ATLANTA _ Raise your hand if you predicted, thought, believed the score at halftime of Super Bowl LIII would be 3-0. How about 3-3 after three quarters or a 13-3 final?
Put your hand down. You're lying.
So much for the NFL being an offensive game now. No one could have guessed the Patriots would beat the Rams in a defensive struggle in Super Bowl LIIII
It was the second-lowest scoring first half in Super Bowl history. The Steelers led the Vikings 2-0 in Super Bowl IX in 1975. It was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl through three quarters, and lowest scoring Super Bowl ever.
Both defenses came to play Sunday inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Patriots especially.
They held the high-powered Rams offense scoreless in the first half and kept them out of the end zone. Stephon Gilmore made sure of it when he intercepted an under-thrown Jared Goff pass for Brandin Cooks at the 4-yard line. It was a huge play. The Patriots were up 10-3 with 4:17 left.
The Patriots also held the highest-scoring team in the league, the Chiefs, scoreless in the first half of the AFC Championship Game. Kansas City got it going in the second half, but the Patriots wouldn't let the Rams.
New England had Goff and the offense rattled right from the outset. They mixed up the coverages between zone and man and Goff looked overmatched.
The Rams totaled 57 yards of offense in the first half and just two first downs. The Rams finished second in the NFL in yards per game (421.1) and points (32.9). Goff was 19-for-38 for 229 yards, one interception and he was sacked four times.
The Dolphins had to be happy with what they were seeing from the Patriots' defense. Miami's new coach was running that defense.
Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores is set to be introduced as the new coach of the Miami Dolphins on Monday. He had his group playing inspired ball.
The Rams had five three-and-outs in their first eight series, and didn't convert on their first seven first downs. Their drought ended on the third series of the second half as Goff connected with Robert Woods for an 18-yard gain at New England's 29.
On the next play, Goff had Cooks alone in the end zone. But Jason McCourty got there just as the ball did and knocked it out of Cooks' hands. On third down, Goff was sacked by Dont'a Hightower for a 9-yard loss. But the Rams got points on the drive _ Greg Zuerlein kicked a 53-yard field goal.
The Patriots, meanwhile, didn't have nearly as much trouble moving the ball.
Tom Brady threw an interception on his first pass of the game. It was intended for Chris Hogan, but instead of throwing to the outside, he threw it inside where Nickell Robey-Coleman was. He batted it in the air and Cory Littleton came down with it.
Stephen Gostkowski, who accounted for the only points in the first half, missed a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Brady also was sacked for the first time in the playoffs in the first quarter and fumbled the ball on the play. The Patriots were fortunate to recover it because they were in Rams' territory. The way New England's defense was playing, the Rams may not have gotten any points.
