HOUSTON — Even after falling behind 25 points, the New England Patriots never panicked and never wavered in Sunday’s 34-28 overtime thriller over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium.
“That is what we are about,” Patriots cornerback and Rutgers product Devin McCourty said after the game. We knew it was going to be 60 minutes. We just had to keep playing no matter what.
“It is unbelievable. I’m proud of my team and my teammates. They fought hard all the way through. We are champs.”
The Patriots’ fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy will have extra special historic significance after McCourty and Co. erased a 25-point deficit and flipped the script on what appeared early on to be a Falcons’ blowout victory in the making.
“No doubt, that was a tough one for us,” Falcons head coach and Morristown native Dan Quinn said. said. “That’s a hard one in the locker room. No place to put that mentally for us. But, I’m proud of the fight that these guys have. The brotherhood that this group has built, it’s as strong as I’ve seen and that part is real.
“That connection that these guys have not only with themselves but with our city, it’s so strong. I love them. They battled. Tonight we just came up short.”
Bennett’s daughter steals the show
Quinn’s Patriots were unable to seal the deal as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady earned his fourth career Super Bowl MVP award thanks in large part to a fourth quarter in which he led two touchdown drives capped by two point conversions before sealing the win with an overtime touchdown drive.
“Coming out of halftime, we kept telling ourselves that this is going to be a different game,” Patriots wide receiver and Wyckoff native Chris Hogan said. “We knew we had 60 minutes to grind it out and get a win.
“At halftime, we just kind of told ourselves that we have to make some plays. This was going to be one heck of a Super Bowl story to make this comeback and get this win. We just had to do our job, figure out how to make some plays and get the win, which we did.”
Patriots’ Martellus Bennett celebrates Super Bowl LI win with daughter
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975.
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