Pats clinch big win in overtime

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Super Bowl LI will go down as one of the greatest NFL games of all time.

The New England Patriots completed the largest comeback in Super Bowl history to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The Patriots trailed 28-3 in the third quarter, coming back to tie the game at 28 on a touchdown run with under a minute to play in regulation.

The drive was sparked by a gritty reception by wide receiver Julian Edelman, who hauled in a tipped pass while being surrounded by three Falcons defenders.

Four plays later, the Patriots scored to tie the game.

The 91-yard drive was the longest of the game, and positioned the game to go into overtime for the first time in the 51-year history of the Super Bowl.

The Patriots won the coin toss in overtime and started with the ball, needing a touchdown to end the game and win the fifth Super Bowl title for the organization.

New England easily marched down the field against the tired Atlanta defense, and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by running back James White, winning the game for New England and bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Boston for the fifth time in 15 years.

This Super Bowl victory was the fifth for quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, which put them in a class of their own as the only quarterback and head coach in NFL history to win five championships as a starter.

Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, said in his postgame interview that this championship was the most fulfilling of his five victories, due to the looming presence of “Deflate-gate,” which resulted in Brady being suspended for the first four games of the season.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was responsible for the ban, was relentlessly booed by New England fans in the stadium when he gave the Patriots the Lombardi trophy.

Goodell has been widely criticized for his handling of the situation, especially recently where he refused to attend a Patriots playoff game prior to the Super Bowl.