The New England Patriots will appear in a record ninth Super Bowl, and a seventh in the past 15 years, when they face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The dream head coach and quarterback combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have the chance to add to their legacy with their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
But how does this season differ to their previous successes? Here's how New England made it to Houston…
What went right?
Just about everything. Even when faced with a four-game suspension for Brady to start the season, the Patriots rode back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie QB Jacoby Brissett to wins in three of their first four contests.
Neither threw an interception with Garoppolo masterminding a win from tricky opening-day trip to Arizona, then putting in a three-touchdown performance a week later against Miami until a shoulder injury curtailed his fun.
Brissett filled in admirably in a 27-0 blowout of Houston, before handing back the reigns to Brady after suffering a 16-0 blowout of their own to Buffalo.
Brady showed no signs of rust as he returned, throwing a remarkable 28 touchdowns to only two interceptions in leading the Pats to an 11-1 record down the stretch.
That was good enough to secure them the No 1 seed in the AFC, where Brady would post three touchdowns and a career post-season high 384 yards in besting the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Championship game.
What went wrong?
Not a huge amount. Though the Patriots can point to the painful absences of Brady for those first four games and of key offensive weapon, tight end Rob Gronkowski, for near on half the season to injury.
But, as they often seem to, the Patriots found a way, with the admirable QB relief for Brady, and Martellus Bennett - 55 receptions, 701 yards and seven touchdowns - brilliantly filing the gaping hole left by behind by big Gronk.
The shutout suffered against the Rex Ryan-led Bills in week four was a low mark, while their only other defeat was a 31-24 revenge job inflicted by the Seattle Seahawks in week 10, the team the Patriots beat on their last trip to the Super Bowl two years ago.
Regular season record
The Patriots finished the 2016 regular season unbeaten on the road. And they gave a glimpse of what was to come with a statement win - minus Brady - with arguably their toughest assignment of the season on opening day, triumphing 23-21 over the 2015 NFC Championship-calibre Arizona Cardinals.
Less testing trips to Cleveland (33-13) and San Francisco (30-17) were comfortably negotiated, as were divisional games in Buffalo (41-25), New York (22-17) and Miami (35-14), while tougher travels to Pittsburgh (27-16) and Denver (16-3) also resulted in wins.
Belichick has called this team the best he has coached in his time in New England due to the team spirit within the group, much of it cultivated away from the home comforts of Gillette Stadium.
Playoff push
The reward for their efforts on the road, ironically, the No 1 seed and home advantage for the playoffs. After a first-round bye, the Patriots didn't find things quite as easy against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round as the 34-16 score suggests.
Rattled by the testing Texans defence, Brady threw two interceptions - matching his total for the entire regular season - and New England held only a slender 17-13 advantage at half-time. Any concern, however, swiftly evaporated as the Patriots picked off Brock Osweiler three times themselves and ultimately stretched their lead in the second half.
Battling for Super Bowl supremacy with the Steelers in the Championship game - a record ninth appearance in the title game awaiting either winner - the Patriots were far more impressive this time out. Brady threw for his record postseason high and wide receivers Chris Hogan (180 yards, two TDs) and Julian Edelman (118 yards, one TD) each tallying 100-yard outings to outshine the Pittsburgh's 'Triple B' threat of Big Ben, Bell and Brown.
Super Bowl pedigree?
The best. The Patriots have been to the Super Bowl more than any other team, and with their opponents this year, the Atlanta Falcons, making only their second appearance - having lost to the Broncos in 1998 - New England start Sunday as favourites.
The Patriots have a .500 record in Super Bowls, winning four and losing four - Belichick and Brady playing a part in all four of those successes, including the 28-24 triumph over the Seahawks in their last Super Bowl visit two years ago, when rookie cornerback Malcolm Buttler intercepted Russell Wilson on the goal line in the dying seconds to seal a thrilling win.
And despite the lack of Super Bowl pedigree the Falcons have, it's set to be another close contest on Sunday, with Atlanta owning the best offence in football, drawing comparisons with St Louis Rams' famous 'Greatest Show on Turf' team of the early 2000s. A team the Patriots famously beat in 2001 to win their first Vince Lombardi Trophy.
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