Super Bowl LIII: Defense Was The Key

The 2018 NFL season is over, and the New England Patriots have won their sixth Super Bowl title in franchise history and third in five years with a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. This was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in NFL history, a hard-nosed defensive grind in a season of hyperactive offenses across the league. It was an ironic end to the highest-scoring NFL season of all time.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady received his sixth Super Bowl ring, making him the player with the most Super Bowl championships in NFL history and the oldest player to win one at 41 years of age. Head coach Bill Belichick also won his sixth Super Bowl, meaning that he now has two more than the previous Super Bowl record-holder for a head coach, Chuck Noll.

Brady certainly did not play the best game of his career, completing 21 of 35 passes for 262 passing yards and an interception. The Patriots' only touchdown was a two-yard rush by rookie running back Sony Michel, but Brady made plays when it counted, most notably a 29-yard pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski that set up Michel's touchdown.

However, New England's defense was the key to winning this game. The Rams' star-studded, high-powered offense ran into a brick wall on the biggest stage. Rams quarterback Jared Goff may have had the worst game of his career, completing a measly 19 of his 38 passes for 229 passing yards with an interception of his own to New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore at the Patriots' 3-yard line. Running back Todd Gurley did not look healthy, rushing for only 35 yards on ten carries. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks had eight receptions for 120 yards, but also had two costly drops on potential touchdown passes.

The Rams' defense turned in a solid performance in their own right, never allowing New England's offense to find a rhythm with the exception of the touchdown drive. However, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman corralled in ten passes for 141 receiving yards and received the Super Bowl MVP award, the first of his career.

Instead of the gargantuan offensive spectacle that fans were expecting, the defenses ultimately decided the outcome of this game, and the Patriots won out.