A moment of impossible fortune sparked a stunning Super Bowl revival, and reminded us why fightback wins are the most cherished of allIn Fever Pitch, his peerless football fan’s memoir, Nick Hornby describes a cathartic moment in his life. He is watching Arsenal – naturally – and they’re playing in the semi-final of the 1987 Littlewoods Cup. It was hardly the Champions League, but it was an intense affair that mattered a lot at that time, not least because Arsenal’s opponents were their hated neighbours Tottenham Hotspur.It was the third match of the tie, the first two legs ending in a draw, and Spurs were winning with the game drawing to a close. At that time Arsenal were going through...
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback was statistically perfect with the NFL title within his grasp. But he was soon to find out that statistics can lieMatt Ryan was perfect. With under nine minutes left to play in Super Bowl LI, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback had completed 13 of 16 attempted passes for 202 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Through the arcane calculations of the NFL’s statisticians, that gave him a passer rating of 158.3 - the highest score possible. Literally, perfection. At that moment, he appeared the likely winner of the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player award. The Falcons had just given up a field goal, but they still held a 28-12 lead over New England. All they needed to...
In 51 years of Super Bowls, there have been great games – but never had one gone to overtime, and never had one been so stuffed with brillianceIn 51 years of Super Bowls there have been game-winning field goals and championship-saving tackles. There have been epic drives and amazing catches. But for all the previous great moments in the history of America’s biggest game there was none greater than Sunday’s 34-28 New England win over Atlanta. It was simply the best Super Bowl ever.Never has a Super Bowl seen a comeback like this one of New England’s, climbing back after being down 21-0 after Atlanta’s sensational second-quarter outburst and 28-3 with just over 17 minutes left in regulation. No Super...
New England’s stingy defense will make the difference in a mouth-watering matchup between the two best quarterbacks in the league this seasonSuccess is supposed to be fleeting in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons are a case study in how it’s meant to be in a league whose structure is designed to promote parity. After going 14-2 and reaching their first Super Bowl in 1998, they failed to even get back into the postseason for another four years. The exact same thing happened after they went 13-3 and reached the NFC title game in 2012. And now, all of a sudden, they are back in the big dance. Related: Ready for the Super Bowl? Sign up for our newest mobile alert...
According to a new study, 25% of Americans believe that Sunday’s result has already been decided by the good lord. But who is he (or she) rooting for?The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons are putting the final touches on their gameplans ahead of Super Bowl LI on Sunday, each team undoubtedly confident that if they give their all, execute and limit mistakes, they can come out victorious. Or, to go full football cliche: it’s anyone’s game, and the outcome will be decided on the field. Related: The love of movies that made Tom Brady a superstar | Les Carpenter Related: Ready for the Super Bowl? Sign up for our newest mobile alert Continue reading...