At halftime we replaced the Atlanta staff | Page 2 | The Boneyard

At halftime we replaced the Atlanta staff

The first three quarters were just prelude. The fourth quarter and OT is where we saw the true Falcons and the true Patriots.
 
How many teams don't throw in the towel down by 25? How many teams go out and make not 1 but 2 2- point conversions? And Atlanta had the leagues best passer and receiver and the highest scoring offense. You don't get those numbers by running into the line. Calling for a pass was hardly the strange call everyone makes it out to be. A td there and there is no chance the Pats come back. 3 and it's still possible. Hard but possible.
 
freescooter said:
How many teams don't throw in the towel down by 25? How many teams go out and make not 1 but 2 2- point conversions? And Atlanta had the leagues best passer and receiver and the highest scoring offense. You don't get those numbers by running into the line. Calling for a pass was hardly the strange call everyone makes it out to be. A td there and there is no chance the Pats come back. 3 and it's still possible. Hard but possible.
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It's simple math. Starting from the 3rd and 1 pass that led to a sack and a fumble, the Falcons absolutely blew the time management. You run the ball on that play, and even if you don't get the first down, more clock runs and you punt. That leads to a longer field for NE and....more clock running.

Now, you can question that one maybe, but when you are at the 23 yard line, up 8 and not running the ball, the clock and setting up a field goal, well...you completely deserve what you got. The ineptitude of the Falcons coaches simply created a situation that one of the very best to ever play took advantage of.
 
Redding Husky said:
And the Giants were at home, crying in their beer.
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Nope far from it, I watched the game with a bunch of Pats fans and enjoyed it. Your the one crying about the Giants after you won a Super Bowl.
 
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It is hard to lose a game you are up 19 points with 17 minutes left, really hard. Also consider, Falcons got the back on an onside kick plus 5 yrd penalty. They were already close to fg range there, 3 and out lost yards and punt. Then the sack fumble on 3rd and 1 and finally in fg range to close out the game and they drop to pass, get sacked, lose 10 yrds on holding and have to punt. Pats did everything right in that final quarter, but Falcons completely choked it away. Congrats to the Pats, they didn't quit and took advantage of every opportunity late, that's what champs do.
 
People forget that Tyree's catch was preceded by this escape by Eli.
gal-catch5-jpg.jpg
 
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To me the second down sack was eerily similar to the completely unnecessary pass to the deep sideline (which became (pick 6) against Vandy. In each case a game that had reached the point of being merely a formality opened the door for a comeback. Stupidity snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
 
Something to consider with Atlanta's offensive play calling on the drive where they reached the Patriots 22 yard line: At that point, late in the 4th quarter, Matt Ryan had only 4 incompletions and he had just completed an amazing pass to Julio Jones. He was the league MVP and had directed an offense that scored the 7th most points in league history. In hindsight, going ultra-conservative was the right thing to do, but why would the Falcons go away what had worked all year and all game?
 
I would love to have been a fly on the locker room walls at halftime. I bet the Falcons were excited, happy, enjoying themselves, "Let's just keep this up for 2 more quarters and we're good!". Meanwhile, the Patriots were probably pissed off, analyzing ATL and making smart adjustments... New England had the right attitude and Atlanta was too relaxed. The Patriots were "Hungry Huskies"! I think the Brady-suspension may have had a similar effect that UConn basketball's post-season ban had on the 2014 team.

The biggest difference to me in the second half was tempo. New England was very methodical and deliberate in the first half, without great results. It's almost like they used the first half to set up the second half, Atlanta though they had the Patriots figured out but just couldn't keep up with Tom Brady sped things up in the second half.

The Patriots offense typically performs better in hurry-up/no-huddle situation. In past year, they'd use a quick tempo to great results all season, then falter in the post-season as playoff teams knew their tricks and were prepared. This year was different. New England hardly every went no-huddle this season. It's like they kept this trick up their sleeve for when they needed it most. Atlanta thought they were prepared for New England, but got gassed by the tempo and simply could not keep up with the Patriots at the end of the game.

What an incredible game to watch, either way. I'm grateful to be able to watch New England on a weekly basis, it's the only way I've remember what 'good football' is over the past 6 years!
 
I love the people saying it wasn't a great comeback it was a terrible collapse. It's like saying Hank Aaron was a bad hitter but for the 755 times the pitcher made a mistake. Anything to piss in the Cheerios of champions.
 
Scoe said:
Nope far from it, I watched the game with a bunch of Pats fans and enjoyed it. Your the one crying about the Giants after you won a Super Bowl.
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No crying at my house. Both my teams (Cubs, Patriots) are world champs. The NBA and NHL suck.
 
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I love how people who have an ax to grind on the Pats all say the Falcons should have gone away from their offense because the play got blown up by New England.
 
freescooter said:
I love how people who have an ax to grind on the Pats all say the Falcons should have gone away from their offense because the play got blown up by New England.
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I rode Devonta Freeman to a fantasy championship. Shanahan should have done the same for the real title. He was averaging 6.8 yards last night, and the Falcons only needed a field goal to put the game away.

