HOUSTON -- The Patriots needed a big play to get back in Super Bowl LI and that's exactly what they got from linebacker Dont'a Hightower during the fourth quarter.

With the Patriots trailing 28-12, and with just 9:40 left in the fourth quarter, the Falcons offense took possession of the football on their own 27-yard line with hopes of chewing up the clock and spitting it out. However, that didn't happen thanks to a wild play from Hightower.

On a third-and-1, Matt Ryan dropped back to pass, and that's when this happened.

That's Hightower smashing Ryan and forcing a fumble that New England's Alan Branch would recover at Atlanta's 25-yard line.

Giving the ball back to Tom Brady in a clutch situation is never a good idea, so you can probably guess what happened next.

Five plays after the fumble recovery, Brady hit Danny Amendola in the end zone for a six-yard touchdown to cut the Falcons' lead to 10. New England then followed that up with a 2-point conversion that trimmed the Falcons lead to 28-20.

The Patriots were trailing 28-3 at one point, but that's not the case anymore and we now have a game in Houston.

To keep tabs on Super Bowl LI, make sure to head to our live blog. You can also stream the game on Fox Sports Go.