New England Patriots: 5 Players Who Stepped Up in Super Bowl LI
By Nick Ziegler
2.) Dont’a Hightower
Even though the Falcons had 28 points on the scoreboard at the end of the game, the Patriots’ defense did a pretty solid job throughout the game. Two of the Falcons’ touchdowns came off of turnovers. While one interception was returned for a touchdown, the Patriots’ defense did allow the Falcons to move down the field after the fumble by Blount.
Due to the Patriots being down in the turnover differential by two, the Patriots knew that they needed to force a mistake by Atlanta. All season, the Falcons have been excellent at taking care of the football. Regular season MVP Matt Ryan made few mistakes this season, but the Patriots’ defense was able to force him into one in a key moment in the fourth quarter.
On a blitz, linebacker Dont’a Hightower was able to sack Ryan just prior to his arm moving forward on a pass. The ball came loose, and it was recovered by the Patriots. Hightower has been banged up for a good part of the season, but he was able to come up with a huge play for the Patriots when they needed it the most. The fumble forced by Hightower really helped spark the comeback, as the momentum totally shifted.