https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/03/super-bowl-patriots-vs-rams/
Patriots win Super Bowl LIII, beat Rams 13-3
After a 60-minute slog that featured a dearth of points and few highlights, the New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions for the sixth time under the leadership of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
In the end, it was too much Brady, Julian Edelman (141 yards receiving), Rob Gronkowski and rookie Sony Michel. And way, way too much Belichick.
With the coach cooking up defensive schemes that thwarted the Rams' high-octane offense, the Patriots finally broke through with a touchdown with just over 7 minutes left. That, coupled with Stephon Gilmore’s interception on the Rams' next drive, gave the Patriots the only real momentum of the game and they went on to win their sixth championship in nine trips to the Super Bowl, beating the Rams 13-3.
The victory came against the Rams on the 17th anniversary of the beginning of the Brady-Belichick dynasty, their victory over the Rams, then of St. Louis.
After the win, Brady shared a long hug with owner Robert Kraft as CBS’s Tracy Wolfson fought for an interview.
“We fought through it more than anything," Brady said. "What an unbelievable year.”
Rams’ desperation field goal flies wide
Patriots 13, Rams 3 - 0:05 fourth quarter
Needing two scores to tie the game, the Rams tried to kick a field goal but Greg Zuerlein’s attempt sailed wide left, giving the ball, and the Super Bowl win, to the Patriots.
Patriots add another field goal to effectively ice the game
Patriots 13, Rams 3 - 1:12 fourth quarter
After a third-down run by Sony Michel came up an inch short of a first down that would have clinched the game, a 41-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski with 1:12 left more or less sealed the Patriots’ sixth title by giving them a two-possession cushion over the Rams.
Interception derails Rams' attempt to tie
Patriots 10, Rams 3 - 4:17 fourth quarter
Jared Goff nearly connected with Brandin Cooks for a touchdown, but a play later was intercepted by the Patriots' Stephon Gilmore at the four yard line.
Goff was under pressure on the play and under threw it when he heaved the ball off his back foot.
Patriots find the end zone (finally)
Patriots 10, Rams 3 - 7:00 fourth quarter
The Patriots finally scored a six-pointer, as Sony Michel ran into the end zone from the 2-yard line for a 10-3 lead. It came after a drive punctuated by passes to Julian Edelman (this game’s one-man offensive machine) and Rob Gronkowski. In fact, the Rams had no answer for three consecutive plays over the middle to Gronk on the drive.
Finally, there’s a breakthrough in the rope-a-dope game and it figures that Edelman, Gronkowski and Michel would be the guys Brady relied on.
With the score, Michel becomes just the second rookie in three decades with a Super Bowl touchdown. The Baltimore Ravens' Jamal Lewis was the other.
If the Patriots come out of this with a victory, credit Edelman, who now has caught 10 passes for 141 yards and Gronkowski, who has caught six passes for 87 yards.
New England Patriots
✔@Patriots
Sony's super score. @Flyguy2stackz | #EverythingWeGot
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To the fourth quarter we go
Patriots 3, Rams 3 - end of third quarter
Stagnant offenses have marked (or marred) the first 45 minutes of Super Bowl LIII. What’s in store for the fourth? The Rams broke through with a game-tying field goal and the Patriots were in a familiar spot, with their season coming down to one quarter.
[Five important questions about the Maroon 5 halftime show]
In case you were wondering, six points is the fewest scored through the first three quarters in Super Bowl history.
‘We got points!’ Rams tie up Patriots
Patriots 3, Rams 3 - 8:36 third quarter
A 53-yard field goal by the Rams' Greg Zuerlein has tied the game at 3 apiece and Tony Romo speaks, once again, for all America, after Zuerlein’s game-tying field goal: “We’ve got points! It feels like we’ve got a scoring spree going on!”
The Rams nearly took the lead on a would-be touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Brandin Cooks that was broken up in the end zone by Jason McCourty.
Excitement!!! A new Super Bowl record ... for a punt
Patriots 3, Rams 0 - 8:36 third quarter
If you like punting, boy, have we got a Super Bowl for you. This punt-a-palooza is a snoozefest, unless you’re related to the Rams' Johnny Hekker or the Patriots' Ryan Allen. For instance, the Rams' first eight possessions ended in a punt. It was, as Tony Romo noted at one point, “hard to watch.” And Damien Woody noted, “This McVay playcalling looking like Jeff Fisher.”
