New England erased a 28-9 deficit and completed the comeback in overtime, beating Atlanta 34-28 behind Tom Brady’s 466 passing yards and a monster all-purpose performance from James White. Atlanta appeared firmly in control after Robert Alford’s 82-yard interception return helped build a 21-3 halftime lead, and Matt Ryan’s touchdown pass to Tevin Coleman stretched the margin to 28-3 in the third. From there, the Patriots scored 31 unanswered points. Brady finished 43-of-62 with two touchdowns and one interception, while White caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a score, added two rushing touchdowns, and finished the rally with a 2-yard touchdown run in overtime. Danny Amendola added eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
New England’s comeback was fueled by sustained possession and repeated third-down success, as the Patriots ran 93 plays to Atlanta’s 46, controlled the ball for 40:31 and converted 7 of 14 third downs while the Falcons went just 1-for-8. Atlanta was explosive when it had the ball, with Ryan completing 17 of 23 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, Devonta Freeman rushing for 75 yards and a score, and Julio Jones posting 87 receiving yards. But New England’s 546-344 advantage in total offense and relentless late-game pressure ultimately overwhelmed Atlanta’s early dominance.
