Super Bowl Thoughts

[mauconnfan]

It's still not all about you, mau!

Never was about me Waq what a stupid reply how do you get that from what I wrote (by the way if you read all my congrats you would know there was some sarcasm in there too)? I know you can be arrogant and ignorant at he same time, but thank you for the timing on this one, expected I guess after all.

 

[yukonyc212]

Literally all they had to do was run the ball with 4 min left on the 20 and they are champs. Just mind bendingly bad play calling there. A go route with 4 min left in the game?????? Amazing!

 

[intlzncster]

I saw them deflate the balls in the third quarter.

Sticking with the flation theme, I can't believe how bloody flat the Pats came out in the first half. That was amazing.

 

[Mr. Hand]

I saw them deflate the balls in the third quarter.

The only balls that were deflated were the ones hanging between the Falcon's legs.

 

[mauconnfan]

Literally all they had to do was run the ball with 4 min left on the 20 and they are champs. Just mind bendingly bad play calling there. A go route with 4 min left in the game?????? Amazing!

It's funny how bad they were in the 2nd half with play calling and Matty Melting Ice was with his decisions. But thats the way tremendous comebacks are made right, by tremendous blunders.

 

[Huskybass]

I saw them deflate the balls in the third quarter.

I think they deflated the Falcons in the 4th quarter.

 

[Hankster]

Well the title is Super Bowl Thoughts. Not just game thoughts. So, here goes. Best game I ever saw, and like others, a giants fan. Yes, the Tyree catch. Who could forget. Giants winning 7-8 straight as a wildcard, all away games to include super Bowl was some feat. I have to admit, halftime show was excellent. Even if you are not a fan, you have to admit she is some show person. Great game, great show. No politics (I think).

 

[Mots010]

So, who wants Kyle Shanahan as their head coach? It's gonna be hard to wash the stink off after that 2nd half.

 

[Dove]

Sad falcon...

 

[freescooter]

Literally all they had to do was run the ball with 4 min left on the 20 and they are champs. Just mind bendingly bad play calling there. A go route with 4 min left in the game?????? Amazing!

They had the best offense, best quarterback and best receiver in the league this year. Throwing the ball was hardly the crazy call some are trying to make it out to be. The Pats do it all the time. It just didn't work. You know what was a crazy dumb play? A direct snap to the running back when you desperately need 2. Who in his right mind takes the ball out of Brady's hands in THAT situation? Nobody would do that.

 

[Husky25]

They had the best offense, best quarterback and best receiver in the league this year. Throwing the ball was hardly the crazy call some are trying to make it out to be. The Pats do it all the time. It just didn't work. You know what was a crazy dumb play? A direct snap to the running back when you desperately need 2. Who in his right mind takes the ball out of Brady's hands in THAT situation? Nobody would do that.

Devonta Freeman was #9 in the league in rushing and had a 6.8 YPC average last night. Matt Bryant missed one field goal inside 50 yards all year and was 9 for 9 from 40-49. Freeman lost 1 yard on 1st down and even if he lost a couple more on 2nd and 3rd, It still would have left a make-able 45 yarder, with less than 19 4 minutes left in the game. Throwing the ball may not have been crazy, but it was still not a very good call.

The direct snap was called because Atlanta's defense was gassed and on their heels.

Edit: Time remaining in game.

 

[Mots010]

Devonta Freeman was #9 in the league in rushing and had a 6.8 YPC average last night. Matt Bryant missed one field goal inside 50 yards all year and was 9 for 9 from 40-49. Freeman lost 1 yard on 1st down and even if he lost a couple more on 2nd and 3rd, It still would have left a make-able 45 yarder, with less than 19 minutes left in the game. Throwing the ball may not have been crazy, but it was still not a very good call.

I think you meant 3 minutes left? But yeah, run it three times, and either pats have to burn a few time outs, or you run it close to 2 min and kick the fg. It's not totally over but its pretty darn close. Missing the fg is possible, but unlikely with their kicker. Instead they give Matt Ryan a 7 step drop and he loses 12 yards! Also, they were snapping the ball with 15-20 seconds left on the play clock on that sack, and on that entire drive as well. Insane.

 

[Husky25]

I think you meant 3 minutes left? But yeah, run it three times, and either pats have to burn a few time outs, or you run it close to 2 min and kick the fg. It's not totally over but its pretty darn close. Missing the fg is possible, but unlikely with their kicker. Instead they give Matt Ryan a 7 step drop and he loses 12 yards. Also, they were snapping the ball with 15-20 seconds left on the play clock on that sack, and on that entire drive as well. Insane.

