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Houston • They looked old and outmanned. Their quarterback was frazzled, their defense was a sieve.

So what? Tom Brady and the New England Patriots shrugged and did what they always seem to do: Win the Super Bowl.

Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, highlighted by a Julian Edelman catch that was almost beyond belief. The Patriots pulled themselves out of a 25-point hole against the Atlanta Falcons to a 34-28 win for New England's fifth NFL championship and in the first Super Bowl decided in overtime.

"There were a lot of plays that coach talks about, you never know which one is going to be the Super Bowl winner," said Brady, who earned a record fourth MVP award and a fifth Super Bowl ring, the most for a quarterback. "There were probably 30 of those plays tonight and [if] any one of those were different, the outcome could have been different."

Down 28-3 in the third quarter, Tom?

"It's hard to imagine us winning," the 39-year-old Brady said. "It took a lot of great plays and that's why you play to the end."

The Patriots scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White's 2-yard touchdown run in overtime after winning the coin toss. White scored three touchdowns and a 2-pointer.

"We knew we had a shot the whole game," White said. "It was an amazing comeback by our team. It's surreal right now. You couldn't write this script."

Brady guided the Patriots through a tiring Atlanta defense for fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 6-yard pass to Danny Amendola and a 1-yard run by White, which came with 57 seconds remaining in regulation. White ran for the first 2-pointer and Amendola did the deed with a reception on the second.

Brady finished 43 for 62 for 466 yards, also a record, and two touchdowns.

Before the stunning rally — New England already held the biggest comeback in the final period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago — the Falcons appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons.

"There's nothing you can really say," Ryan said. "That's a tough loss, obviously very disappointing, very close to getting done what we wanted to get done."

It wasn't difficult for Patriots owner Robert Kraft as he accepted the Lombardi Trophy from Commissioner Roger Goodell, who naturally drew a flood of boos from New England fans on hand. Yes, "Deflategate" might be far behind Kraft and Brady, but it's not forgotten.

"Two years ago, we won our fourth Super Bowl down in Arizona and I told our fans that was the sweetest one of all," owner Robert Kraft said. "But a lot has transpired over the last two years and I don't think that needs any explanation.

"I want to say to our fans, our brilliant coaching staff, our amazing players who were so spectacular, this is unequivocally the sweetest."

Brady and coach Bill Belichick won their 25th postseason game, by far a record. Belichick became the first coach with five Super Bowl crowns.

The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime, and by then it was no contest. Brady completed six passes against an overmatched Falcons secondary. A pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right and barely over the goal line.

His teammates streamed off the sideline to engulf White as confetti streamed down from the rafters.

The comeback included dozens of huge plays, including Ryan's fumble on a sack, Edelman's catch off of a defender's shoe and Brady's passing.

White had 14 receptions for 110 yards, but Brady hit seven different receivers.

Until the Patriots took charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady and NRG stadium rocked with Falcons' fans chants of "A-T-L!"

In a game that started as a defensive struggle, the Falcons went sack-happy, getting two on the Patriots' second drive in what would be a scoreless opening quarter.

It looked as if the Patriots would get on the board in the second period as Brady and Edelman connected twice for 40 yards. But LeGarrette Blount's fumble turned the momentum to the Falcons, who then took their biggest lead in a Super Bowl — yeah, we know, they have been here only twice — on Freeman's 5-yard run to cap a 71-yard drive on which Jones came alive with a tough leaping catch over the middle for 19 yards, then on the sideline for 23. Freeman did the rest.

Before New England could catch its breath, Ryan had the Falcons up 14-0. Using the no-huddle attack to perfection, he threw for 51 yards on a 52-yard drive, hitting Hooper with a pinpoint pass in the left side of the end zone.

Then Brady was victimized by his own poor decision, a rarity on the big stage. Atlanta was called for defensive holding three times on third downs to keep the drive alive. From the Falcons 23, under pressure Brady tried to squeeze a throw to Danny Amendola. Alford stepped in and sprinted, then glided 82 yards for the second-longest pick-6 in a Super Bowl. Shockingly, it was 21-0.

New England gathered its wits for a 52-yard drive to Stephen Gostkowski's 41-yard field goal. Still, it was 21-3 when Lady Gaga took the stage.

There was smoke hanging over the field when both teams had three-and-outs to open the third quarter. The Falcons looked in control when Ryan and Co., marched 85 yards to Coleman's 6-yard TD catch on a swing pass.

New England scored the next nine points on James White's 5-yard touchdown reception — the extra point was missed by Gostkowski, who later made a 33-yard field goal.

The Patriots kept coming, the Falcons kept flopping, and soon Brady and his buddies somehow had No. 5.

"Just play every play," Edelman said. "We never quit." Game summary

Patriots 0 3 6 19 6 — 34

Falcons 0 21 7 0 0 — 28

Second Quarter

Atl • Freeman 5 run (Bryant kick), 12:15.

Atl • Hooper 19 pass from M.Ryan (Bryant kick), 8:48.

Atl • Alford 82 interception return (Bryant kick), 2:21.

NE • FG Gostkowski 41, :02.

Third Quarter

Atl • T.Coleman 6 pass from M.Ryan (Bryant kick), 8:31.

