Super Bowl 51: Score, highlights, recap

Did you miss Super Bowl 51? We’re here to catch you up! Find out who won, along with the score, highlights, and recap of the big game.

Super Bowl 51 featured the Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots, and what a game it was! This was only the second Super Bowl go for the Falcons, but they seemed ready to bring it with Matt Ryan, and the entire team backing him up! Unfortunately, they got ahead of themselves. Tom Brady led the Patriots in their fifth attempt at a Super Bowl win, yet it didn’t seem like they were a match for the offense or defense of the Falcons … At least, not at first.

First Quarter:

The first quarter started kind of slow and ended with no score from either team. However, it was the Falcons’ Devonta Freeman who made the first big play by rushing for 37 yards! The quarter ended without a scorer.

Score: Falcons 0-0 Patriots

Second Quarter:

The second quarter brought on the points, with the Falcons pretty much owning the Patriots. The quarter started when Deion Jones forced the first fumble of the game, which landed the Falcons with possession. The first touchdown came from the Falcons when Devonta Freeman juked and ran for a 5-yard touchdown!

Score: Falcons 7-0 Patriots

Then, the second touchdown came from Austin Hooper, who caught a 19-yard pass from Matt Ryan, and bumped the Falcons up 13-0. The first attempt for the extra point was missed, but a penalty was called. The second attempt went through!

Score: Falcons 14-0 Patriots

Robert Alford was the Falcon responsible for the third touchdown, which came after he intercepted Tom Brady for an 82-yard return touchdown! This is the first time Tom Brady threw pick-six during a Super Bowl. (This means he threw an interception that scored 6 points, just in case you didn’t know!)

Score: Falcons 21-0 Patriots

The Patriots were finally able to put a score on the board when Stephen Gostkowski got them a 41-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half. Not much, but it got them up there!

Score: Falcons 21-3 Patriots

Third Quarter:

The second half started off slow, but the action spiked up again when Tevon Coleman caught a 6-yard touchdown for the Falcolns. This put them up four touchdowns ahead of the Patriots.

Score: Falcons 28-3 Patriots

The Patriots also got a touchdown in the third quarter, although this was only their first of the entire game! However, they somehow managed to miss the extra point, which clipped the field goal post.

Fourth Quarter:

In the fourth quarter, Gostkowski followed up with another field goal for the Patriots. This allowed them to start closing the gap between the big lead that the Falcons picked up early in the game.

Score: Falcons 28-12 Patriots

Matt Ryan fumbled, which lead the Patriots to get another touchdown. To top things off, the Patriots went for a two-point conversion and got it! This further reduced the lead of the Falcons.

Score: Falcons 28-20 Patriots

The Patriots pulled out yet another touchdown, then another 2 point conversion. Unbelievable! They came back to tie up the game from a 25 point lead! The Falcons hadn’t scored since the third quarter. Super Bowl 51 went into overtime, the first time ever for a Super Bowl!

Score: Falcons 28-28 Patriots

Overtime:

The Patriots drove straight downfield for another touchdown and became the Champions of Super Bowl 51!

Final Score: Patriots 34-28 Falcons

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The New England Patriots are now five-time Super Bowl Champions!