Yes. I went back to look at the play by play to refresh my memory. For some reason, I though that happened in the 3rd quarter.

 

[intlzncster]

So, who wants Kyle Shanahan as their head coach? It's gonna be hard to wash the stink off after that 2nd half.

You could say the same about a whoooole lot of other coaches. And The one you can't was fired! How about the NFL

 

[yukonyc212]

They had the best offense, best quarterback and best receiver in the league this year. Throwing the ball was hardly the crazy call some are trying to make it out to be. The Pats do it all the time. It just didn't work. You know what was a crazy dumb play? A direct snap to the running back when you desperately need 2. Who in his right mind takes the ball out of Brady's hands in THAT situation? Nobody would do that.

You don't need 7 in this scenario.... you only need 3. If the Falcons just get 3 points there they are champs no matter what the Patriots do. They would have had an 11 point lead with 2 min left. Basically requiring an 80 yard drive and TD, a successful 2 pt conversion and a successful onside kick to get the ball back with virtually no time on the clock and get in position for a fg with no timeouts left. Kind of impossible. I just don't understand the play calling there. They didn't need to gain a single yard more. Worst series of calls i have ever seen in my life. That was a ridiculous comeback for the ages by New England, but frankly, Atlanta handed that one away on a silver platter.

 

[ctchamps]

You don't need 7 in this scenario.... you only need 3. If the Falcons just get 3 points there they are champs no matter what the Patriots do. They would have had an 11 point lead with 2 min left. Basically requiring an 80 yard drive and TD, a successful 2 pt conversion and a successful onside kick to get the ball back with virtually no time on the clock and get in position for a fg with no timeouts left. Kind of impossible. I just don't understand the play calling there. They didn't need to gain a single yard more. Worst series of calls i have ever seen in my life. That was a ridiculous comeback for the ages by New England, but frankly, Atlanta handed that one away on a silver platter.

This is the approach that gives them the best odds of winning, but you're assuming that the field goal was a given. I'm sure the Atlanta coaches had some concerns about getting 3 from that position on the field particularly after NE pooched an extra point. And I'm sure with the speed that NE scored in the fourth the Atlanta coaches wanted to take more time off the clock which would have happened if they could have gotten another 1st down. Less likely to have gotten it by the run with Coleman out.

 

[yukonyc212]

This is the approach that gives them the best odds of winning, but you're assuming that the field goal was a given. I'm sure the Atlanta coaches had some concerns about getting 3 from that position on the field particularly after NE pooched an extra point. And I'm sure with the speed that NE scored in the fourth the Atlanta coaches wanted to take more time off the clock which would have happened if they could have gotten another 1st down. Less likely to have gotten it by the run with Coleman out.

They left an extra minute on the clock by not running the ball there. Matt Bryant is automatic from 40 yards in. They run there they win. Simple as that. He was 39-40 from 40 yards or closer in the 4th quarter or OT in his career. If I'm a coach I'm pretty confident he makes that fg.

 

[Husky25]

I'm sure the Atlanta coaches had some concerns about getting 3 from that position on the field particularly after NE pooched an extra point.

If that factored into Shanahan's play calling, he does not deserve to be a head coach. Matt Bryant missed a single filed goal under 50 yards all year and was 9 for 9 from 40-49. If he called two more runs, the Patriots, at the very least, burn at least one more time out and even if Bryant misses, that's 70 yards, under 2:00, and probably zero time outs.

 

[Adios]

Many Steelers fans are crying and want to give up on football now. This is great. You all should be thanking the Patriots to shake up other bandwagon fanbases. Does Seattle still have a bandwagon fanbase?

Falcons fans are in a lot of pain. They think of their town as cursed.

 

[yukonyc212]

If that factored into Shanahan's play calling, he does not deserve to be a head coach. Matt Bryant missed a single filed goal under 50 yards all year and was 9 for 9 from 40-49. If he called two more runs, the Patriots, at the very least, burn at least one more time out and even if Bryant misses, that's 70 yards, under 2:00, and probably zero time outs.

And needing a successful onsides kick recovery and get in position for a fg with no timeouts and 10? Seconds on the clock.

 

[ctchamps]

If that factored into Shanahan's play calling, he does not deserve to be a head coach. Matt Bryant missed a single filed goal under 50 yards all year and was 9 for 9 from 40-49. If he called two more runs, the Patriots, at the very least, burn at least one more time out and even if Bryant misses, that's 70 yards, under 2:00, and probably zero time outs.

I'm not arguing it wasn't a foolish path to take the path they took. I'm presenting a possible scenario which led them to make the choices they took.

