PATRIOTS

quarterback Jared Goff intended for wide receiver Brandin Cooks with 4:17 left. Safety Duron Harmon had broken up a would-be touchdown catch by Cooks moments earlier. That led to Gostkowski’s 41-yard field goal to seal the outcome with 1:12 to play. The celebration began in earnest when Zuerlein missed a field goal try with five seconds to go.

The Patriots secured their sixth Super Bowl triumph, in

their ninth appearance in the big game, with Brady as their quarterback and Bill Belichick as their coach. They are playing against themselves and against history at this point, having long ago cemented their place as the most prosperous and lasting dynasty of the modern NFL of free agency and the salary cap.

But this night was not about Brady, who threw an early interception and was a bit out of sorts all night in a 21-for-35, 262-yard passing performance. He did manage to get the ball regularly to wide receiver Julian Edelman, who had 10 catches for 141 yards.

It was about the defensive coaching wizardry of Belichick and his de facto defensive coordinator, linebackers coach Brian Flores, who is set to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. It was about the execution of the players on a New England defense that sacked Goff four times, harassed him all night and kept tailback Todd Gurley from doing much of anything. The Patriots remained unwavering even after one of their defensive leaders, safety Patrick Chung, left the field in the second half with his right arm in an air cast.

Sean Mcvay, the Rams’ boywonder coach, could not solve the riddle of Belichick’s defense on the sport’s grandest stage. And the Rams lost a Super Bowl many felt they shouldn’t have even reached, given the officiating gaffe that helped them to beat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game.

The Patriots were playing in