Before the Eagles and the Patriots battled it out, some of the country's cutest puppies were facing off in a flurry of fuzz and fur in Animal Planet's annual Puppy Bowl.
While Super Bowl LII drew millions of viewers and was Sunday's major event for many Americans, there was another emotional, inspiring battle of determination and cunning that captured the imagination of people the world over -- Puppy Bowl XIV!
Hours before the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles went head-to-head on the gridiron, Animal Planet aired the match between the adorable puppies on Team Fluff and the lovable pooches on Team Ruff, and the furry battle royale included a few moments so heartwarming they could be the basis for a great sports movie.
After an energetic competition between the canine contenders, Team Fluff took home the coveted Lombarky Trophy for the second year running, taking down Team Ruff 52-47.
The big victory came courtesy of a mixed-breed puppy named Kaleb Jr., who was one of two dogs in the big game that was rescued from Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
90 loveable pups took part in this year's game, which was put on by Animal Planet, with many of the players coming from rescue shelters in Florida and Texas, among other cities around the globe.
One of the night's stand-out stars was a 16-week-old American Staffordshire Terrier-Foxhound named Bear, who scored two touchdowns in the first half, and impressed everyone with his amazing jumping skills.
Bear ended up winning the title of MVP, while the almost-too-adorable Mr. Wigglesworth snagged the Underdog Award.
In of the more surprising moments of the big game, a sloth was brought onto the field to serve as a referee, but his participation took an unexpected turn when the slow-moving critter attempted to steal the ball and run into the end-zone, which was a clear violation of the rules.
While Team Ruff came up short yet again, their performance this year was a huge improvement after their adorably embarrassing defeat last year, when Team Fluff trounced them 93-38.
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