CLEVELAND — 10:05 p.m.-Patriots top Rams, 13-3, in Super Bowl LIII
The New England Patriots are once again on top of the NFL world.
After the lowest-scoring first three quarters in Super Bowl history, the Patriots broke through with a fourth-period touchdown and rode that momentum to a 10-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia Sunday night.
Running back Sony Michel and wide receiver Julian Edelman led the way for the Patriots in the win over the Rams.
Edelman converted his 10 receptions into 141 yards, with a long reception of 27 yards, while Michel rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown for the Patriots. Additionally, tight end Rob Gronkowski gained 87 yards on six receptions, and set up the Michel touchdown run with a 29-yard reception down to the Los Angeles two-yard line late in the fourth quarter.
PHOTOS | Patriots defeat Rams in Super Bowl LIII
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady outdueled Los Angeles signal-caller Jared Goff to win his sixth Super Bowl Championship in nine appearances in the biggest game of the NFL season.
Brady completed 21 of his 35 attempts for 262 yards with one interception, which came on his first throw of the game. Brady’s turnover came on a deflection on a throw to wide receiver Chris Hogan early in the first quarter.
Goff completed 19 of his 38 throws for 229 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
9:37 p.m.-Patriots score first TD of Super Bowl LIII
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a touchdown!
After combining for the lowest-scoring Super Bowl through three quarters, the New England Patriots broke the touchdown drought at the 7:00-minute mark of the fourth quarter.
A two-yard burst from Patriots running back Sony Michel gave the Patriots a 10-3 lead over the Los Angeles Rams midway through the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Patriots needed just five plays to cover 69 yards on the way to the game’s first touchdown, with the biggest play coming on a pitch-and-catch from quarterback Tom Brady to veteran tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Brady found Gronkowski with separation from a defender and led his tight end right down the field for a 29-yard gain down to the Los Angeles two-yard line.
9:04 p.m.-Rams draw even with Patriots on Zuerlein FG
A third-down sack of quarterback Jared Goff did not take the Los Angeles Rams out of field goal range, not with kicker Greg Zuerlein active for their Super Bowl LIII matchup with the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
After Los Angeles’ third drive of the second half stalled when Goff was sacked for a nine-yard loss back to the New England 35-yard line, Zuerlein converted a 53-yard field goal attempt with 2:11 to play in the third quarter.
Zuerlein’s kick drew the Rams even with the Patriots, at 3-3.
7:57 p.m.-Patriots lead Rams, 3-0, at halftime
The New England Patriots led the Los Angeles Rams, 3-0, after the first half of Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a chance at redemption, and made good on it against the Rams early in the second quarter. After missing a 46-yard attempt in the first quarter, Gostkowski converted a 42-yard try to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead over the Rams with 10:29 to play in the first half.
Prior to the 42-yard conversion, Gostkowski had missed his previous four kicks, two field goals and two point-after tries, in the Super Bowl.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed 15 of his 25 attempts for 160 yards with an interception on a deflected pass to wide receiver Chris Hogan on his first throw of the game. Brady spread around the ball to five different receivers, no one more than wide receiver Julian Edelman.
A product of Kent State University, Edelman led the way with seven catches for 93 yards in the first half.
Rams quarterback Jared Goff completed just five of his 12 throws for 52 yards.
7:25 p.m.-Patriots take lead on Gostkowski FG
New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a chance at redemption, and he made good on it against the Los Angeles Rams early in the second quarter of Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
After missing a 46-yard attempt in the first quarter, Gostkowski converted a 42-yard try to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead over the Rams with 10:29 to play in the first half.
Prior to the 42-yard conversion, Gostkowski had missed his previous four kicks, two field goals and two point-after tries, in the Super Bowl.
7:11 p.m.-Rams, Patriots play scoreless first quarter in Super Bowl LIII
The New England Patriots controlled the time of possession against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter of Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but it did not result in any points, as they played a scoreless first quarter in the final game of the NFL season.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady completed six of his 11 attempts for 84 yards, but was responsible for the game’s first turnover, as he threw an interception on his first pass of the game. The ball was intercepted on a deflection on a throw to wide receiver Chris Hogan.
Rams quarterback Jared Goff went two for six for 17 yards in the first quarter.
Including tonight’s game, the Patriots have not scored a touchdown in the first quarter of any of Brady’s nine Super Bowl appearances.
The Patriots had the first scoring chance of the game, but kicker Stephen Gostkowski pulled wide left a 46-yard field goal attempt with 5:35 to play in the first quarter.
5:30 p.m.-Patriots, Rams set for Super Bowl LIII
The National Football League will crown a new champion tonight as the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams are set to play in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, with the winner getting to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
Led by quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots will make their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance and ninth overall together, while the upstart Rams, and the young tandem of coach Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff, are back in the NFL’s biggest game for the first time since the 2001 season.
Brady and Belichick are looking for their sixth Super Bowl Championship together, while the Rams are set to make their fourth-ever appearance in the final game of the NFL season. In their last appearance, the Rams suffered a 20-17 loss to the Patriots on a last-second field goal from Adam Vinatieri.
The Patriots and Rams will share the Super Bowl stage 17 years to the day they last met for the Lombardi Trophy.