And it's wrong to think that the body of work Shanahan has done should be negated by panic in the heat of the moment. It happens to most coaches even better than Shanahan.

I would have played it like you suggest. Happy it didn't happen.

 

[ctchamps]

They left an extra minute on the clock by not running the ball there. Matt Bryant is automatic from 40 yards in. They run there they win. Simple as that. He was 39-40 from 40 yards or closer in the 4th quarter or OT in his career. If I'm a coach I'm pretty confident he makes that fg.

I agree with you. See my post to 25.

 

[Husky25]

panic in the heat of the moment.

Exactly what you don't want in a head coach.

“The thought is to get as many yards as you can,” Shanahan said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “And we were right there on the fringe. It was by no means an easy field goal. From what I remember, we ran in on first-and-10 and lost yards. Got into second-and-11, so we try to get a pass to get us back into a manageable third down, closer to the field goal...

Yes Atlanta lost a yard on 1st down. Even if they lost a couple yards on 2nd and 3rd down. It would have taken time off the clock and still would have left a manageable FG attempt. Shanahan panicked and now the 49ers (and their fans) have 7 months of to second guessing.

At the end of the day, we agree, so there is no use in arguing over the same side of the discussion. It just turns into who can say "Yes," louder. I'm just flabbergasted house Belichick is so good in these situations and other coaches sit on their d!ksack.

 

[Waquoit]

Falcons fans are in a lot of pain. They think of their town as cursed.

Nah, it's Atlanta. They're over it already.

 

[yukonyc212]

A 39 yard fg is an "easy" fg by all NFL metrics. Especially by a pro bowler like Bryant. Not sure what Shanahan is talking about. He's just trying to deflect blame... which as of right now stands squarely on his shoulders. I wouldn't want to be known as the architect of the biggest collapse in sports history. If I was a gm I wouldn't hire him after that.

 

[ctchamps]

A 39 yard fg is an "easy" fg by all NFL metrics. Especially by a pro bowler like Bryant. Not sure what Shanahan is talking about. He's just trying to deflect blame... which as of right now stands squarely on his shoulders. I wouldn't want to be known as the architect of the biggest collapse in sports history. If I was a gm I wouldn't hire him after that.

Did Shanahan say it? I was just making a conjecture. You and 25 think it's grounds for not making him a head coach. It might be he caves under pressure or it might be he's still new to these circumstances. Whatever the case Belechick is just incredible with how he handled things that game. Made adjustments the entire game but never panicked. The guy is a genius in finding the players that fit his system, modifying his system when necessary, and getting the most out of his personnel. His only luck is having a QB who has extreme talent and has bought into that system from the beginning as well as having longevity.

 

[David 76]

Should have gone for the field goal.

Also, was it just me or were the Falcons sending less men after the QB during their dive?

 

[Husky25]

Yes, I believe not being able to read and judge down, distance, score, and time is a red flag for a prospective head coach.

 

[yukonyc212]

Did Shanahan say it? I was just making a conjecture. You and 25 think it's grounds for not making him a head coach. It might be he caves under pressure or it might be he's still new to these circumstances. Whatever the case Belechick is just incredible with how he handled things that game. Made adjustments the entire game but never panicked. The guy is a genius in finding the players that fit his system, modifying his system when necessary, and getting the most out of his personnel. His only luck is having a QB who has extreme talent and has bought into that system from the beginning as well as having longevity.

Belechick is a master at in game adjustments. I knew the game would turn around, and it did. I just thought the defecit was to much to overcome. They needed a hell of a lot of help and lucky breaks and everything fell into place. I dislike the Patriots as much as the next guy, but I have to hand to them. Even though Atlanta was offering the game up on a silver platter they still had to step up and take it. Kudos to them.

 

[yukonyc212]

Did Shanahan say it? I was just making a conjecture. You and 25 think it's grounds for not making him a head coach. It might be he caves under pressure or it might be he's still new to these circumstances. Whatever the case Belechick is just incredible with how he handled things that game. Made adjustments the entire game but never panicked. The guy is a genius in finding the players that fit his system, modifying his system when necessary, and getting the most out of his personnel. His only luck is having a QB who has extreme talent and has bought into that system from the beginning as well as having longevity.

And yes... he did say that wasn't an "easy" fg. I have to wholeheartedly disagree. 39 yards is pretty automatic for Matt Bryant. He's only missed 1 in his career under 50 yards in the 4th quarter or OT. And the fg was on turf indoors without the elements. I'm just salty cuz I bet on Atlanta.