Tom Brady and the New England Patriots advanced to the teams third consecutive Super Bowl after a bizarre victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, January 20th.
A slow first half built to a phenomenal second half and eventual overtime finish. Brady and the Patriots controlled the majority of the game, but countless plays nearly ended New England's bid for a fifth Super Bowl championship.
A total of nine crucial plays cost Kansas City a chance to knock off the Patriots-many of them coming in the fourth quarter or on the final drive.
A roughing the passer called on Chiefs' defensive lineman Chris Jones was a mere swipe of the face to Tom Brady and did not deserve to be called. The penalty gave New England a fresh set of downs and few plays later, Dee Ford's offsides did the same. Rather than a fresh set of downs, Ford's penalty negated an Eric Berry interception that would have ended New England's season.
Almost every bounce, tip, catch and pass went in New England's favor. Almost as if it was fate.
Over the course of almost two decades, fate has carried the Patriots to a now nine Super Bowl appearances. The unprecedented number tops the NFL and outnumbers 12 other teams combined.
The New England Patriots have simply been untouchable, but New England’s, and more importantly Tom Brady’s, story is not without its eyebrow-raising moments.
Starting back in 2001, the 'Tuck Rule' rescued Brady and the Patriots from a Divisional Round exit. An Adam Vinatieri field goal later and the NFL saw the dawn of the Patriot dynasty.
Fast forward 13 years and Pete Carroll's decision to pass the ball on the goal line lives in infamy. Seattle, down by four, one yard away from taking the lead elected for a slant pass over the middle instead of handing the ball to the league leader in rushing touchdowns, Marshawn Lynch.
Possibly the most questionable play call of the last decade, New England and Tom Brady again got lucky.
Two years later, New England found themselves down 28-3 to Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. In need of a spark, Brady marched the Patriots up the field and managed to put up six more points followed by a missed Stephen Gostkowski extra point.
Still down by 19, the Brady and the Patriots got the biggest break of the game late in the third quarter. The ball on New England's 32-yard line, Matt Ryan and the Falcons call a pass play resulting in a holding penalty. Now on the 42, an incomplete pass means the Falcons were forced to punt.
All Atlanta had to do was run the ball two more times and inch their way closer to an eventual field goal which would have negated New England's eventual historic comeback. The Falcons had the same opportunity with four minutes left in the fourth quarter and still blew it.
These moments and many more have led Fox Sports’ analyst Rob Parker to call Brady the L.O.A.T. In mockery of his greatest of all time title, Parker claims Brady is the “luckiest of all time” and has been gifted his success rather than outright earning it.
Parker never takes away from Brady’s play but shines a light on all the things Brady has needed to go right for him to have his success.
Whether bad coaching decisions, a lucky bounce, circus-style catch or just enough time on the clock to score in the final seconds, Tom Brady has luck on his side. Almost to a point as if the two have Saturday brunch together on a regular basis.
Brady has talent ranking among the best, and the mastermind that is Bill Belichick coaching New England helps but maybe a key factor to Brady's success is simply luck.
This Sunday, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will need luck one more time as they play the Los Angeles Rams in a return to Atlanta for Super Bowl 53. The game will be ninth Super Bowl appearance in the Brady/Belichick era and third in a row dating back to 2016.
New England, actually the underdog going in Sunday's matchup with -150 odds, have a chance to win the franchises six Super Bowl-most all time.
*preview photo credited to YouTube.com
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