Super Bowl 51 Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots

[Northeast Stinger]

Don't know how many of you guys were around for the Falcons choke against Dallas in the Championship game back in 78 or whatever - but last night was deja vu all over again.

At least the Falcons had an excuse in that one. The entire secondary had the flu during that game and was throwing up on the sideline between plays. Trainers could not keep them hydrated.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

The Falcons made three game losing mistakes around the 4 minute mark: 2 coaching errors and one really bad player mistake. (1) The tired D had lost its pass rush but no coaching adjustment was made allowing Brady to pick the Falcons apart in the last two drives. (2) With 4 minutes left and an 8 point lead at the 25 yard line (good field goal position) with 2nd and 8 the Falcons should have run two plays to milk the clock down to 2 minutes + and kick the field goal for an 11 point lead. (3) big mental mistake by Ryan to take the sack and take the Falcons out of field goal range from 2nd and 8 at the 25 yard line. This was a virtually sure win if the Falcons go up by 11 with less than 3 minutes.

Yep.

 

[CuseJacket]

Uhh... does Shanahan realize they were at the 23 yd line? That's a 40-yd attempt. Wow.
"You always want to run the ball," Kyle Shanahan said. "You don't want to just run the ball and make your guy take a 50-yard field goal."

Tom Brady must also be the greatest opposing offensive coordinator in history. Seattle - we have Marshawn Lynch from the 1, nah let's pass. Atlanta - Just need to stay in FG range to burn clock and ice it? Nah, let's go shotgun for 6.

 

[Techster]

I kept telling my girlfriend the Falcons were leaving too much time before each snap, and they weren't utilizing Freeman enough in the running game. Apparently, after going up 28-3, the Falcons ran the ball only FIVE times. Think about that.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

You can all blame me.

I became a Patriot fan living after living in New England for eight years. About two days before the Super Bowl I decide I was going to pull for the team I grew up with. I am old enough to remember the first Falcons and Tommy Nobis, the best linebacker to ever play for a chronically losing team. It felt like coming home to pull for them again. The losing also felt painfully too familiar.

 

[MikeJackets]

1980 season... divisional playoff game in January ... yes that one still hurts, but not like last night

The 1978 Divisional Playoff game in Dallas against the Cowboys was worse. The Falcons KO Roger Staubach then they play better with Danny White and come back to win 27-20 when it looked like the game would go to Overtime.

 

[MikeJackets]

I kept telling my girlfriend the Falcons were leaving too much time before each snap, and they weren't utilizing Freeman enough in the running game. Apparently, after going up 28-3, the Falcons ran the ball only FIVE times. Think about that.

Poor Coaching by Kyle Shanahan. I have a feeling that he will wind up being a flash in the pan losing his job in San Francisco after 2-3 seasons.

 

[MikeJackets]

Do y'all think the Falcons will do in 2017 like they did in 1999 an miss the Playoffs after going to the Super Bowl? I think the offense will regress since Shanahan is leaving for the 49'ers but I think the Defense will be healthier and maybe better. I think the Falcons can win the NFC South with a 9-7 or 10-6 record in 2017 with a very tough schedule.

Carolina
@Carolina
New Orleans
@New Orleans
Tampa Bay
@Tampa Bay
Green Bay
@Chicago
Minnesota
@Detroit
Buffalo
@New England
Miami
@New York Jets
Dallas
@Seattle.

 

[MikeJackets]

At least the Falcons had an excuse in that one. The entire secondary had the flu during that game and was throwing up on the sideline between plays. Trainers could not keep them hydrated.

It'll probably be another 18 years and another head coach until the Falcons make the Super Bowl again and hopefully win it then

 

[Techster]

Poor Coaching by Kyle Shanahan. I have a feeling that he will wind up being a flash in the pan losing his job in San Francisco after 2-3 seasons.

Thing to keep in mind about Shannahan and the 49ers: Falcons offense has Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Sanu, the top 1-2 RB duo, and a very good OL. 49ers don't even have a real QB.

As long as the Falcons have their main guys, the offense will do well. Maybe not historically great like this year, but the Falcons offense was never terrible. Matt Ryan is a top 5-10 QB now, and no way 49ers get that this year or the next 3 years because it takes time to develop one, and franchise QBs don't get traded or go to free agency unless something is wrong with them. 49ers also have one of the most inept owners in the League, where Arthur Blank is widely respected and players and executives enjoy working for him.

Our defense was young this year, and I would assume we'll get more talent this offseason. Falcons are definitely in a good place to continue the success.

 

[RamblinCharger]

That was the most painful loss I've ever witnessed as a sports fan. I remember the braves losing in 99 to the Yankees, but at least we had no real shot in that series. This was the epitome of being an Atlanta fan. Kyle Shanahan owes all Falcons fans an apology for costing us the game. I'm heartbroken. At least it wasn't Tech...

 

[MikeJackets]

Thing to keep in mind about Shannahan and the 49ers: Falcons offense has Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Sanu, the top 1-2 RB duo, and a very good OL. 49ers don't even have a real QB.