To borrow from a different sport(s movie) you don't always need to go for the course record, Roy. Sometimes par is good enough to win.
 
intlzncster said:
No, Patriots fans don't forget. They just don't like to talk about it.
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Insecure Patriots fans.

Big whoop @ Eli. Told y'all he sucks. We got FIVE Super Bowl wins!
 
Loved the Pats comeback, but as bad as the Falcon's coaching strategy was late in the game, the Pats almost had their own Seahawk moment. Ball on the 2 yd line in overtime. 1st down. Instead of running the ball with LeGarrette Blount (our Marshawn Lynch), the call was a pass to the side of the end zone to Martellus Bennett that hung just long enough that it was very close to being "Malcolm Butler-ed" by Vic Beasley. Can you imagine what would have been said about Belichick's play call had that happened and the Falcons marched down for a winning FG? But it didn't happen. And all is forgotten in the euphoria of victory.
 
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Excalibur said:
I didn't realize that Devonta Freeman wasn't part of the Falcons offense . . .
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That kid is scary good. I was grateful they didn't use him much. That 50 yard run (or catch and run?) was frightening. After that Jones catch Freeman would have delivered the trophy but...
 
Actually the Patriots had pretty much shut down thus run by a by the middle of the 3rd quuarter. The previous 10 runs had gained a total of 20 yards with something like 4 going for no gain. That's the problem with averages. 6.8 for the game but over the last few minutes the average dropped to under 2. Plus the Falcons are who they are and their offense is based on throwing the football. Very few teams go away from who they are. Maybe with 2 minutes to go but not with 5. Let's face it, if Ryan had hit Jones for a score or around the 2 it would have been a great call. The Patriots made a great play on d so it was dumb. That is Francesa thinking.
 
Atlanta was 22nd in the league in pass percentage at 57.73%. That's the bottom third of the league. So, no, their offense was not based on throwing the football.

Yes, New England had limited the running game in the third quarter, but additional yards were almost irrelevant with the ball on the 23 yard line up 8. Run it, burn 38 seconds off the play clock, and kick the field goal, and the game is essentially over. Beyond the decision to run, Atlanta snapped the ball at least three times in the two possessions prior to the tying drive with more than ten seconds on the play clock. They literally could have run out the clock just by melting the play clock a bit more, and replacing 2 passes with runs.
 
freescooter said:
Actually the Patriots had pretty much shut down thus run by a by the middle of the 3rd quuarter. The previous 10 runs had gained a total of 20 yards with something like 4 going for no gain. That's the problem with averages. 6.8 for the game but over the last few minutes the average dropped to under 2. Plus the Falcons are who they are and their offense is based on throwing the football. Very few teams go away from who they are. Maybe with 2 minutes to go but not with 5. Let's face it, if Ryan had hit Jones for a score or around the 2 it would have been a great call. The Patriots made a great play on d so it was dumb. That is Francesa thinking.
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How people not understand that yards in that situation are a luxury. The Falcons where well within field goal range. Even with the holding penalty (which could just as easily be called on a run as it is on a pass), that pushes the FG attempt into the low 50's, still well within Bryant's range, especially indoors.

Just because Atlanta scored a crap-ton of points this year, it's foolhardy to believe it was only with the pass. They ran up almost 2,000 (good for #5 in the NFL) rushing yards.

Heck, even Shanahan himself said as much.

Zach KleinVerified account‏@ZachKleinWSB
Those who spoke with Kyle Shanahan last night at Falcons team hotel tell me he said "I blew it" #SB51

C3_gH0HUcAI9WJy.jpg
 
I saw a stat somewhere that after the Falcons had 28 points, they rant he ball 4 times. 4 TIMES!!!! When they were up 25 points, then 19, then 16, then 8.. they ran the ball 4 times!!!! That sack and strip by Hightower should have never happened because they should have been running the ball. And even if you want to argue that you're ok with the call (fine, difference of opinion).. you got the onside kick later on + a 5 yard penalty so you are starting close to the Pats 40 with an 8 point lead and what, 3-4 minutes left? Why are you not running it, burning their time outs and then lord willing kicking a field goal to go up 2 scores?

Terrific comeback by the Pats and an epic choke by the Atlanta coaching staff. That's what champions do, they capitalize on mistakes and opportunities given to them by the opposing team and the Pats certainly did that.

Brady could have had a 4 INT game too.. that corner fade in the endzone where the Atlanta defender just went up with one had, the ball that got beat up in the air and Bennet came out of left field on a cross route and caught it and then the Edelman catch where it basically hit the Atl linebacker right in the chest before it bounced off like 60 things and into Edelman's hands. I think even he thought it was a pick because he stopped his route short and was able to collect himself and comeback for the tip. As a Giants fan, it was a little refreshing to see some of those breaks go the Pats way for a change.. as a Yankees fan though, damn it Atlanta!!!
 
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