Super Bowl LI Patriots vs Cowboys
The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history: Patriots stun Falcons 34–28 in overtime.
Super Bowl LI was an American football game played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 5, 2017, to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2016 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in overtime.
Quick Facts
- Subject
- Super Bowl LI
- Sport
- American Football
- Teams involved
- New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons
- Status
- Real, widely-known event
Lore & Background
Super Bowl LI featured the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, with the Patriots overcoming a 28–3 deficit to emerge victorious. The game was also the first Super Bowl (and first league championship since 1958) to be decided in overtime. The Patriots' victory was their fifth, moving them into a three-way tie with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers for the second-most Super Bowl wins. After finishing the regular season with a league-best 14–2 record, New England advanced to their record-setting ninth Super Bowl appearance and their seventh under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. The Falcons, led by the league's top offense and MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, finished the regular season with an 11–5 record and the NFC's second seed. They were seeking their first Super Bowl title in their second appearance after last playing in 1998's Super Bowl XXXIII.
Reader's Guide
Atlanta scored three consecutive touchdowns to take a 21–3 halftime lead, which they increased to 28–3 midway through the third quarter. However, the Patriots scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation. In overtime, New England received the kickoff after winning the coin toss and scored a touchdown to claim the title. More than 30 team and individual Super Bowl records were broken or matched during the game, including Patriots running back James White's 14 receptions and 20 points scored and Brady's 62 attempts, 43 completions, and 466 passing yards. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for a record fourth time and was the oldest player to receive the honor at 39; he would surpass both records in Super Bowl LV.
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