At Least We Are Not The Falcons

[Nightman]

It's that short passing game the Pat's use as a running game. They move up and down the field with a high completion percentage and eat up the clock.

But they also ran the ball on 1st down over a dozen times even when trailing

They were committed to shortening the game for ATL

 

[punchnjudy]

Yeah, I agree with that... But I'll tell ya losing like how the Falcons lost... Brutal.

Was like the '94 Championship except in reverse order. That's gotta suck.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

But they also ran the ball on 1st down over a dozen times even when trailing

They were committed to shortening the game for ATL

Yep, the Giants did the same to the Bills.

 

[Clove]

What's eerily similar is that Atlanta's OC Shanahan called 3-4 stupid plays that likely lost the game for the Falcons, just as our OC did against Green Bay. And both situations involved pass plays that should have been run plays.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why the HEAD COACH didn't intervene. Snapping the ball with plenty of time on the play clock, continuously running pass plays, and long pass plays that takes time to develop. I don't see how that coaching staff still has a job today.

 

[Biggems]

The Falcons are going to be forever remember as the team that blew the largest lead ever in the SB. That would be like being up 10-0 in the 6th inning of game 7 of the World Series and you blow it.............just soul crushing.

Actually the 8th inning, since it was the closing minutes of the 3rd when the pats finally found the end zone

 

[punchnjudy]

Their whole offense, from coordinator down took a big dump after halftime.

I think part of the problem, as they mentioned on TV, it was an hour between drives for the Falcon offense and they seemed to have lost it. They came out on that first drive of the 3rd quarter and looked awful... And it never improved from there.

I'll ask where was Ryan's leadership on the offensive side of the ball?

The guy is a heck of a passer, but as an all-around QB? No.

Prescott doesn't have Ryan's passing skills, and may never get to that level, but he's a heck of a lot better leader IMO.

Looking back at the last ten years, most of the Super Bowl winners had one of the top QB's (most people seem to put Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers there) or they had a stout defense. Falcons didn't really fit either mold. Ryan had a great season, but he's never been regarded as being in that upper elite class, and you could see the difference pretty clearly last night, especially considering Ryan had the better weapons.

 

[percyhoward]

they only had 41 plays....

When it was 21-3 Atlanta at halftime, the Pats had 42 plays from scrimmage and the Falcons had 19.

 

[romothesavior]

Losing to Green Bay at home with the #1 seed was bad enough. Losing the SB after leading by 25 would be inconsolable. I rather not even make the playoffs. Sorry folks, there are no moral victories for the Falcons in this.....

I'm not calling it a moral victory. I'm saying that I would rather make the Super Bowl as NFC Champs and lose in heartbreaking fashion than lose your first game.

At least Atlanta fans got to enjoy a couple of awesome wins before having their hearts ripped out. I just had my heart ripped out, that's it.

 

[Nightman]

Yep, the Giants did the same to the Bills.

it was Belichick's plan to let Thurman Thomas to run for 100 yards.....it almost backfired though in both cases

 

[Nightman]

When it was 21-3 Atlanta at halftime, the Pats had 42 plays from scrimmage and the Falcons had 19.

With an 87 yd Pick 6

 

[MichaelWinicki]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why the HEAD COACH didn't intervene. Snapping the ball with plenty of time on the play clock, continuously running pass plays, and long pass plays that takes time to develop. I don't see how that coaching staff still has a job today.

I've thought about that... And quite frankly Quinn did a ****** job managing his coaches. After the debacle of the offensive series following the failed onside kick the should have gotten together with Shanahan and said, "We need to stop this bleeding– let's get any points we can and if you do nothing else run the clock down."

But it never happened and it tells me everything I need to know about Quinn's coaching.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

it was Belichick's plan to let Thurman Thomas to run for 100 yards.....it almost backfired though in both cases

The Bills were the better team.

And I think the Falcons were the better team.

