Super Bowl LI Recap

How did Atlanta blow that, and how did New England pull that off? Does this game cement Brady’s status as the greatest of all time? If anything, he’s certainly the most successful of all time. It’s hard to argue with five Super Bowls and some of the greatest passing statistics in league history. Then again, I always preferred Peyton. He was more fun to watch in my very biased opinion. Either way, let’s break down the game, and look deeper into how the Falcons missed their shot at their first Super Bowl in franchise history and how Brady, Belichick, and Kraft were able to grab their 5th.

New England Patriots win Super Bowl LI, defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28 (F/OT)

As expected, the first Super Bowl to go into overtime was a thrilling one. Not as expected, the Falcons were once leading by 25 points in a game that they eventually lost. Atlanta came out in the first half with the same intensity that helped them secure a convincing Conference Championship victory over Green Bay. However, it all fell apart in the second half, as every single chance broke in favor of the Patriots. New England used every scrap of luck to slowly crawl back into the game, eventually winning in overtime. The Patriots finished the game by scoring on their final five possessions. During that same stretch, the Falcons scored zero points. Any score would have been enough, but Atlanta could not find a way to do that. With 4:40 left in the game, with an 8 point lead, the Falcons had the ball at the New England 22 yard line. All Atlanta had to do to grab their first Super Bowl in franchise history was run the ball three times and kick a field goal. Instead, one run, one sack, and one holding call put the Falcons out of field goal range. This sequence decided the game (along with the other hundred opportunities that Atlanta had to put the game away).

Am I bitter? Sure. I like watching a team win for the first time. Watching the Patriots win again was not satisfying for me. And the way they did it was sickening. Of course, the Falcons did this to themselves more than anything. One of the greatest offenses in NFL history could not find a way to score a single point over their final four possessions of the game. Give credit to New England’s defense, though. They stepped up when it mattered most. And give credit to the adjustments that the Patriots made in the fourth quarter. Everything that New England failed to do in the first half, they were able to successfully in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Winning a Super Bowl takes both a lot of skill and a lot of luck. Down the stretch of Super Bowl LI, the Patriots caught all the lucky breaks. An untimely fumble gave the ball back to the Patriots, late in the fourth quarter, when New England was still down by two scores. Ryan got sacked in a crucial fourth quarter series when the Falcons were up by eight points, which took Atlanta out of field goal range. Edelman made an unbelievable catch on what should have been a game-sealing interception. The Patriots were able to convert both of their 2 point conversions. And the Patriots won the overtime coin toss, allowing them to get the ball first, and not allowing Matt Ryan to touch the ball again.

It’s easy to say that the Patriots were lucky to win this one, but you could say that about just about every Super Bowl Champion. Just making it to the Super Bowl is a fortunate feat. Lucky bounces and spectacular plays are what get you there, along with with having the ability of a top team. And finally, when you get to the biggest game of the season, actually winning the Super Bowl can be a total crapshoot, where one lucky or unlucky play can ultimately decide your fate. So, is Brady the greatest ever? Again, five Super Bowls is hard to argue with. But, he just as easily could have won 4, 3, 2, 1, or none. Similarly, he just as easily could have won all seven of his Super Bowl appearances. In all of Brady’s seven Super Bowl trips, I can find one moment that could have swung history either in favor of or against the Patriots.

In 2001, Brady and the Patriots could have easily lost to the Raiders in the Divisional Round had it not been for the “tuck rule,” and two incredibly difficult Vinatieri field goals in the snow. Brady and the Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XXXVI against the heavily favored Rams, and I went on to be a sad Raider fan. In Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX, the Patriots defeated the Panthers and Eagles, respectively by a single field goal in two incredibly close games. In Super Bowl XLII, the helmet catch helped the heavily underdogged New York Giants stun the Patriots, and keep New England from finishing the season at a perfect 19-0. In Super Bowl XLVI, the Patriots once again lost to the Giants, who were once again big underdogs. In Super Bowl XLIX, if it hadn’t been for an incredible Malcolm Butler interception, the Patriots would not have defeated the Seahawks. And of course, everything went right for the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, when they were able to overcome a seemingly insurmountable 25 point deficit, to stun the Atlanta Falcons.

Every playoff run has its moment that swings a team’s fortune. Often, those moments are in the Super Bowl itself. Every Super Bowl that Brady has ever played in was decided by one score. Any bit of luck can flip a one score game on its head. Five out of seven times that luck went Brady’s way. However, no matter what way you look at it, Brady has accomplished more than any other player in NFL history. That’s a fact. Whether you attribute all the success to Brady’s ability, Belichick’s system, Kraft’s ownership, a combination of the three, or just dumb luck, this is the greatest NFL dynasty of all time. For that reason alone, any one of the significant players in the last fifteen years for the Patriots (Kraft, Belichick, and Brady) must be at least considered the greatests of all time at their respective positions. So, congratulations to the Patriots. New England celebrates again, as the rest of the football world mourns another Patriots Super Bowl, their fifth in fifteen years.

So, I guess this is goodbye until next year. I finish this playoffs 8-3 straight up and 5-6 ATS. Not great. Mediocrity will not be tolerated next playoffs. I will have to intensify my NFL research this off-season and next regular season, so that I may improve on this disappointing season of NFL predictions. For now, Brosh Knows Football will go into hibernation for the Spring, as I look forward to next season. Aww, beautiful “next season.” At the end of every NFL playoffs, next season is always the best thing to look forward to for 31 NFL teams, as next season presents new hope for every NFL fan. For me, next season will hopefully bring an end to the Raiders’ 15 year playoff victory drought. With that in mind, I’ll see all you NFL fans next season, where hope is infinite… though so is the potential for disappointment.