As long as the Falcons have their main guys, the offense will do well. Maybe not historically great like this year, but the Falcons offense was never terrible. Matt Ryan is a top 5-10 QB now, and no way 49ers get that this year or the next 3 years because it takes time to develop one, and franchise QBs don't get traded or go to free agency unless something is wrong with them. 49ers also have one of the most inept owners in the League, where Arthur Blank is widely respected and players and executives enjoy working for him.

Our defense was young this year, and I would assume we'll get more talent this offseason. Falcons are definitely in a good place to continue the success.

The Falcons defense will be healthy in 2017 with the starting linebackers returning and Desmond Trufant coming back. I think they will be better in 2017 while I think the offense falls back a bit with a new offensive coordinator and offensive coaches.

 

[Skeptic]

Shaq Mason. Super Bowl champion!

I know at some point in the thread Mason was criticized for his play early. I don't know since my only reference is a six minute highlight reel on YouTube -- the only way to watch pro football for me, and I was looking specifically for Mason -- but New England scored two TDs running directly behind him and the winning TD running to his side. And in those highlights his pass protection never broke down. But as I said that is six minutes out of about 64 or so. I feel sure that if he didn't play well that coach won't let much paint dry before taking it up with him.

 

[Skeptic]

Paul Johnson would have won that game with a 25 point lead in the second half...

Well. Didn't we once lose a game with a 21-point halftime lead? Momentum in sports simply can't be defined. When I once messed around with golf it was referred to as "when the wheels came off" and a good score just collapses while there is nothing you can do to stop it. Bad coaching might have helped but bad playing helped. There was a pretty fair country coach across the field who apparently made defensive adjustments as the game moved along.

 

[Techster]

I know at some point in the thread Mason was criticized for his play early. I don't know since my only reference is a six minute highlight reel on YouTube -- the only way to watch pro football for me, and I was looking specifically for Mason -- but New England scored two TDs running directly behind him and the winning TD running to his side. And in those highlights his pass protection never broke down. But as I said that is six minutes out of about 64 or so. I feel sure that if he didn't play well that coach won't let much paint dry before taking it up with him.

Mason had a handful of REALLY bad plays that were highlighted because of the result (Brady sack). The worst one was when Mason peeled back and essentially became a blocking back 3 yards off Brady's right hip. He got bulled into Brady for the sack, and looked horrible.

For the most part, Mason actually had a strong performance in the SB. Runs behind him were good to great gains. His pass blocking, outside of those sacks, was about average. He didn't grade outstanding, but he I think he did well overall.

 

[tech_wreck47]

I think the falcons will be back very soon. The offense still has a ton of weapons, you have a coach who has changed the culture dramatically, and most of all a D that is getting better and better. It hurts losing but I can't help but think we had FOUR rookies starting on the D and THREE guys in their second year, what Quinn has done to even get to the super bowl with that many young guys on D is phenomenal. Just wait for these guys to be in their 3rd and 4th years with other rookies and free agents we pick up.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Mason had a handful of REALLY bad plays that were highlighted because of the result (Brady sack). The worst one was when Mason peeled back and essentially became a blocking back 3 yards off Brady's right hip. He got bulled into Brady for the sack, and looked horrible.

For the most part, Mason actually had a strong performance in the SB. Runs behind him were good to great gains. His pass blocking, outside of those sacks, was about average. He didn't grade outstanding, but he I think he did well overall.

Mason had his ups and downs but I don't think I saw the patriots have one "great" run. I could have missed One but did they even have a run over 10 yards?

 

[MikeJackets]

Mason had his ups and downs but I don't think I saw the patriots have one "great" run. I could have missed One but did they even have a run over 10 yards?

I could see the Patriots drafting Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and they need to draft a fast big play making wide receiver.

 

[deeeznutz]

Mason had a handful of REALLY bad plays that were highlighted because of the result (Brady sack). The worst one was when Mason peeled back and essentially became a blocking back 3 yards off Brady's right hip. He got bulled into Brady for the sack, and looked horrible.

For the most part, Mason actually had a strong performance in the SB. Runs behind him were good to great gains. His pass blocking, outside of those sacks, was about average. He didn't grade outstanding, but he I think he did well overall.

True, the early sacks were pretty bad (seeing Grady Jarrett and Vic Beasley coming hard at the QB was giving me some GT/Clemson flashbacks), but Shaq was a beast by the end of the game. For the first 2pt conversion run, it was basically the "get behind Shaq play" and he cleared a path into the end zone. I thought he held his own pretty well against some very good players and he has nothing to be ashamed of. At least he has some things he knows he has to work on over the offseason.

 

[Peacone36]

I could see the Patriots drafting Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and they need to draft a fast big play making wide receiver.

Eh. NE need help on the DL . Pats lucked out as Logan Ryan played very well this year. You will see them go heavy on the D in the draft I beleive.

They have the WR of the future in Mitchell. (I know I know)

They will also go for Oline depth just like they always do.