Nintendo’s Super Bowl Switch
With a 28-12 lead, nine minutes and 40 seconds before the end of this year’s Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons’ win probability was at a significant 99.9 percent.
Then, cut to Nintendo’s commercial for their upcoming Switch console, and that surefire Atlanta victory suddenly switched…
Significance? Three plays later, the New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower assertively strip-sacked Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan leading to a most-impressive Danny Amendola touchdown. 28-20.
After an illustrious Atlanta drive — complete with a nice catch by Julio Jones — the Falcons’ victory was imminent as they landed on New England’s 22 (after all, Atlanta just needed to score a field goal to claim their trophy.)
One incorrect play by Kyle Shanahan later, and suddenly it was Patriots’ ball and Brady certainly capitalized on Atlanta’s misfortune, bringing the score to 28-28 due to a touchdown, driven by Brady, followed by a two-point conversion.
One successful coin toss was all it took during the subsequent overtime that followed — a historic first time in Super Bowl history — for New England’s win probability to not only switch, but also land them a prosperous comeback with the final score 34-28.
Maybe it was faith, maybe it was luck. One thing was for sure, this moment — one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history — did not jettison until Nintendo wowed millions of fans around the world with their Nintendo Switch commercial. Maybe next year, Atlanta.