This past Sunday, Feb. 5, will be a day that NFL fans may never forget. One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time lead the New England Patriots in the largest comeback of all time, scoring 31 unanswered points, on the Atlanta Falcons, to eliminate a 25-point deficit causing the Patriots, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady to raise the Lombardi trophy for the fifth time, tying an NFL record.
Super Bowl LI was full of surprises. On paper, the New England Patriots sported the upper hand, but at halftime, that was not the case. It appeared that Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense were on their way to the team’s first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. However, not even a 28-3 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter was large enough to keep the Patriots from leaving their mark on history.
Whether it was the fear of losing on the biggest stage of them all or Lady Gaga’s halftime performance, something lit a fire within the Patriots because they looked like a completely different team after the halftime break. Reminding the Falcons why there are two halves played in football. The Patriots went from overthrowing passes and missing assignments to breaking NFL records, dominating overtime and causing fans to say, “Was this the best Super Bowl of all time?”
Many professional athletes, celebrities and fans believe that Super Bowl LI should go down as one of the greatest games of all time. Robert Ayers Jr., defensive end of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tweeted “GREATEST GAME I’VE EVER SEEN,” along with countless other athletes and professionals.
There are many reasons as to why this game is starting to become known as the greatest Super Bowl to ever be played.
It could be because it was the first Super Bowl in history to go into overtime, the 15 plus NFL records that were broken, the multiple insane catches, the nail biting conclusion or the fact that both teams appeared to be more than deserving to carry the title of Super Bowl Champions.
Until the finally moments, it appeared that this game could belong to anyone.
Both teams were fighting tooth and nail, but it all came down to one factor: who was going to score first when overtime kicked off. Patriots running back James White ran through a pack off helpless Falcons defenders to finish a 75-yard drive on the opening drive of overtime, never giving Atlanta a chance to touch the ball, and solidifying the Patriots’ name in history.
After Sunday’s performance, it is clear to everyone that Belichick and Brady could have finally put an end to the conversation of who is the greatest of all time when it comes to football. Is Brady the greatest quarterback to ever play the game? Is Belichick the greatest coach to ever coach the game?
The pair could have finally silenced the doubters everywhere by winning their fifth Super Bowl together in an extremely exciting and dramatic fashion. The only thing that is certain is that Feb. 5 will be a day that NFL fans should never forget.
