Like seriously, HOW do you manage to blow that game like THAT?!
The worst part is that even when the Patriots got the momentum back on that strip-sack by Hightower and scored to get within eight points, the Falcons still had every opportunity to close out the game and win. Literally all they had to do was run the clock down and not gamble on high-risk plays that could backfire on them and give the Patriots the ball back with too much time. There's also the defense giving up big plays to allow the Patriots to advance down the field, but you can't even point the finger at them because they were gassed from so much playing time (especially since they were amazing in the first half). Not even the 2015 Broncos or 2013 Seahawks or even the 2000 Ravens could have stopped the Patriots in that situation. Yet they kept snapping the ball with way too much time on the play clock and calling pass plays. This not only stalled the offense, but it forced the defense to spend too much time on the field making them gassed and unable to stop the Patriots.
When Matt Ryan hit Julio Jones for that insane sideline catch at the Patriots' 22-yard line, the game was over. It wasn't even a question of "can the Falcons stop the Patriots from coming back?". When everyone saw that, they knew the Falcons had made the play to win the Super Bowl. The time was ripe for them to RUN THE CLOCK DOWN AND KICK THE FIELD GOAL so they could go up by two scores. Instead, what do they do? They keep getting way too aggressive and calling pass plays that result in them losing yardage and getting knocked out of field goal range. Specifically, on 2nd and 11, Ryan got a late call for a pass play that he couldn't change and ended up getting sacked for a loss of 12 yards. THAT RIGHT THERE was the moment the Falcons gave the game away. That was the worst possible outcome for that play. They should have simply run the ball three times and chewed up the clock and then kicked the field goal. Or heck, just run the play clock down and take a knee three times and then kick the field goal. If they do that, they only need two first downs to mathematically eliminate any possibility of a Patriots comeback and we're not even talking about this.
Instead, the Falcons gamble themselves out of field goal range, punt the ball back to Tom Brady, and you know the rest. There is that one pass thrown by Brady that's caught by Julian Edelman that the Falcons should have intercepted. But they don't and the Patriots score with under a minute left to tie the game, and the rest is history.
I know a lot of people, especially Patriots fans will say that this happened because the Patriots played incredible, and there is considerable merit to that. But none of that stellar play would have mattered had the Falcons simply gotten their heads straight and played it safe and didn't fool around with risky, over-aggressive plays. There's no other way to describe it than they literally handed this game to Tom Brady on a silver platter after dominating him for three quarters.
You want to know who I really feel bad for? Matt Ryan. The dude had a banger MVP season and played incredible in the Super Bowl. After having one of the greatest playoff runs in NFL history. He was repeatedly making big plays to help the Falcons score and put them in position to win the game and during the second half he was repeatedly telling the Falcons coaches to run the ball and snap it late. He did everything you have to do to beat Tom Brady. Yet people will view him as a choker who couldn't get it done for reasons that weren't his fault.
The Falcons basically had this game won for all intents and purposes, yet chose to gift-wrap it to the Patriots through stupidity and cockiness.
The worst part is that even when the Patriots got the momentum back on that strip-sack by Hightower and scored to get within eight points, the Falcons still had every opportunity to close out the game and win. Literally all they had to do was run the clock down and not gamble on high-risk plays that could backfire on them and give the Patriots the ball back with too much time. There's also the defense giving up big plays to allow the Patriots to advance down the field, but you can't even point the finger at them because they were gassed from so much playing time (especially since they were amazing in the first half). Not even the 2015 Broncos or 2013 Seahawks or even the 2000 Ravens could have stopped the Patriots in that situation. Yet they kept snapping the ball with way too much time on the play clock and calling pass plays. This not only stalled the offense, but it forced the defense to spend too much time on the field making them gassed and unable to stop the Patriots.
When Matt Ryan hit Julio Jones for that insane sideline catch at the Patriots' 22-yard line, the game was over. It wasn't even a question of "can the Falcons stop the Patriots from coming back?". When everyone saw that, they knew the Falcons had made the play to win the Super Bowl. The time was ripe for them to RUN THE CLOCK DOWN AND KICK THE FIELD GOAL so they could go up by two scores. Instead, what do they do? They keep getting way too aggressive and calling pass plays that result in them losing yardage and getting knocked out of field goal range. Specifically, on 2nd and 11, Ryan got a late call for a pass play that he couldn't change and ended up getting sacked for a loss of 12 yards. THAT RIGHT THERE was the moment the Falcons gave the game away. That was the worst possible outcome for that play. They should have simply run the ball three times and chewed up the clock and then kicked the field goal. Or heck, just run the play clock down and take a knee three times and then kick the field goal. If they do that, they only need two first downs to mathematically eliminate any possibility of a Patriots comeback and we're not even talking about this.
Instead, the Falcons gamble themselves out of field goal range, punt the ball back to Tom Brady, and you know the rest. There is that one pass thrown by Brady that's caught by Julian Edelman that the Falcons should have intercepted. But they don't and the Patriots score with under a minute left to tie the game, and the rest is history.
I know a lot of people, especially Patriots fans will say that this happened because the Patriots played incredible, and there is considerable merit to that. But none of that stellar play would have mattered had the Falcons simply gotten their heads straight and played it safe and didn't fool around with risky, over-aggressive plays. There's no other way to describe it than they literally handed this game to Tom Brady on a silver platter after dominating him for three quarters.
You want to know who I really feel bad for? Matt Ryan. The dude had a banger MVP season and played incredible in the Super Bowl. After having one of the greatest playoff runs in NFL history. He was repeatedly making big plays to help the Falcons score and put them in position to win the game and during the second half he was repeatedly telling the Falcons coaches to run the ball and snap it late. He did everything you have to do to beat Tom Brady. Yet people will view him as a choker who couldn't get it done for reasons that weren't his fault.
The Falcons basically had this game won for all intents and purposes, yet chose to gift-wrap it to the Patriots through stupidity and cockiness.
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