Former Patriots TE recalls how Bill Belichick made the team go 'bats**t crazy' before Super Bowl 38 showdown vs Panthers

It's easy to get lost in the six Super Bowls the Patriots won in the Bill Belichick era but nearly all of those wins were iconic at different levels. The 28-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons will forever rest in a pantheon all by itself but the Super Bowl 38 showdown against the upstart Carolina Panthers highlighted just how tough Belichick's Patriots were.

In the build-up to that faceoff in Houston, there was plenty of talk from the Panthers' side, though Belichick ensured his Patriots players didn't mouth off in press conferences. All that stopped when the two teams took the field at what was then known as Reliant Stadium.

In an exclusive preview of the second episode of Vice TV's stunning documentary titled' Brady vs Belichick: The Verdict,' former Pats tight end Christian Fauria took fans behind the scenes of how Belichick orchestrated and channeled their aggression on the biggest stage of them all.

“Here’s what gives me chills and makes the hair at the back of my neck stand up," Fauria began.

"I remember him saying ‘I’ve told you guys to keep your mouths shut. That’s over. Now start talking.' I’ve never seen a more reserved group of guys go bat**it crazy.

"Anyone who was in the way of the door got knocked over. The entire team was at the 50-yard line. We came to meet them in the middle of the field because he had said go ahead. Him knowing what we needed, that particular moment at that particular moment in my life, top-5 easy.”

(020104 Houston, TX) Patriot head coach Bill Belichick hoists the Lombardi trophy over head celebrating a Superbowl XXXVIII victory over the Carolina Panthers. (Staff Photo by Matthew West) - Source: Getty

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Revisiting how Bill Belichick masterminded the Super Bowl 38 win for the Patriots

By all accounts, Super Bowl 38 was a dogfight that exemplified the Patriot Way. The entire first half was dominated by both defenses but when all was said and done, both teams still managed to gain 868 yards of offense (Patriots 481, Panthers 387).

At the very end, Adam Vinatieri's 41-yard field goal attempt put the Patriots on top 32-29 with only nine seconds left in the game.

When it came right down to it, the Patriots vs Panthers faceoff was settled only due to the fact that Belichick's team managed to get over the line by making a few more plays than the Panthers, lifting the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in three years.

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“Brady vs. Belichick: The Verdict” airs Tuesday at 10 pm ET on VICE TV