ATLANTA _ The greatest quarterback in Super Bowl history had just engineered one of his patented fourth-quarter drives for the New England Patriots.
Now it was Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff's turn to show he could match the ageless Tom Brady.
With seven minutes left in Super Bowl LIII, Goff moved the Rams down the field, but a pass under pressure was intercepted by Stephon Gilmore, and the Rams' fate was all but sealed.
On a night when the Rams' high-powered offense never got going, Brady led the Patriots to a 13-3 victory before 70,081 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, further etching his name into Super Bowl lore.
The Patriots' sixth Super Bowl title under coach Bill Belichick ties the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history. Brady's sixth Super Bowl win is the most by any player in history.
The loss ended an otherwise impressive season for the Rams and second-year coach Sean McVay.
The Rams were making their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2001 season, their first as a Los Angeles franchise since the 1979 season.
But the matchup of coaching wits between the 33-year-old McVay and the 66-year-old Belichick did not play out.
At least not on offense.
The Patriots pressured Goff, made running back Todd Gurley irrelevant and did just enough on offense to win their second Super Bowl title in the last three years.
A year after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated them, the Patriots showed the Rams that experience counts in the Super Bowl.
The Rams generated only 260 yards and 14 first downs, and their three points matched the lowest total in Super Bowl history
Goff, 24, completed 19 of 38 passes for 229 yards, with an interception.
Gurley, who had only five touches in the Rams' NFC championship game victory over the New Orleans Saints, was again a nonfactor, gaining only 35 yards in 10 carries.
The 41-year-old Brady completed 21 of 35 passes for 262 yards, with an interception. But he was flawless during what proved to be the game-winning drive, which included four straight completions that set up a short Sony Michel touchdown run.
Receiver Julian Edelman had 10 receptions for 141 yards and was voted Super Bowl MVP. Tight end Rob Gronkowski had six catches for 87 yards, including two during the decisive drive.
Michel gained 94 yards in 18 carries.
Despite intercepting Brady's first pass and a missed field-goal attempt by Stephen Gostkowski, the Rams trailed 3-0 at halftime. They had only 57 yards and two first downs as each of the six possessions ended with a punt.
It was the lowest offensive first-half output during McVay's two seasons as coach.
It didn't get much better until less than seven minutes remained in the third quarter.
The Rams got the ball at their 23 and moved down the field on Goff completions to Josh Reynolds and Brandin Cooks before he found Robert Woods for 18 yards. But the drive stalled when Patriots linebacker Don't'a Hightower sacked Goff.
Greg Zuerlein's 53-yard field goal tied the score.
The Rams appeared to get a break early in the fourth quarter when a third-down holding penalty against Stephon Gilmore kept alive a drive. But the Rams could not take advantage, and Brady got the ball back with 9:49 left.
Patriots fans started chanting "Brady, Brady, Brady" during the TV timeout, the stage set for one of his trademark drives.
Brady completed an 18-yard pass to Gronkowski and then connected with Edelman and Rex Burkhead before Gronkowski hauled in a 29-yard pass near the goal line. Michel's two-yard touchdown run put the Patriots ahead 10-3 with seven minutes left.
Goff and the offense came alive, Cooks turning a pass into a 19-yard gain, Josh Reynolds making a key third down catch and Woods grabbing a pass for a 17-yard gain.
But one play after Goff just missed connecting with Cooks, he went back to him again. This time Gilmore leaped and intercepted the pass.
Michel broke free for a 26-yard gain that set up a Gostkowski field goal for the final points.
The Rams got an early opportunity when cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman tipped Brady's first pass on the fifth play of the game. The ball fell into the hands of diving linebacker Cory Littleton, but the Rams went three and out.
An unnecessary-roughness penalty against Robey-Coleman helped the Patriots on the ensuing series, but Gostkowski missed a 46-yard field goal attempt.
The Patriots finally got something going early in the second quarter, Brady's 25-yard completion to Edelman setting up Gostkowski's 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
The Rams got a final chance to generate some momentum after they stopped the Patriots on a fourth-and-one at the Rams' 32-yard line with 1:13 left in the second quarter.
But the Rams once again went three and out, setting the stage for the second half.