There was some excitement from the kicking game however, as Hekker’s eighth punt of the night was a record-breaker, getting several good bounces and rolling to a stop after 65-yards, which is a new Super Bowl record for distance.
After the Patriots pinned the Rams at their own 6-yard line, they had threatened to get the ball with a short field. The Hekker record put New England back on their own 29.
Patriots lose Patrick Chung as second half begins
Patriots 3, Rams 0 - 14:04 third quarter
Patriots safety Patrick Chung was hurt on the Rams' opening drive of the second half and went off the field with an air cast encasing his right forearm. Duron Harmon replaced Chung for the Patriots. Chung was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
The Rams, who received the kickoff to start the second half, could not put any points on the board as Jared Goff’s third-down pass attempt to Brandin Cooks fell incomplete.
Some poor numbers from the Rams thus far: Goff has yet to complete a pass on third-down. Punter Johnny Hekker has more punts (7) than Todd Gurley has carries (6).
The game remains a bore.
Will Bunch
✔@Will_Bunch
This Super Bowl is so bad that Gladys Knight took an earlier train
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Halftime
Despite fireworks, Maroon 5 offers little spark
The subject of much speculation and derision coming into the game, the Maroon 5-centered halftime show did not appear to be well received by the NFL’s viewership. In fact, it had one of my colleagues longing for the return of Up With People and, really, could you blame him? Or, as Russell Reimer tweeted, “Maroon 5 is America’s Nickelback.” Where is Left Shark when you need him?
View image on Twitter
The Onion
✔@TheOnion
Super Bowl Halftime Show Marred By Functioning Sound System https://trib.al/fYuc2DN
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SNF on NBC
✔@SNFonNBC
Who wore it better: @BigBoi or Joe Namath?
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While no entertainer took a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick (the subject of some pregame musing and a prop bet), there was some controversy in an otherwise tame show that also included Big Boi and Travis Scott. At the end, Adam Levine took off his shirt and the move was not universally applauded.
Judy Battista
✔@judybattista
Wait, they banned Janet Jackson for less than this.
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Patriots lead at halftime of a surprisingly defense-heavy Super Bowl
If there were first-half stars, their names were Bill Belichick and Wade Phillips as the Patriots and Rams defenses held the offenses to all of three points. The problem for the Rams, with the Patriots leading 3-0 at the half, was that the Rams defense had no answer for Julian Edelman. They got a big boost at the end of the half, though, when the Patriots were stopped on a fourth-down play and they’ll get another when the second half starts and they get the ball first. They’ll have plenty to think about, with two first downs and 57 yards in the first half.
This is the second-lowest scoring Super Bowl in history after the first 30 minutes.
“If you like offensive football, too bad,” as Tony Romo put it.
Rams hold strong, halt Patriots' 4th-down conversion attempt
Patriots 3, Rams 0 - 1:13 second quarter
The Patriots nearly padded their 3-point lead, but on a 4th-and-1 from the Rams' 32 yard line a pass from Tom Brady scraped off the fingertips of a diving Rob Gronkowski, giving the ball back to Los Angeles. The Rams, however, again could not do much before punting away to the Patriots with 16 seconds left in the half.
The Rams have just two first downs in the game.
Gronkowski back after injury scare, but Gurley MIA for Rams
Patriots 3, Rams 0 - 7:50 second quarter
Although Rob Gronkowski limped off after the Patriots' previous possession, he was back on the field when New England got the ball back. Meanwhile, C.J. Anderson and not Todd Gurley continued to get the bulk of the carries for the Rams, as was the case in the NFC championship game two weeks ago.
Midway through the second quarter, Anderson had four carries for 10 yards, Gurley one carry for two yards.
The early commercial highlights
The commercials haven’t exactly been memorable so far (Steve Carrell and Jason Bateman are funnier than this), but then Game of Thrones, as Alan Sepinwall put it, rickrolled Bud Light and we were amused.
Alan Sepinwall
✔@sepinwall
Game of Thrones just rickrolled a Bud Light ad?!?!?
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Game Of Thrones
✔@GameOfThrones
.@TheBudKnight’s watch has ended.
What will you do #ForTheThrone?#SBLIII @BudLight
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HBO, according to the Wall Street Journal, wanted to surprise the game’s roughly 100 million viewers with an ad for another brand and considered car makers and Coke. WSJ added that it “envisioned pitching a script that involved having Coke’s iconic polar bear turn into a ‘white walker,’ a zombielike creature from the show.”
