Atlanta, GA – For much of the game, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense didn’t do much. The Rams offense did even less. With the back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald, on their side, the Rams headed in to Sunday with what was considered a far superior defense. It would be the Patriots defense that showed superiority tonight. Brady headed in to the contest without being sacked this post season and had been hit only three times. While everyone expected that to change – and it did – it would be the Patriots that would wreak havoc in the backfield, hitting Jared Goff 12 times and sacking him four. Make no mistake, the Rams played championship caliber defense. They prevented Brady from throwing a touchdown pass while also forcing an interception. If you knew the Patriots would only score 13 points, 100 percent of the bets would have been on the Rams to host the Lombardi trophy. When all was said and done the experience of Bill Belichick and company would prove to be too much for the young Sean McVay and Jared Goff – and they both knew it.
After the game Goff was asked if the Patriots defense did anything different, maybe more than the Rams anticipated. He said it’s always expected to see different looks but the Patriots did a great job at keeping the Rams guessing and even went as far as to say the Rams were “completely guessing” early on. McVay echoed a similar sentiment stating, “there’s no other way to say it. I got out-coached tonight.”
For more than three quarters of the game, the Patriots seemed to rely solely on the connection between Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. At halftime, the Patriots had netted 195 yards, 93 of which came on seven receptions from Edelman. The scrappy wide receiver would add three more receptions for 48 yards in the second half and be awarded the Super Bowl MVP. Julian was asked if he had ever envisioned himself being Super Bowl MVP this season after the way it all began. “No, I wasn’t really thinking about that. My head was down, just trying to go out and try to win ball games and help the team.It’s pretty surreal. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do. I preach that, and I guess you have to live with it.” Edelman was sure to give a nod to the defense stating, “the defense was unreal holding that offense to three points. It is pretty crazy. They should be the MVP – the whole defense.”
