ATLANTA Of course this is how Super Bowl LIII would end.
A mind-numbingly boring game capped by a Tom Brady-quarterbacked and Bill Belichick-schemed game-winning drive. Plus, a game-sealing interception by Stephon Gilmore and an insurance field goal by Stephen Goskowski.
Those scrappy underdogs did it again.
With a 13-3 win against the Los Angeles Rams, the dynastic Patriots won their sixth Super Bowl since 2002, making Brady the oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. Brady earned his sixth ring, Belichick his eighth. They won their first together in 2002.
This one was the ironic end to the 2018 season. A year defined by explosive offenses all came down to a defensive struggle and a punt-fest.
Until the Rams finally converted a third down their first in nine tries on an 18-yard pass in the third quarter, the most banner-worthy moment of the night was Johnny Hekkers record-setting 65-yard punt for the Rams, good for the longest in Super Bowl history, and Stephen Gostkowskis 42-yard field goal for the Pats.
In fact, most of the highlights Sunday night came from Hekker and his Patriots counterpart.
By early in the fourth quarter, Hekker had amassed 378 yards on eight punts. Meanwhile Ryan Allen had five punts for 215 yards.
And to think, we were a no-call and an offsides flag away from an electrifying showdown between the NFLs MVP and the runner-up.
The Chiefs were so close to playing in this game, and had they made it instead of the Patriots, the new MVP as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was crowned Saturday night might have given the world more offense.
Instead, we got this.
Not that Brady was apologizing afterward.
We just kept fighting and finally got a touchdown, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. Our defense played their best game of the year.
With Todd Gurley, the leagues second-highest paid running back, on the sideline more than he was on the field, the Rams offense sputtered for most of the night. And when it finally seemed they were capable of making a late fourth-quarter surge, Rams quarterback Jared Goff followed up a near-touchdown strike to Brandin Cooks with a goal-line interception into the arms of Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Ballgame.