Patriots go Gaga in overtime!

Lady Gaga may have started the half-time show on the roof of the stadium but by the end of the greatest Super Bowl in history it was the New England Patriots that had raised it.

In the second quarter the Atlanta Falcons were soaring on the edge of glory with a 21-3 lead, soon to be extended to 25 points after Robert Alford scored an 82-yard interception, with a million reasons why they would go on to claim victory.

Yet the New England Patriots needed only one. Ever since the prolonged scandal referred to as ‘deflategate’ they have been focused on what some refer to as redemption, with others calling it revenge.

Facing a four-game ban for his alleged role in the team playing the conference final with under-inflated balls, Tom Brady started the season on the sideline.  In the 51st Super Bowl it was almost as though he was still missing throughout the first half and much of the third quarter. 

What followed was the most remarkable comeback in history, surpassing their own record when they overturned a 10-point deficit to defeat the Seattle Seahawks two years ago. Falcon’s Head Coach Dan Quinn was on the receiving end that day too as defensive coach for the Seahawks.

In a match-up featuring the two teams claiming the league’s best offensive and defensive sides there was always a question as to which would come out on top. A nervous opening quarter remained scoreless which should have come as no surprise to Patriot fans who have yet to see their side score during this period on each of the seven occasions Brady has appeared at the Super Bowl.

The comeback started with a five-yard pass to James White although the missed conversion was to prove crucial to their evolving strategy. A converted field goal opened the scoring in the fourth although it hardly hinted at the drama about to unfold.

The Patriots closed within one score with under six minutes on the clock when Danny Amendola collected a six-yard pass while James White added the two-point conversion. The roles were reversed in the final minute as New England drew level after a 91-yard drive, with Brady the constant providing the ammunition, sending the Super Bowl into overtime for the first time in its history.

The Pats called correctly at the re-toss and claimed the ball, which they were never to relinquish as they drove down the field to history. They scored 19 unanswered points in the final quarter and then again in overtime, James White’s two yard touchdown, his third of the night.

While quarterback Tom Brady referred to 30 ‘plays’ that made the difference, there will be one that will be replayed time-after-time that epitomised the character, skill and luck that the Patriots displayed. 

On the final drive upfield in the fourth quarter Julian Edelman claimed a catch that defied belief as it bobbled off limbs before he had the presence of mind to clutch the ball inches above the Houston turf.

For Brady, the 34-28 win earned him Super Bowl MVP honours for an unprecedented fourth time, a quarter back record fifth NFL title (passing Joe Montana in the process) and makes him the second-oldest in his position to win the biggest prize.

His performance set records for the most completions (43) and most yards passing (466) in a Super Bowl. Brady shared the record book and the win with Bill Belichick who also picked up his fifth Super Bowl victory to move past Chuck Noll of Pittsburgh Steelers for most by a coach.

Belichick was famously appointed head coach of the New York Jets in 2000 only to resign after one day to accept the job for the New England Patriots.  He is now the NFL’s longesttenured active head coach and is its most successful.

Will he continue in the role to enter his 43rd year in the NFL? Under his new role as general manager, the Patriots continue to set new franchise records. The Falcons, despite losing again
in their second Super Bowl appearance (they lost the first in 1998 to Denver), have the consolation of returning to a new stadium, consigning the Georgia Dome, once the world’s largest enclosed arena, to history with a divisional championship.

The last person to be voted league MVP and win the Super Bowl in the same season was Kurt Warner in 1999. Atlanta’s quarterback, Matt Ryan, ensured that this ‘curse’ will continue! James White can consider himself unfortunate not to have claimed the MVP honours.

He set Super Bowl records with 14 catches and 20 points and became the first player in NFL playoff history to achieve 10 catches, 100 receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns in a game. 

White scored the Patriots first touchdown to breathe new life into their challenge and edged into the end zone for a record-tying third time to seal the win. For me, it was he, who was the best performer.

For many the Super Bowl provides entertainment even without the football!  Given his role in the ‘deflate-gate’ scandal, many were waiting for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to award the Vince Lombardi trophy to the man he condemned.

Yet another feature is the adverts that keep fans away from the fridge and glued to the screen. The NFL and their broadcasters, Fox, aim to avoid explicitly political references.  Lady Gaga remained poker-faced as she allowed her lyrics to address race and LGBT issues, notably reciting the words ‘one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all’.

With a 30-second US TV advertising slot costing $5m companies still took the opportunity to champion acceptance, diversity, equality and even immigration.  As viewers dipped into their guacamole they were treated to an avocado advert that referenced the proposed border wall while a ‘secret society’ discussed nutritional benefits.

Meanwhile, a building supply company’s slot showing a Spanish speaking mother and daughter’s journey to the US was deemed ‘too controversial’ forcing viewers to see the conclusion on their website, which subsequently crashed due to the high demand!

Yet, even after the game and presentations were over, the drama continued.  In the locker room Tom Brady complained to Patriots’ owner, Robert Kraft, that someone had stolen his game jersey.

At least Kraft was able to sympathise having earlier had one of his Super Bowl rings stolen while visiting St Petersburg in 2005!  While that was not returned, he does have another to add to his collection.

All in all, it was a thoroughly entertaining drama for all the bleary-eyed American football fans in Bahrain, particularly those stationed Juffair and not on duty, who tuned in through the early hours to watch the action – it was well worth it!