I think if you want a boxing analogy for the Patriots/Falcons Super Bowl, Julio Cesar Chavez vs Meldrick Taylor from 1990 is most apt.
Fought for the Super Lightweight title, this fight had drama to spare and a half.
Taylor won almost every round (on 2 of 3 judge cards) but as I watched the fight live, I was amazed at the summation of punishment he was taking. He looked like he lost every round.
By the 12th and final round, Taylor was out of gas and out of defense. Chavez "stopped" him with less than 5 seconds to go. I say "stopped", as it was controversial.
With the knockdown in the 12th my card had it Taylor 114-113 win (Taylor 10-9 rounds 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Chavez rounds 2, 9, 10, 11, and 10-8 in 12th) if the fight had not been stopped.
The Falcons got gassed in the 4th quarter on defense and got beat by an all time great.