NE • White 5 pass from Brady (kick failed), 2:06.

Fourth Quarter

NE • FG Gostkowski 33, 9:44.

NE • Amendola 6 pass from Brady (White run), 5:56.

NE • White 1 run (Amendola pass from Brady), :57.

Overtime

NE • White 2 run, 11:02.

Attendance • 70,807.

NE Atl

First downs 37 17

Total Yards 546 344

Rushes-yards 25-104 18-104

Passing 442 240

Punt Returns 4-39 1-0

Kickoff Returns 1-20 5-42

Interceptions 0-0 1-82

C-A-I 43-63-1 17-23-0

Sacked-Yards 5-24 5-44

Punts 4-41.5 6-47.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 4-23 9-65

Possession 40:31 23:27

Individual Statistics

Rushing • New England, Blount 11-31, White 6-29, Lewis 6-27, Brady 1-15, Edelman 1-2. Atlanta, Freeman 11-75, T.Coleman 7-29.

Passing • New England, Brady 43-62-1-466, Edelman 0-1-0-0. Atlanta, M.Ryan 17-23-0-284.

Receiving • New England, White 14-110, Amendola 8-78, Mitchell 6-70, Edelman 5-87, Bennett 5-62, Hogan 4-57, Lewis 1-2. Atlanta, Ju.Jones 4-87, Gabriel 3-76, Hooper 3-32, Freeman 2-46, Sanu 2-25, DiMarco 2-12, T.Coleman 1-6.

Missed Field Goals • None.

Super Bowl Champions

2017— New England (AFC) 34, Atlanta (NFC) 28, OT

2016 — Denver (AFC) 24, Carolina (NFC) 10

2015 — New England (AFC) 28, Seattle (NFC) 24

2014 — Seattle (NFC) 43, Denver (AFC) 8

2013 — Baltimore (AFC) 34, San Francisco (NFC) 31

2012 — N.Y. Giants (NFC) 21, New England (AFC) 17

2011 — Green Bay (NFC) 31, Pittsburgh (AFC) 25

2010 — New Orleans (NFC) 31, Indianapolis (AFC) 17

2009 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 27, Arizona (NFC) 23

2008 — N.Y. Giants (NFC) 17, New England (AFC) 14

2007 — Indianapolis (AFC) 29, Chicago (NFC) 17

2006 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 21, Seattle (NFC) 10

2005 — New England (AFC) 24, Philadelphia (NFC) 21

2004 — New England (AFC) 32, Carolina (NFC) 29

2003 — Tampa Bay (NFC) 48, Oakland (AFC) 21

2002 — New England (AFC) 20, St. Louis (NFC) 17

2001 — Baltimore Ravens (AFC) 34, N.Y. Giants (NFC) 7

2000 — St. Louis (NFC) 23, Tennessee (AFC) 16

1999 — Denver (AFC) 34, Atlanta (NFC) 19

1998 — Denver (AFC) 31, Green Bay (NFC) 24

1997 — Green Bay (NFC) 35, New England (AFC) 21

1996 — Dallas (NFC) 27, Pittsburgh (AFC) 17

1995 — San Francisco (NFC) 49, San Diego (AFC) 26

1994 — Dallas (NFC) 30, Buffalo (AFC) 13

1993 — Dallas (NFC) 52, Buffalo (AFC) 17

1992 — Washington (NFC) 37, Buffalo (AFC) 24

1991 — N.Y. Giants (NFC) 20, Buffalo (AFC) 19

1990 — San Francisco (NFC) 55, Denver (AFC) 10

1989 — San Francisco (NFC) 20, Cincinnati (AFC) 16

1988 — Washington (NFC) 42, Denver (AFC) 10

1987 — N.Y. Giants (NFC) 39, Denver (AFC) 20

1986 — Chicago (NFC) 46, New England (AFC) 10

1985 — San Francisco (NFC) 38, Miami (AFC) 16

1984 — L.A. Raiders (AFC) 38, Washington (NFC) 9

1983 — Washington (NFC) 27, Miami (AFC) 17

1982 — San Francisco (NFC) 26, Cincinnati (AFC) 21

1981 — Oakland (AFC) 27, Philadelphia (NFC) 10

1980 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 31, L.A. Rams (NFC) 19

1979 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 35, Dallas (NFC) 31

1978 — Dallas (NFC) 27, Denver (AFC) 10

1977 — Oakland (AFC) 32, Minnesota (NFC) 14

1976 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 21, Dallas (NFC) 17

1975 — Pittsburgh (AFC) 16, Minnesota (NFC) 6

1974 — Miami (AFC) 24, Minnesota (NFC) 7

1973 — Miami (AFC) 14, Washington (NFC) 7

1972 — Dallas (NFC) 24, Miami (AFC) 3

1971 — Baltimore Colts (AFC) 16, Dallas (NFC) 13

1970 — Kansas City (AFL) 23, Minnesota (NFL) 7

1969 — N.Y. Jets (AFL) 16, Baltimore Colts (NFL) 7

1968 — Green Bay (NFL) 33, Oakland (AFL) 14

1967 — Green Bay (NFL) 35, Kansas City (AFL) 10