By Brendan O’Connell
As dusk drew nearer this past Sunday evening, millions of football fans across the nation watched with baited breath as the unthinkable nearly happened. The Jacksonville Jaguars, a talented and surprisingly young team, outfitted in their two-toned helmets and mirrored sunglasses, traveled to the seat of NFL power to face the vaunted New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium and dominated the game for much of its first 45 minutes. Living rooms, sports bars and social media platforms alike were – prematurely – buzzing with the possibilities of a dynasty dethroned and predictions of an anticlimactic end to the careers of two of the most accomplished figures in football history.
Unfortunately for the Jaguars, with the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance in their twenty-two-year history just minutes from becoming a reality, a 40-year-old quarterback and certain hooded coach, along with multiple assistants who are likely poised to head up their own operations this offseason, showed that their time had not run out. The Patriots (and the “storm” himself, Tom Brady) stormed back for a 24-20 triumph.
The Patriots are no strangers to succeeding in the face of failure. Incredibly, the last four times the Patriots have trailed by double digits in the postseason, they have come back to win.
In the 2015 AFC Divisional Round, they charged back from 14 points behind – not once but twice – to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, with trick plays like Julian Edelman’s pass to Danny Amendola and innovative formation designs that befuddled the opposing defense.
Three weeks later, in Super Bowl XLIX, trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter to the Seattle Seahawks, Tom Brady completed 13 of his 15 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns against one of the greatest defensive units in league history as a prelude to Malcolm Butler’s iconic, championship-saving interception at the goal line to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
In last year’s Super Bowl LI, despite famously being down 28-3 in the waning minutes of the third quarter with the Atlanta Falcons and their historic offense on the other sideline, the Patriots accounted for several iconic moments, including Dont’a Hightower’s strip-sack of league MVP Matt Ryan, Edelman’s fingertip catch between multiple defenders and James White’s overtime rushing touchdown. You also can’t forget number 12’s absurd second half stat line of 28 of 37 for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
This past Sunday, once again down 10 points against a defense full of star players with the clock ticking in the fourth quarter, the Patriots found a way to outlast their challengers once more. Brady relied upon Amendola for several clutch plays late and finished with 290 yards, two touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 108.4, all while having at least ten stitches in his throwing hand.
He and Belichick captured their 27th postseason victory together, including their 11th in come-from-behind fashion in the fourth quarter or overtime, despite the team not having its two top offensive weapons in Edelman and Rob Gronkowski (in the second half) and defensive stalwart Hightower due to injury, Brady suffering from a slice on his right thumb and an alleged power struggle between the most successful quarterback-coach-owner trio in the history of the sports looming overhead.
Now, the Patriots head to Minneapolis for their eighth Super Bowl this millennium and tenth all-time. Vying for their sixth ring, Belichick and Brady will face the Philadelphia Eagles, whom they faced in Super Bowl XXXIX. The last time this matchup took place with the Lombardi Trophy on the line, the Patriots emerged victorious. However, while Brady and Belichick are still at the helm in Foxborough, the Eagles’ roster and coaching staff have changed dramatically since that night in February of 2005.
Will the outcome be different this season, or will Belichick, Brady, Robert Kraft and Patriot nation enjoy a third title in four years yet again?
