Where was this all game? After struggling through the first three quarters of Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams and managing just three points, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense seized control of the game in the fourth quarter.
With the score tied, 3-3, the Patriots took over at their own 31 with 9:49 remaining. Here’s how they finally broke through to reach the end zone.
■ First and 10 at the 31: Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski for an 18-yard pass, lofting the ball down the right sideline to move just shy of midfield.
Tom Terrific to Gronk the Great.@RobGronkowski | #EverythingWeGot pic.twitter.com/yS5YInCvOn
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 4, 2019
■ First and 10 at the 49: Brady hits Julian Edelman over the middle for 13 yards to move into Rams territory.
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■ First and 10 at the Los Angeles 38: Brady targets Rex Burkhead for seven yards.
■ Second and 3 at the Los Angeles 31: Brady lofts the ball down the left sideline, where Gronkowski dives for a 29-yard reception.
“Tom threw it to me and I had to make a play,” Gronkowski said. “I just come through whenever it’s that time. He knows to trust in me.”
■ First and goal at the Los Angeles 2: Sony Michel takes the handoff and plunges through the left side of the line for the lone touchdown of Super Bowl LIII.
The Patriots had some success moving the ball early, but for three quarters they struggled to put it all together. Their first drive ended when Tom Brady was picked off on his first pass of the game at the Rams’ 27, and the second drive ended with Stephen Gostkowski missed a 46-yard field.
Entering the fourth quarter, all the Patriots had mustered was a 42-yard field goal.
“We couldn’t get points on the board for one reason or another,” Brady said, “but in the end, it feels a lot better than last year, when we did get some points on the board.”
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Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney.