Patriots Fail to Score Points in 1st Quarter for 7th Straight Super Bowl

Slow starts are nothing new to the New England Patriots on football's largest stage. 

A scoreless opening 15 minutes against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI ensured that Sunday night was the seventh straight Super Bowl involving head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady that saw the Patriots unable to record a single point in the first quarter, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

For those counting at home, that is every Super Bowl that the duo has been involved in for the Patriots. 

Brady was held to just 68 yards passing during the quarter and was sacked twice as his receivers were having trouble finding separation against the Atlanta secondary.

But history suggests that the first quarter doesn't slow New England down unless it is playing the New York Giants, whom it lost to in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. 

Brady and Belichick are 4-2 in their prior six Super Bowl appearances heading into Sunday; however, they haven't necessarily lit up the scoreboard. 

The Patriots have only broken the 30-point plateau once in their six previous appearances, which came in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. 

However, they have done well to limit their opponents, too. Super Bowl LI became the fourth of seven first quarters that the Patriots held their opponent scoreless.

Ultimately the Patriots got the last laugh on Sunday, winning 34-28 in overtime to raise Brady and Belichick's Super Bowl record to 5-2. 

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.