Brady’s legend secure as New England survive thrilling finale

American Football: There were more questions than there were answers after one of the most enthralling Super Bowls of the modern era delivered a fourth title in just over a decade to Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

The 28-24 result was definitive but the narratives which spun out of a gripping four quarters for both teams will be a work in progress for the foreseeable. On the one hand, the debate over whether Brady and Belichick can lay claim to the greatest quarterback-coach combination of all time might have edged closer to definitive affirmation. On the other hand, there was much agonising and second-guessing over the game-defining decision of the Seattle Seahawks to throw the ball instead of running it when they were one yard from glory.

As is the way with big moments in sport, the latter kerfuffle was all the more intriguing. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson had three opportunities in his pocket to somehow advance the ball one solitary yard and all but win the game. Instead, he was ordered to throw near, slanting right but sadly for him and his team, right into the hands of an unlikely hero, rookie Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler.