Jimmy Embrescia
jje001@marietta.edu
Tom Brady picked up his sixth career Super Bowl ring when he and the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 13-3.
The big game was anticipated by many to be a high scoring affair. In reality, that did not happen and the game was dominated by the play of both defenses and special team’s units.
The fourth quarter began with the scores tied at three, which is a first in the era of the Super Bowl. The Patriots would be the first and only team to find the end zone. Sony Michel ran the ball in from two yards out to give the Patriots a 10-3 lead. Late in the game, Stephen Gostkowski hit a late field goal to clinch the game for the Patriots.
Throughout the game, Brady had reliable targets in Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. The two combined for a total of 16 receptions that amassed 228 yards of offense.
For his team leading efforts, Edelman was announced as the game’s most valuable player. This comes after he missed the entirety of the 2017 campaign.
One of the major talking points of the game was the special teams play and the kicking game. Gostkowski missed a field goal early in the game from 46-yards out. Despite this, he was able to clutch up in the second quarter and knock one in from 42-yards away.
Johnny Hekker of the Rams was one of the main reasons the Rams were able to remain competitive. Both punters played well, with each pinning their opponent inside the 10-yard line at least four times. But it was a punt by Hekker that caught everyone’s eyes. Hekker hit a 65-yard punt from the back of his own end zone to give the Rams defense room to work with. The punt broke the record for longest punt in Super Bowl history, previously held by Ryan Allen of the New England Patriots.
Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi provided the halftime entertainment. The most notable part of the show was when Travis Scott introduced the song “Sicko Mode” with a tribute to an episode of SpongeBob. Maroon 5 also earned positive reviews with their mix of new hits and older classics.