Other highlights included Marvel’s Captain Marvel, though it needed some Bud Light.
Marvel Entertainment
✔@Marvel
HIGHER. FURTHER. FASTER. Watch the brand new Marvel Studios' @CaptainMarvel spot that aired during the Big Game. See it in theaters March 8. Get tickets now: http://www.Fandango.com/CaptainMarvel
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We weren’t sure what to make of “Hobbs &Shaw,” but it had Idris Elba, so what more, really, is needed?
Hobbs & Shaw
✔@HobbsAndShaw
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Watch the trailer now starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.this tweet to be the first to see new content until #HobbsAndShaw hits theaters August 2.
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For football fans though, this may be the best commercial of the night. At the least, it had more action that the first half.
NFL
✔@NFL
The all-time greatest, most competitive NFL players gathered for the #NFL100 gala. What could possibly go wrong?
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Patriots take the lead on Gostkowski field goal
Patriots 3, Rams 0 - 10:29 second quarter
The Patriots took the first lead of the game on a 42-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski who earlier missed a 46-yard attempt.
What was thought would be a high-scoring bonanza of a Super Bowl has been pretty tame so far. The Rams have just one first down in the game.
Game remains scoreless at end of the first quarter
Patriots 0, Rams 0 - End first quarter
At the end of the first quarter, the matchup of defensive masterminds goes to the Rams' Wade Phillips. His bend but don’t break defense has stopped the Patriots and has begun to pressure Tom Brady, who has already been sacked once, hit twice and forced to throw an interception.
First quarter stats give the Patriots the edge in both rushing (38 yards to 12) and passing (75 yards to 17).
Surprise! Brady sacked
Patriots 0, Rams 0 - 0:18 first quarter
The Rams did something neither the Los Angeles Chargers nor Kansas City Chiefs could managed against the Patriots -- sack Tom Brady. The Rams' defense continued to press and hit Brady on 3rd-and-5 to end another drive for New England without any points.
Patriots miss field goal attempt
Patriots 0, Rams 0 - 5:35 first quarter
A Stephen Gostkowski hooked a 46-yard field goal attempt to the left, keeping the game scoreless. The Patriots have outgained the Rams 72-2 and have zero points. So far, they’ve burned two time outs as well.
One fun fact, the Patriots have never had a first-quarter touchdown in a Super Bowl. The only time they’ve scored in a Super Bowl was last year’s when they converted a field goal.
Penalty call helps Patriots out of a big hole
Patriots 0, Rams 0 - 8:56 first quarter
With just under 9 minutes left in the first quarter, we had the first officiating issue of the game. The Rams' Nickell Robey-Coleman was called for a personal foul, a hit on a defenseless runner, which changed what would have been a 3rd-and-20 for the Patriots to a first down. The reason for the call? As Tony Romo and former NFL referee Gene Steratore explained it, the runner didn’t have time to establish himself as a runner before he was hit around the neck and head.
There was general confusion from the broadcast team and the Rams' sideline as to why the flag was thrown. Additionally, there was confusion about who the penalty was on.
Bill Barnwell
✔@billbarnwell
Gamebook says that the call was actually on Robey-Coleman, so the Fowler thing was a wrong announcement. It was a terrible call regardless of who it was on
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It was just two weeks ago when the officiating came under scrutiny in the NFC Championship game when a clear defensive pass interference penalty was not called on the Rams in their win over the New Orleans Saints.
Andrew Brandt
✔@AndrewBrandt
Can hear Sean Payton now: "Now you call that..." #SuperBowl
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Patriots' first drive halted by a Tom Brady interception
Patriots 0, Rams 0 - 12:06 first quarter
And we have our first turning point of the game with 12:06 left in the first quarter. After four straight running plays, Brady targeted wide receiver Chris Hogan, the ball was tapped into the air by Nickell Robey-Coleman and into the arms of Corey Littleton at the Rams' 32-yard line.
The Rams could do nothing with it, though, going four and out.
Rams win the coin toss
Matt Slater handled the coin toss call for the Patriots and, as is his habit in honor of his father, called “heads.” It’s tails and the Rams elected to defer, giving the ball to the Patriots.
“This is risky," CBS analyst Tony Romo said. "It tells your defense you believe in them but the last two times Tom Brady went out and almost won the game with opening drives.”
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