Julian Edelman, MVP of the Super Bowl, hoists the trophy after New England won 13-3.
by Benjamin Rohrbaugh
Super LIII (53) was one for the ages, kind of. The contest, which was played last Sunday, was between the NFC Champions, Los Angeles Rams and the defending AFC Champions New England Patriots. The Patriots won a nail-biter against the Kansas City Chiefs to claim the AFC title. The Pat’s veteran leadership and experience played a pivotal factor in the victory.
As for the Chiefs, their young star, Patrick Mahomes, had a historic season, but came up a little short to overtake Tom Brady. The LA Rams had more of a controversial way of advancing to the Super Bowl. The Rams went on the road to face Drew Brees and the Saints.
The game ended in a questionable manner; the Rams safety ran into Michael Thomas, the wide receiver for the Saints. In most games, this call would likely be a pass interference. However, there was no call. This call would have definitely changed the outcome of the game, but it will never be solved. The Rams advanced on the Saint’s home turf.
Super Bowl 53 started out relatively slow. Those looking for a defensive-minded game got what they were looking for. For those who wanted to see scoring and action, they probably were not as entertained. On the first possession of the game, Patriots’ Quarterback Tom Brady threw an interception. Right off the bat, the Rams had momentum. The Rams’ offense, however, was stagnant, and they could not manage to score points. At the end of one, the score was 0-0.
The second quarter was more of the same thing. Julian Edelman, receiver for New England, got a few touches, resulting in a couple of long plays for the Pats. However, because of some pressure from Rams’ MVP Aaron Donald, the Patriots could not manage to light up the scoreboard. After missing the first attempt earlier in the game, Patriots’ kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailed the second one. The score then turned 3-0 in favor of New England. This was the only scoring of the half.
The Rams’ came out with more energy in the second half. They finally managed to get some points. After a scoreless first half, kicker Greg Zuerlein kicked one through the uprights. The score then turned 3-3. Quite a barnburner. Momentum shifted to Los Angeles’ side entering the fourth quarter.
Midway through the 4th quarter, Brady led New England on a drive that would eventually be the deciding factor in the game. Sparked by Julian Edelman, the Pats marched their way down the field. After a long throw to Patriots’ tight end, Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots were now on the one yard line. This was the first time either team was this close to scoring a touchdown. Rookie running back Sony Michel then ran the ball into the endzone for the first time in the game. The score was then 10-3.
The Rams offense had no answer for the Patriots’ defense. Rams’ Quarterback Jared Goff did not play as well as he normally does, most likely from the efforts of New England’s defense. The Rams did not score any more points the rest of the game. As for the Patriots’, Gostkowski kicked another field goal, increasing their lead to 10. The game ended with the final score of 13-3.
The Patriots won their second championship in the last three years. With the win, Tom Brady now has six championship victories, more than most franchises have ever won. Brady’s 6th win came with the help of Julian Edelman. Edelman totaled 141 yards and 10 catches, b leading his team to victory. Edelman was awarded Super Bowl MVP.
History teacher Ryan Bologa and junior running back Savion Harrison predicted that the Patriots would win the game. When interviewing them, they both said that Patriots would come out on top, and they were right. Super 53 was the lowest scoring game in Super Bowl history, and it was one of the most defensive minded games the NFL has seen in years.