Super Bowl running in

By Drew Olvaino and Vincent Hoang

Tension was high throughout the arena. It was going to be a tie. Defense and offense clashed against one another, seemingly on equal terms. It was the fourth quarter, and seven minutes were remaining on the clock. No one knew who was going to win. Would it be the New England Patriots, or the Los Angeles Rams? Time was running by quickly and the winner was undetermined until—touchdown! Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady punted the ball to running back Sony Michel who drove into the end zone. The lead jumped up drastically, and the Patriots, fans and players alike, jumped out of their seats. The winner of the game was certain.

Super Bowl LIII, or the 53rd Super Bowl, was hosted in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta last Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Six-time Super Bowl champions New England Patriots were against the one-time champions Los Angeles Rams in which the Patriots won 13-3.

Unfortunately for many who watched the game, Super Bowl LIII did not break a record by having the game reach overtime, as many had hoped. Both the Rams’ and Patriots’ past games concluded with a win during overtime.

Nevertheless, plenty of records were set during this year’s Super Bowl. The record of the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever was perhaps the most significant. The Rams individually made a record for the longest punt kicked off at a high record of 65 yds by Johnny Hekker during the third quarter. On the sidelines, the first time in football history, the very first male cheerleaders Napoleon Jinnies and Quinton Peron performed for the Rams during the game.

The first half of the game ended with the Patriots leading 3-0. Both teams had yet to score during the first quarter and had trouble during the second quarter until the Patriots kicked the ball into the goal post.

When the first two quarters finished, the halftime show begun with the appearance of Maroon 5. They dominated most of the show with appearances such as Travis Scott and Big Boi who performed alongside lead singer Adam Levine. Maroon 5 dominated the stage, performing “This Love,” “Girls Like You,” “Sicko Mode,” “I Like the Way You Move,” “She Will Be Loved,” “Sugar” and “Moves Like Jagger.” There was criticism about how Levine had taken over the halftime show and took his shirt off during the performance. Celebrities such as Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and various news outlets had criticized Maroon 5 for having an uneven schedule and flow.

After halftime was over, the Rams tied the game with a kickoff at 3-3. They remained tied throughout the rest of the third quarter, despite Patriots’ strong safety Patrick Chung having to leave the game due to a right arm injury. The Patriots won the game by outscoring the Rams with a touchdown during the fourth quarter. This touchdown was made by tight end Rob Gronkowski who caught two of the Rams’ footballs. This led to the Patriots’ victory and wide receiver Julian Edelman was named MVP for this year’s Super Bowl.

Despite being called one of the “worst” and “most boring” matches in Super Bowl history, records were set and the Patriots got another championship ring and trophy for their well-deserved performance.