3.

Vinatieri, who beat out 17-year veteran Matt Bahr in training camp, had missed four of his previous five field-goal tries.

“You’re going to have days when you can’t make a field goal. You’re going to have days when you feel like you can’t miss,” said Vinatieri, who missed a 44-yarder with the score 22-14. “You’re always kicking for your job.”

New England dominated until Jimmy Smith caught Brunell’s desperation 51-yard pass for a touchdown on the last play of the first half. The Jaguars sent the game into overtime on Mike Hollis’ 27-yard field goal with 6:34 left in regulation.

“There’s no question about the fight of this team,” Jacksonville Coach Tom Coughlin said. “We were dominated in the first half, and the Hail Mary to Smith was a momentum changer.”

And on the last play of regulation, Brunell, who threw three touchdown passes of 41 yards or more, nearly did it again. Willie Jackson caught his desperation 58-yard pass, but landed inches from the goal line as time ran out.

New England Coach Bill Parcells became the 22nd NFL coach to win 100 regular-season games, boosting his record to 100-78-1.

“It was a main event fight,” Parcells said. “You see a game like that and you see why the NFL’s exciting. I’m getting a little old for this.”