Sports

Actions

Patriots win Super Bowl in overtime

Posted at 10:30 PM, Feb 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-05 22:35:06-05
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

HOUSTON — For the first time, a Super Bowl needed overtime, and for the fifth time, the New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions.

This time, it took the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to do it, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 at NRG Stadium in Houston in Super Bowl LI.

Atlanta had a 28-3 lead midway through the third quarter. But a costly Atlanta fumble by quarterback Matt Ryan with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter helped set up the Patriots to come all the way back.

It was the first time the Falcons had turned the ball over in this postseason.

The revenge tour is complete, and quarterback Tom Brady, named the game’s MVP, stands alone.

All five of those titles have come with Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, but this one had some slightly different circumstances. Brady missed the first four games of the regular season, serving his Deflategate suspension that was imposed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Ultimately, Brady’s absence didn’t negatively impact the Patriots, who went on to a 14-2 record and the top spot in the AFC.

New England had returned to the Super Bowl for the ninth time, an NFL record, with Belichick and Brady leading seven of those appearances.

Sunday’s win gave Brady the most Super Bowl titles by a quarterback and matched Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl titles by a player. Belichick now has the most Super Bowl wins by a head coach, surpassing Chuck Noll. Belichick and Brady also now have the most Super Bowl appearances as a head coach and player duo.

This was just Atlanta’s second appearance in its 51-season history. The team first came in the 1998 season, when the Falcons lost Super Bowl XXXIII 34-19 to the Denver Broncos.