Patriots Win 6th Super Bowl in Defensive Battle
Patriots Win 6th Super Bowl in Defensive Battle
New England Defeats Rams in 13-3 Title Game
Frank Coyle – Head Scout
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The NE Patriots beat the LA Rams in the lowest scoring Super Bowl in history to win their 6th Super Bowl title. The Patriots win matched the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most SB victories in history. It was the 6th SB win for the 41 year old QB Tom Brady who passed former LB Charles Haley who had 5 Super Bowl rings. In an era of explosive offenses, the title game became a defensive battle where HC Bill Belichick designed a brilliant game plan to smother the Rams’ young QB Jared Goff. The Patriots coach never allowed Goff to settle into the pocket and presented a diverse blitz package that forced the third year pro Goff to constantly move in the pocket. Goff completed only 19 of 38 passes for 229 yards and 1 critical 4th quarter interception that virtually sealed the game for the Pats.
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Patriots QB Tom Brady had a decent performance as a game manager, though he failed to put up big numbers. He went 21 for 35 passing for 253 yards passing, no TDs and 1 early interception. He looked to wideout Julian Edelman and TE Rob Gronkowski in key situations. Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards, most in key situations that moved the chains. That performance earned Edelman his first Super Bowl MVP award. Gronk made the game clincher with a late reception to the Rams 1 yard line before rookie back Sony Michel into the endzone for the game’s sole TD. Michel rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries and 1 TD in another huge postseason performance that balanced the offense.
The real star of the victory was the Patriots defense which totaled 4 sacks, multiple pressures and 1 interception while limiting the Rams string ground game to just 62 yards. That pressure forced the young Goff to constantly face 2nd and 3rd and long situations which played into the Pats’ multiple blitz schemes that never allowed him to settle into a pocket rhyme. That reflected in Goff’s weak 3 for 13 third down efficiency.
The lowest scoring game in SB history will be viewed as another ring in the Patriots long legacy of NFL dominance in an era of Free Agency and salary cap limitations. No other NFL team has come even close to this type of success especially during the past twenty five years with only the Broncos winning back to back SB titles during this period. The Pats look to repeat next year and defend their title in hopes of becoming the only team to win back to back SB championships twice.