Patriots stage comeback

Each season, the National Football League’s Super Bowl draws in over one hundred million viewers at the beginning of February, as Americans are glued to their televisions for a multitude of reasons. Some are watching to find out which team will be crowned champion, others watch to see the world-renowned halftime show, and still others watch to see the better-than-usual commercials.

This year, the game followed what was an unexpected narrative to some fans.

“I would say I definitely didn’t expect the Falcons to play as well as they did to start the game, but the end result was what I expected from the start,” said Jaden Cappelletti, 11.

With the New England Patriots aiming for their fifth Super Bowl title out of seven attempts under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belicheck, the Atlanta Falcons were tagged as the underdogs. The Falcons came out of the gates with an unexpected burst.

By halftime, the legendary Tom Brady had thrown an interception which was returned for a touchdown, and the Patriots found themselves down 21-3. With an 18-point deficit, doubt began to set in, as no team had ever overcome more than a 10-point deficit in the Super Bowl. And then, the Falcons scored again to start the 3rd quarter, making the deficit 25.

That was the last time Atlanta scored. Entering the 4th quarter, the scoreboard read 28-9, Falcons. It was a comeback that everyone knew Brady could make. The best comeback of his career was of a 24-point deficit, meaning 25 wasn’t unrealistic. So he did it.

In the 4th quarter, Brady threw 196 of his 466 passing yards, and successfully made two 2-point conversions after touchdowns, and in the final minute of regulation, tied the game. The Falcons were unable to score before the end of the quarter, and for the first time in history, the Super Bowl was headed to overtime.

The Patriots won the coin toss before overtime began, and chose to receive the ball first. If they scored a touchdown, they would be champions for the fifth time in fifteen years. Brady hadn’t gone that far just to falter and lose the game.

He marched the Patriots right down the field, and on 2nd & Goal tossed the ball to running back James White, who, with a gap closing, dove for the end zone. He was in. Tom Brady had done it again, and now, is the only quarterback in history to have won five Super Bowls.