Records abound in high-scoring Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII came down to the final moments, but it was clear early that records were going to be broken long before the Lombardi Trophy was hoisted.
Tom Brady and Nick Foles became the first quarterback duo to each top 200 passing yards in the first half of a Super Bowl, and the offenses didn't slow down in the second half, with the Philadelphia Eagles pulling off a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Among the records set, according to ESPN Stats & Information, were:
Most combined total yards in any game in NFL history, regular season or playoffs: 1,151
Most combined passing yards in a postseason game in NFL history: 874
Most passing yards in a postseason game in NFL history: 505 (Tom Brady)
Most points by a Super Bowl loser: 33 (the Patriots)
Fewest combined punts in a Super Bowl: 1
The teams also combined for just one sack, which tied a record for the fewest in a Super Bowl. That sack proved critical, as Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham recorded a strip sack of Brady at the New England 33 with 2:16 left in the fourth. Rookie Derek Barnett recovered, and the Eagles converted a field goal to take an eight-point lead.
Brady then had a chance to keep shredding the record book, but his Hail Mary attempt to tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone was batted down to end the game.
Foles, who was named MVP, set a record with 21 play-action passes, the most in Super Bowl history. He went 12-of-21 passing for 118 yards and a touchdown on play-action, which served him well throughout the playoffs. Foles completed 72 percent of his play-action passes in the postseason after completing 55 percent during the regular season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
"You never want to get in a shootout against that team," said Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, who caught seven passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. "That wasn't the mindset we had going into the game, but that was the situation we had to endure.
"[Foles] played phenomenal tonight. ... The guy is so confident in himself."
Foles also became the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to catch a touchdown pass, which he did on a fourth-down play from the Patriots' 1-yard line.
"It's something we've been working on, and [Eagles coach] Doug [Pederson] and I were talking, and it was like, 'Let's just run it,'" Foles said. "It worked.Trey [Burton]made an amazing throw right on the money, and I just looked it in."
