After sixteen weeks of the regular season and five weeks of teams fighting for the glory and fame of winning a Super Bowl, the football season came to an end. This season was full of ups and downs, culminating with the Atlanta Falcons facing the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Both teams owed much of their success to their respective quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Tom Brady.

During the regular season, Ryan threw for 38 touchdowns, rushed for over 100 yards, and threw just seven interceptions, all contributing to a quarterback rating of 117.1. The Falcons entered the postseason with an 11-5 record. During the first round of playoffs, the Falcons faced the Seahawks, winning 36-20. Due to a first-round bye, the Falcons were on their way to the NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers, which they won 44-21. As a result of the collective effort of Ryan and his teammates, the Falcons reached the Super Bowl 51.

Brady reached his seventh Super Bowl this season following an impressive statsheet of two interceptions, 28 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 112.2. After the Patriots handily defeated both of their opponents by over 20 points, they earned themselves a spot in the Super Bowl against the Falcons.

The 2017 Super Bowl was one of the more exciting finals in recent history. In the first quarter, both teams seemed to have had equally strong defensive and offensive showings. Eager to put some points up on the board, Ryan blew America away with his return in the second quarter with two touchdowns. If that wasn’t enough, Robert Alford, rookie cornerback for the Falcons, extended the lead when he intercepted the ball for a touchdown.

The Patriots struggled to stay in the game, scoring only a field goal for a period of time. Ryan responded with another touchdown, casting doubt over the Patriot’s title chances. Brady, desperate for some points, then threw for a touchdown. At this point, when the Falcons led 28-3 in the third quarter, it seemed as if Atlanta had all but wrapped up the win.

However, Brady, looking for his fifth Super Bowl ring, swung the momentum when he led his team to an incredible comeback and the Patriots scored nineteen points in the fourth quarter. The game ended by going to the first overtime in Super Bowl history as the Patriots’ James White rushed for the winning touchdown.

A historic and fitting end to the 2016-17 NFL season, there is much to look forward to for the next season.