The Abstract Machines became the third Wild Card in four years to win the League Championship with a dramatic 31-24 victory over Jody's Colossal Waste of Time in Super Bowl IX. The fifth-seeded Machines – who had lost to Anderson in their only other Super Bowl appearance (1999) – upset the Eastern Division Champion C.W.O.T., handing Jody its record fourth Super Bowl defeat in four career appearances.

Willie Parker breaks from the pack during this second quarter, 80-yard touchdown run.

Jody, who had come off an impressive win over Piana the week before, jumped out to an early 21-6 lead in the second quarter, only to see the Abstracts claw their way back into it. With the game tied at 24 with 5:06 to play, Machine quarterback Tom Brady hit Anquan Boldin with a 6-yard fade in the back of the endzone for the deciding score.

Early on, however, it looked to be the Eastern Division Champions' night. Jody took the opening drive of the game and marched methodically down the field, mixing the run and pass to perfection. Carson Palmer hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh on an 8-yard crossing pattern for the game's first score at just 5:03 into the contest.

The Machines – wearing their road white uniforms – countered with a long opening drive of their own. Things went south in the red zone, where on the drive's ninth play, a tipped Brady pass was intercepted by the C.W.O.T.'s Ricky Manning at the 8-yard line. Palmer hit Houshmandzadeh for a 53-yard strike on the very next play that put Jody right back into Machines' territory.

Jody had hoped to rely on a two-headed rushing attack, but Kevin Jones was a gametime scratch, leaving only Mike Anderson to shoulder the load. Although the ex-marine only finished with 46 rushing yards for the game, he found the endzone on a 2-yard sprint to cap the drive of the game and give the C.W.O.T. an impressive 14-0 first quarter lead.

Undaunted by the deficit, the Machines went right back after the weak spots in Jody's defense, mixing doses of Willie Parker on the ground with the short, accurate passes Brady is known for. While it did indeed bend, the C.W.O.T. defense didn't break, holding the Machines to a 32-yard Neil Rackers field goal in the opening quarter's final minute.

The Abstract's Ravens defense finally stiffened up for Jody's third series, keeping the men in Pewter and Black on their side of the 50 and forcing a punt after five plays. Tom Brady got the ball back at his own 15 and took his team right back down the field. Willie Parker was stopped cold on a third-and-one from Jody's 27, and the Machines settled for another Rackers field goal to cut the C.W.O.T.'s lead to 14-6.

Just when things looked to be getting interesting, Carson Palmer hit Antonio Gates for an 18-yard score barely three minutes later, pushing Jody's lead to a game-best 15 points. Yet the home team's sideline barely had time to celebrate. Following a touchback on the subsequent kickoff, Brady handed off to Parker on first down, and the halfback broke through the line and outran all other defenders for an 80-yard touchdown equalizer.

Machine QB Tom Brady celebrates his team's victory with the Lombardi Trophey.

Trailing 21-13 at the half, the Machines took the opening possession of the third quarter and hammered away at the C.W.O.T. defense. Brady hit four different receivers on the drive, and Parker added a 16-yard sprint on a third-and-five. The Machines failed to convert their next third down and instead settled for yet another Neil Rackers field goal, closing the gap to five points.

The only other scoring of the quarter would also come on a field goal, but this time it would be off the foot of Jody's Jeff Wilkins, who drilled a 51-yarder to push the lead back to 8 at 24-16. Unfortunately for the C.W.O.T., those points would be their last in Super Bowl IX.

The two clubs swapped punts in the proceeding drives before Brady hit Derrick Mason – who had been a backup for most of the season – on a 39-yard touchdown strike at the start of the fourth quarter, pulling the Machines to within 2. Trying to tie the game, the Machine offense lined up for a 2-point attempt, and Willie Parker took a pitch from Brady around the right end for the conversion. After trailing 21-6 at one point, the Machines had finally tied the C.W.O.T., 24-24.

The two clubs traded possessions once again, and then – facing a third-and-10 from their own 28 – Carson palmer was sacked by the Machines' Adalius Thomas and lost the football. The Machines recovered and took po session on the C.W.O.T.'s 21, setting up the Brady-to-Boldin gamewinner.

The C.W.O.T. had two more possessions to try and score, but the Machines' D wouldn't let them get back over the 50. Tom Brady took a knee on the final play, and then handed the ball to Parker, who would be named Super Bowl IX MVP for his 130-yard rushing effort. "I'm so happy to be part of this," said Parker. "I was on the streets when the season began, but this team brought me in and gave me a chance. And this is a team – we did this together!"

Added Brady, "This is a special moment for this franchise. We couldn't get it done last year, and this season has been a fight from the beginning. Having to win to make the playoffs, and then knock off the Brew and Hellions on the road just to get to this point ... it's pretty amazing."

Indeed, the Machines finish their triumphant campaign with four straight victories over favored playoff opponents. Their final record of 9-6-1 is only a tie different than the franchise's mark from a year ago, but this season they'll be taking home some hardware. The C.W.O.T.'s season, meanwhile, ends in a painfully familiar way – having to watch some other team celebrate a Super Bowl victory from the other sideline. The C.W.O.T. only lost two of their final eight games, but both came at the hands of the League Champion Machines.

Congratulations Abstract Machines – 2005 FLF Champions!

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