Super Bowl Stats

This year’s Super Bowl put up historic numbers and broke many records. The Eagles and Patriots combined to pass and run a total of 1,151 yards, the most for any game ever. The teams together also totaled 874 passing yards, a Super Bowl record. In addition, this year’s game had the least punts ever and the most missed extra points in a game. Each team’s kicker missed an extra point and both teams failed on a 2-point conversion. There were also many individual records broken.

Patriots stats

            The New England Patriots have been to nine super bowls and this year was their tenth appearance, an NFL record. The Patriots fell to the Eagles 41-33, which was the most points in a Super Bowl loss ever. Although they didn’t win, Quarterback Tom Brady still achieved historic numbers. He threw for 505 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 505 yards passing was a Super Bowl record. The Patriots also had three receivers top 100 yards receiving: Danny Amendola had 152 yards, Chris Hogan had 128 yards, and Rob Gronkowski had 116 yards. The Patriots also managed to rush for 116 yards, with James White and Dion Lewis carrying the load. The Patriots offense did its part in this game, but the defense didn’t hold up their end of the game.

Eagles stats

            The Philadelphia Eagles had been to two super bowls and this year was their third. The Eagles had never won the big game before, but this year that changed with their 41-33 win over the Patriots. As this year’s underdogs they managed to prove everyone’s low expectations wrong. They played without their star quarterback Carson Wentz, who was having an MVP-like season before tearing his ACL in a win over the Rams early on. Back-up quarterback Nick Foles stepped up, and was rewarded game MVP. He threw for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught a huge touchdown pass off of a trick play right before halftime. Running back LaGarrette Blount had a big game with 90 yards rushing. Running back Corey Clement had 100 yards, receiving on only 4 catches. He also scored a touchdown to contribute to the Eagles win. Alshon Jeffrey had a good game as well with 73 yards receiving and a touchdown. Tight end Zach Ertz also made the winning, late game touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, they had one strip sack by Brandon Graham, and Derek Bartlett had the recovery.

Play by Play

To start off Super Bowl 52, the New England Patriots won the coin toss. They chose to kick the ball, so the Eagles had the first possession of the game. In the first drive of the first quarter, the Eagles made it to the two-yard line, but Zach Ertz fall started. There was a five-yard penalty on the Eagles, and they ended up scoring a field goal off the seventh yard line with 7:55 left in the first quarter. Ertz’s penalty may have cost them a touchdown. In the Patriots first, drive they were unable to convert the third down, and settled for a twenty-six-yard field goal with 5:16 to go in the first quarter. In the Eagles second drive, they had a 36 yard run and then a 34 yard pass. They scored a touchdown going 77 yards in three plays. They missed their extra point after the touchdown. The Patriots got no points in their second drive, and the first quarter ended with a score of 9-3 with the Eagles in the lead.

The Patriots started off the second quarter missing a twenty-six-yard field goal with 14:13 left in the half.  When the ball was snapped back for the kick, the holder dropped the ball and had to re-set it which threw the kicker off. The Eagles were unable to get a first down in their first series of the second quarter.

During the Patriots second drive of the second quarter, number fourteen, Brandin Cooks, was injured and had to leave the game.  They didn’t get any points, and the ball went back to the Eagles. The Eagles scored a touchdown with 8:48 left to go in the half. They went for a two-point conversion and didn’t get it. The Patriots responded with a 47 yard run by Rex Burkhead, and a 45-yard field goal with 7:24 left to go. The Eagles had the ball, and with 5:06 left in the second quarter, quarterback Nick Foles threw a deep pass down the sideline to Alshon Jeffrey, but there was a deflection.

The Patriots intercepted the ball. They scored a touchdown with 2:04 left in the first half, but they missed their extra point.

Next, the Eagles had a 55-yard run by number thirty, Corey Clement.

Then Nick Foles, the Eagles quarterback scored a touchdown on a trick play called the “Philly Special.” At the end of the first half the score was 22-12 with the Eagles in the lead.

The second half of the game seemed to go faster as the game intensified.  In the Patriots’ opening drive of the second half, they scored a touchdown with 12:55 left in the third quarter. The Eagles responded with a touchdown at 7:18. Then, Hogan scored a touchdown for the Patriots with 3:23 left. The third quarter ended with a 29-26 lead for the Eagles. The fourth quarter started with the Eagles scoring a field goal with 14:09 left in the in the quarter.

Then, Gronkowski of the Patriots scored a touchdown with 9:22 left in the games. This touchdown put the New England Patriots in the lead for the first time in the game. If the Eagles didn’t respond with a score the game may have been over, but the Eagles scored a touchdown with 2:21 left in the game. Tight end Zach Ertz caught an 11-yard touchdown and put the Eagles up for good.

They went for a two-point conversion in order to put them ahead of the Patriots by a touchdown, but failed to get those two points. Now, the Eagles only had a five point lead. With 2:09 left in the second half, the Eagles defense stepped up when needed most. Brady fumbled the ball with the Eagles first sack of the game, and Eagles player, Derek Barnett, recovered the ball. This fumble recovery led an Eagles attempted and made 46 yard field goal with 1:10 left in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, the Patriots ran it out and tried to run a reverse only failing to gain any more yards and wasting even more time on the clock. The Patriots, with no timeouts, had one more chance to score, but failed, leaving the final score 41-33 with the Eagles winning Super Bowl 52 and capturing their first Super Bowl ever!