James White’s third touchdown of the game won Super Bowl LI in overtime. Julian Edelman’s insane catch — the anti-David Tyree/Mario Manningham/Jermaine Kearse curse breaker — allowed that to happen.
But Dont’a Hightower saved the game.
Without Hightower’s strip sack with 8:31 remaining, the Patriots do not beat the Atlanta Falcons — simple as that. As Shutdown Corner’s Frank Schwab pointed out, it was one of 16 plays the Patriots needed (and got) to win the miraculous game.