Regardless in both instances the results ended up in his favor.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Looking back at the last ten years, most of the Super Bowl winners had one of the top QB's (most people seem to put Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers there) or they had a stout defense. Falcons didn't really fit either mold. Ryan had a great season, but he's never been regarded as being in that upper elite class, and you could see the difference pretty clearly last night, especially considering Ryan had the better weapons.

I think Ryan is a terrific passer... But as a leader he doesn't knock my socks off.

The Falcon defense isn't stout, but they did pressure Brady and they did stop the run for the most part.

The Falcons have an awful secondary... And by the 4th quarter the defensive line was gassed and the Falcon secondary was the Falcon secondary.

 

[percyhoward]

But they also ran the ball on 1st down over a dozen times even when trailing

They were committed to shortening the game for ATL

What made it such a sound strategy is that the Patriots actually have the defense for it. Ball control is effective as long as you can finish drives and make stops on defense.

Even before the pick six, NE was down 0-14 despite leading in TOP 17:07 to 10:23.

 

[Cowboys_22]

I didn't have a dog in the fight so not a big deal to me but have to give credit where it's due. Patriots are clearly the better team and Brady the best qb this year. I know I know,Captain Obvious lol.

Congrats patriot fans. Next year is our turn. Go Cowboys!

 

[punchnjudy]

I think Ryan is a terrific passer... But as a leader he doesn't knock my socks off.

The Falcon defense isn't stout, but they did pressure Brady and they did stop the run for the most part.

The Falcons have an awful secondary... And by the 4th quarter the defensive line was gassed and the Falcon secondary was the Falcon secondary.

I catch a decent number of Falcons games here including most of his games against Carolina; Ryan has always reminded me a little bit of Eli just in terms of consistency. Not as extreme though. He had been more consistent this season, but that ended sometime during the halftime show. I'd still put him in the second tier of qb's, though.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Surprised more people aren't taking this angle. Ryan was having the game of his life the first half and at some point turned into Brandon Weeden. And no one is talking about it. If that was Romo he would have been crucified on the field, literally and figuratively.

Matt Ryan is 3-5 in post season, collapsed in mNy games yet is still called Ice. It is unbelievzble.

 

[sideon]

What makes it worse is knowing all they had to do was nothing and settle for a FG, a FG wins them a championship smh. Now we have to hear about how great Tom Trump is, even though his last 2 rings were handed to him

 

[KJJ]

Read where very few Atlanta fans showed up to welcome the Falcons back. A professor at a college who's a Falcons fan cancelled his classes so he could mourn. LOL One Falcons fan burned all his Falcons memorabilia and threatened to kill himself. Some are taking the loss extremely hard. I was checking out a Falcons fan board and they had a big "blessing in disguise" thread with some looking for a silver lining. Good luck with that one.

 

[Beast_from_East]

That's what I was thinking when I saw this question.

You can't compare our loss and theirs. Some people won't admit it but the way we were dancing around who we'd play.. Or if this guy or that guy should play the final game was writing on the wall. We knew our outcome was possible.


Atlanta fans had 2 weeks to convince themselves they were going to shock the world. Then.. They come out in the first half and do just that convincingly and get a lead so large you start to count down.


Then they get their souls snatched in little less than 10 minutes without putting up a fight. That is as bad as a loss as any fan could take. Once you drink the kool aid the loss is way worse. Screw a morale "we glad we got here" mentality.

Exactly.............some posters can beat their chest and say they would rather be in the dance regardless of what happens but we all know that is bull. This isn't like the head coach iced his kicker and he missed the game winner, we are talking about the largest comeback in the 51 year history of the SB. The largest lead ever overcome was 10 points and the Falcons blew a 25 point lead!!!

It would be like game 7 of the world series and your team is up 10-0 entering the 9th inning and you lose............there are some loses that you never forget and will go down in history, the Falcons just realized this. 50 years from now they will still be talking about this loss in the annuls of history. Ever SB that is going to be played from here on out, the team that falls behind the announcers will say "well remember Atlanta vs Patriots, anything can still happen" so this is not over.

BRUTAL!!!