Anyone with a TV was most likely tuned in Sunday night to watch Super Bowl LII. The Philadelphia Eagles were up against the New England Patriots and the game was much closer than many people expected. However, with a final score of 41-33, the Eagles were victorious over the Patriots.

First Quarter:

The game began following an incredible performance by P!NK singing the National Anthem, and while she had the flu nonetheless! (Link to a video of her performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ShK4TYHJk&feature=player_embedded ). Then, kickoff by the Patriots. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was unable to get the ball to the end zone during the first quarter, but the Eagles ended up taking the lead after a 25-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. The Patriots were able to tie it up with a 26-yard field goal later in the quarter by Stephen Gostkowsi, ending the seven time streak of Patriot Super Bowl appearances where they could not get on the scoreboard during the first quarter. Towards the end of the quarter, Foles was finally able to connect with Alshon Jeffrey for a touchdown! The first quarter ends with a score of Eagles 9, Patriots 3.

Second Quarter:

The second quarter started off with some mishaps. First, a bad snap caused a miscalculation in timing for Gostkowsi, and the Patriots missed the field goal. Then, one of their wide receivers, Brandon Cooks, was taken to the sideline after a particularly nasty hit to the helmet by the Eagles. The Eagles, however, started out pretty well. They scored a touchdown, but missed the 2-point conversion attempt. Then, the Patriots kicked another field goal, making it a nine point game. Then, after a turnover by the Eagles to the Patriots, New England was able to score a touchdown. They did not make the extra point, keeping it at a 3 point game. Then, the Eagles pulled through with another touchdown and a good extra point, making the score at halftime Eagles 22, Patriots 12.

Halftime:

For anyone who is the most interested when it comes to the actual athletics of games like the Super Bowl, the halftime show is the best part of the night. This year, Justin Timberlake was the artist who knocked everyone socks off with his medley of many favorites, both old and new. He even paid homage to Prince! However, one of my favorite parts of the entire halftime performance was when Timberlake sang “Mirror” and was surrounded by multiple dancers all holding mirrors over their heads that reflected the stadium lights. The halftime show was also full of cute commercials that are sure to make you smile(see Virginia Wooten’s article this week for more on those!). The show must come to an end though, and the game must go on!

Third Quarter:

The third quarter action begins with a touchdown by the Patriots. But, the Eagles refused to let the close score stop them. They are also able to score a touchdown thanks to rookie Corey Clement, whose touchdown held up after review. The score became Eagles 29, Patriots 19. New England was not about to let the Eagles get away with a ten point difference in score, so Brady makes a 26-yard pass to Chris Hogan for another Patriots touchdown. At the end of the third, the score is Eagles 29, Patriots 26.

Fourth Quarter:

By the beginning of the fourth quarter, Super Bowl records had already been broken! The previous record for combined yards during a game was 929 yards in 1988, but this game saw 1,151 offensive yards, most of which came before the fourth! The Eagles start of the quarter with a 42-yard field goal. Here, Elliot breaks the previous record of longest field goal made by a rookie in a Super Bowl game. Then, the patriots are able to score a touchdown, adding six to their total and giving them their first lead of the night. Score: Patriots 33, Eagles 32. However, the Eagles catch up again with another touchdown (but failed 2-point conversion attempt), and regain a lead of 5. Then, Brady fumbles the ball and is sacked, and it is recovered by the Eagles, leading to another record-breaking field goal by Elliot. This time, he broke his own previous record of 42-yards with this 46-yard field goal, making the score 41-33. With no timeouts, 65 seconds left on the clock, and trailing the Eagles by 8 points, the Patriots gave it their all, but unfortunately could not tie up the game. The Eagles won Super Bowl LII with a final score of 41-33, and quarterback Nick Foles was named the game’s MVP.

Scores from:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-2018-score-live-updates-analysis-blog/305178002/