Sports

Patriots fans never forget 28-3

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It’s been nearly five years since the Patriots last played the Falcons in Super Bowl 51. It’s not the final score, but rather the score in the third quarter that everyone seems to remember.

While it’s not the first time the Pats and Falcons have played each other since Super Bowl 51, it’s the game Pats fans remember the most -- and for good reason.

“It was the greatest comeback in sports history,” said Greg Chiarello of Walpole.

“We broke the Falcons,” said Ben Tileston of Plainville. “And they’ve been broken since.”

In Foxborough, Pats fans can happily reminisce about the outcome of Super Bowl 51, but rewind to February 2017 inside NRG Stadium, and those same fans weren’t as confident.

“Obviously the first half was a disaster,” said Donald Stewart of Franklin.

Most remember the score with 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the third quarter. Patriots 3, Falcons 28.

“I wasn’t ah….I was nervous,” said Stewart. “Yeah, I didn’t think they were going to pull it out.”

But others had faith in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

“I’m always hopeful,” said Dave McIlevenna of Foxborough.

“I knew there was a chance,” said Tileston. “A very small chance. But I never gave up on them.”

“We have to make a turnover here, we need something to happen on defense and soon as Hightower stripped the ball from Matt Ryan I knew that things were starting to turn and that we were really going to turn this game around,” said Chiarello.

“The Edelman catch,” said Tileston.

“An inch or two to spare off the ground,” added Stewart.

“That was kind of the turning point I think, said Tileston. “I was like we got this. We’re going to win this.

And they did, the win having a lasting impact on the Falcons.

“They are definitely still broken,” said Tileston.

And even Tom Brady poked fun at the third-quarter score of Super Bowl 51 as his Tampa Bay Buccaneers were preparing for the Falcons this season. Brady posted a video on Twitter, as he sat in front of his computer screen, which was recorded at 3:28 pm.

In case you forget another set of numbers, the final score of Super Bowl 51 was 34 -28, Patriots.


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