Ranking Every Super Bowl Of The 2010s, From Worst To Best
2. Super Bowl LI (2016) New England Patriots 34-28 Atlanta Falcons
New England Patriots fans might have been forgiven for thinking that Super Bowl 51 marked a devastating end to the Belichick/Brady dynasty. The Atlanta Falcons initially tore the Patriots to shreds, riding their turbo-powered offense to an incredible 21-3 lead at the half.
If anyone followed Mark Wahlberg out of the stadium at halftime, however, they likely count it among the biggest regrets of their lives. By expertly controlling possession, wearing out Atlanta’s young defense, and trusting the greatest quarterback of all time to do what he does best, the Patriots somehow stormed back to tie the game at 28-28 by the end of regulation.
Atlanta could now do nothing right, as young offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan saw every trick in his arsenal suddenly rendered completely ineffective. It almost felt as though the Patriots had planned it all, cruelly allowing the Falcons to get as close as possible before snatching their hopes away with a series of cackles.
As the first Super Bowl ever to go to overtime, the end result felt inevitable as soon as the Patriots won the coin-toss to gain possession of the ball. With league MVP Matt Ryan forced to watch powerlessly from the sidelines, Tom Brady marched the Pats down the field to arguably the most impressive victory in history.
A truly outstanding bout, albeit one that felt rather like two lopsided blowouts in one game.