The New England Patriots pulled out another win on Sunday, January 22, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The victory continues their successful 2016-2017 season, boasting a record of 16-2. The Patriots are now headed to compete in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, January 29.
Despite the Patriots current accomplishment to compete in the Super Bowl, the team had a colorful start to the season. Starting quarterback Tom Brady was suspended for the first four season games following his role in the “Deflategate” scandal during the 2014-2015 AFC Championship game.
In his place, Jimmy Garoppolo was able to fill his shoes, but injured his shoulder after only two games on the field. The team was left to play rookie Jacoby Brissett as quarterback. Brissett proved his worth, however, with a victory against Houston Texans with a winning score of 27-0.
Despite the their difficulties, the Patriots had managed to keep a spotless 3-0 record, but in week five, the team struggled. While facing the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots contrasted their previous win with a 0-16 loss, gaining their first loss of the season.
Finally, week six saw the return of starting quarterback Tom Brady. The team proceeded to win the next four games, including another game against the Buffalo Bills, victorious until a match-up with the Seattle Seahawks. With a 24-31 loss, the Patriots stood at 7-2 by the end of week ten.
Maintaining a winning record for the remainder of their season, the Patriots went into the playoffs confident with a 16-2 standing. True to their record, the team’s post season was successful landing them in the Super Bowl.
The Falcons, having a season record of 13-5 defeated the Green Bay Packers on Sunday as well with a score of 44-21, landing them in their first Super Bowl appearance since 1999. The southern team will battle the New England Patriots on Sunday January 29 at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.