New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons: Team Grades for Super Bowl LI

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Feb 6, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks during the Super Bowl LI most valuable player press conference flanked by the Lombardi Trophy at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Passing Offense

Like most other areas for the Patriots, it didn’t start out well for the Patriots’ passing offense. There was poor pass protection, poor throws, and dropped balls. This combination of errors resulted in the Patriots having just three points at halftime. While the Patriots have historically started out slow in the first quarter, it did not look good early on.

One of the biggest mistakes of the first half came on a throw by Tom Brady. On the Falcons side of the field, Brady threw an ill-advised pass over that middle that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. It appeared to be a back-breaking play for the Patriots, however, Brady and company responded.

In the win, Brady ended up finishing the Super Bowl with a monster game. On his way to winning his fifth Super Bowl, Brady totaled 466 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. As expected, some of his wide receivers ended up turning in big games as well. Surprisingly, running back James White was the leading receiver for the Patriots. He was able to total a new Super Bowl record with 14 receptions. In addition to White, Danny Amendola, Malcolm Mitchell, and Julian Edelman all totaled at least 70 receiving yards. It ended up being a historic game for the Patriots, and the strong showing from their passing offense was one of the reasons why.

Grade: B+

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