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Monday 4 February 2019

Patriots beat Rams 13-3 in lowest scoring Super Bowl ever

By BARRY WILNER managed 35 yards rushing,
AP Pro Football Writer Goff went 19 for 38 for 229
ATLANTA (AP) — Defenses yards and was sacked four
dominated what was sup- times. Brandin Cooks, a Pa-
posed to be a super shoot- triots receiver last season,
out, until Tom Brady led one did have eight receptions
classic drive to win the New for 120 yards.
England Patriots their re- KICKING GAME
cord-tying sixth Super Bowl. Gostkowski’s 46-yard miss
Brady threw two perfect wide left in the first quarter
passes to Rob Gronkowski was the first unsuccessful
to set up rookie Sony Mi- field goal in the Mercedes-
chel’s 2-yard score — the Benz Stadium, home of the
only touchdown in the Falcons, by an NFL player
lowest-scoring Super Bowl all season. The 13-year
ever. That put New England veteran also missed a field
up 10-3. A late field goal goal and extra point in the
clinched the game 13-3. 2018 Super Bowl loss to Phil-
In a season when all sorts of adelphia.
offensive records were set, But he gave the Patriots a
this Super Bowl rewrote the 3-0 lead with a 42-yarder in
defensive record book. the second quarter.
No Super Bowl had gone The Rams’ Johnny Hekker
into the fourth quarter with- New England Patriots’ Julian Edelman (11) runs the ball ahead of Los Angeles Rams’ Cory Littleton had a 65-yard punt in the
out a touchdown. This one (58) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta. third quarter, the longest
did, tied 3-3 — even though Associated Press in a Super Bowl. It was his
these teams combined to 1972 against Miami). times, including to Philadel- player with six Super Bowl eighth punt of the game
average over 60 points a The Rams, who reached phia a year ago. New Eng- titles. All those suspicions — with 1 1-2 periods re-
game. When the Patriots the NFL championship land is the first team since about the Patriots declining maining — the most for LA
needed a score, Brady, the game with the aid of a ma- the 1972 Dolphins to win a this season became moot in McVay’s two seasons in
oldest winning quarterback jor officiating error in the Super Bowl the year after as the defense made the charge.
in a Super Bowl at 41, com- conference title victory at losing one. 24-year-old Goff look awful Greg Zuerlein tied it with
pleted four straight passes, New Orleans, never really How the Patriots accom- and turned All-Pro running 2:11 left in the third quarter
including a pair covering threatened to reach the plished it was atypical. The back Todd Gurley into a on the first drive on which
47 yards to Gronkowski. end zone. 10-point margin was their nonfactor. Los Angeles gained more
The second , on which the At 66, Bill Belichick became biggest in winning a cham- While it was anything but than one first down. His
star tight end beat two de- the oldest winning Super pionship. Brady, who has odd to see New England 53-yarder was the second-
fenders, ended at the Los Bowl coach. The Patriots won four Super Bowl MVP celebrate a champion- longest field goal in a Super
Angeles 2, the only time beat the Rams, then rep- trophies, wasn’t particu- ship, the manner it earned Bowl.
either team was inside the resenting St. Louis, to be- larly sharp — except when this one was startling. The COIN TOSS
20-yard line. Michel ran off gin their dynastic run in throwing to Julian Edelman, 2 1/2-point favorite Patriots McVay deferred after
left tackle for his sixth post- the 2002 game. They also the game’s MVP. Edelman, moved the ball well, ran winning the coin toss. In
season touchdown. have beaten Carolina and who was injured and didn’t down the clock, but made their previous two play-
With 4:17 left, All-Pro Ste- Philadelphia (2004 and ‘05, play the 2017 season, was uncharacteristic gaffes on off games, the Patriots
phon Gilmore picked off the last repeater); the Se- the steadiest offensive offense. Goff and the Rams marched right downfield
an ill-advised pass by Rams ahawks in 2015; and the player on the field, finish- made more. to a touchdown with the
quarterback Jared Goff, Falcons in 2017 in the only ing with 10 catches for 141 LA’s second-ranked of- opening kickoff, setting an
who seemed overwhelmed overtime in Super Bowl his- yards. Brady passes Charles fense managed just 57 to- immediate tone. This time,
by the big stage all night, tory. They have lost three Haley to become the only tal yards for the half. The after Cordarrelle Patter-
at the New England 2. Rams were completely son’s 38-yard kickoff return
Stephen Gostkowski made overmatched on the line and four successful runs,
a 41-yard field goal with and were particularly un- Brady’s first pass was tipped
1:12 remaining, completing able to handle the elusive by receiver Chris Hogan
a 72-yard march that took Edelman, who had seven and cornerback Nickell
more than three minutes receptions for 93 yards. Robey-Coleman. Line-
off the clock and included Coach Sean McVay, backer Cory Littleton made
26-yard runs by Michel and whose Rams never had a diving interception; it was
Rex Burkhead. been blanked in a first half, the first time Brady was
It was a workmanlike con- let out a long, deep sigh picked on his initial throw in
clusion for the Patriots (14- just before halftime, recog- a postseason game.
5), whose losses all came nizing how badly his team INJURIES
away from New England. was manhandled, even New England lost safety
They beat the top two of- though it trailed just 3-0. Patrick Chung on the third
fenses in the Chiefs and It was the lowest score at play of the second half
Rams (15-4) in the postsea- halftime since Super Bowl when his right forearm was
son, and tied Pittsburgh for 9, which Pittsburgh led 2-0 caught between Gurley’s
most Super Bowl titles. over Minnesota. shoulder pad and the hel-
The Patriots were terrific all McVay, the youngest Su- met of teammate Jona-
game on defense, allowing New England Patriots’ Kyle Van Noy (53) sacks Los Angeles per Bowl head coach at than Jones. Chung writhed
Rams’ Jared Goff (16) during the second half of the NFL Super
the fewest points in a Su- Bowl 53 football game Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta. 34, had no answers as Gur- in pain before walking off
per Bowl (tied with Dallas in Associated Press ley, coming off knee issues, with an air cast on.q