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How in the Hell did Atlanta Lose the Super Bowl

bigbluewreckingcrew25 : 8/9/2017 2:21 pm
I know, I know, this has been discussed ad-nauseam, but I just re-watched highlights of the game. It may be harsh, but Dan Quinn should have been fired in the locker room after the game. How are you throwing the ball that much with that lead. Inexcusable. Matt Ryan is as un-clutch as they come. My prediction...Atlanta won't win 8 games. I don't see how you overcome a loss like that.

Once they were up 28 to 3  
pjcas18 : 8/9/2017 2:29 pm : link
they ran the ball 5 times.

think about that.
I could talk about that game forever...  
kinard : 8/9/2017 2:30 pm : link
I dying to watch it again. My very minority opinion (and BBI killed me for it) was that Matthews, the Left Tackle, blew the game. Two killer penalties on him (one on third and inches and the other an awful hold) during the comeback and he let up a lot of pressure.

Everyone loves blaming the coach and the QB (and justifiably so) but Matthews took them out scoring position twice when a filed goal would have iced the game.

Before you yell at me, watch the sequences again during the Patriots comeback.

Arthur Blank would have been within his rights  
Go Terps : 8/9/2017 2:31 pm : link
to fire Quinn on the sideline.
They lost because,  
Doomster : 8/9/2017 2:31 pm : link
their DL became gassed.....midway through the third quarter, they were no longer pressuring Brady, like they did in the first half.....

A fortunate catch by Edelman......

A RB whiffs on a block and Ryan fumbles.....

The questionable offensive calls in the fourth quarter....

And BB smelled blood in the water.....
Doesn't matter what..  
FatMan in Charlotte : 8/9/2017 2:33 pm : link
mistakes players made. The math was shown after the fact that the Falcons, if they ran the ball every play, would have run out the clock.

That is a coaching error, and it isn't even that debatable.
That comeback/collapse  
jnoble : 8/9/2017 2:38 pm : link
...was positively Fassel-esque lol
Quinn Or The Atlanta OC Screwed Up Big Time ...  
Trainmaster : 8/9/2017 2:41 pm : link
... but Quinn's opposite number had something to do with it

They should have ran the ball  
Bluesbreaker : 8/9/2017 2:45 pm : link
and licked the damn FG instead of Matty getting sacked
that would have made it impossible for Tom terrific to
tie the game or win it .
You show what you are  
Fred in Atlanta : 8/9/2017 2:45 pm : link
with the ball in the championship game with the game on the line. Matt Ryan showed he is Matty Choke.
RE: I could talk about that game forever...  
santacruzom : 8/9/2017 2:46 pm : link
In comment 13554015 kinard said:
Quote:
I dying to watch it again. My very minority opinion (and BBI killed me for it) was that Matthews, the Left Tackle, blew the game. Two killer penalties on him (one on third and inches and the other an awful hold) during the comeback and he let up a lot of pressure.

Everyone loves blaming the coach and the QB (and justifiably so) but Matthews took them out scoring position twice when a filed goal would have iced the game.

Before you yell at me, watch the sequences again during the Patriots comeback.


Yeah, I'm on board with that.
Unfathomable meltdown.  
bceagle05 : 8/9/2017 2:46 pm : link
That crazy sideline catch by Julio Jones, which put the Falcons in FG range up 28-20 with only a few minutes left, should've been the final nail in the coffin. Pats made a big run to get within one score, Falcons respond with a big play, game over. And they STILL freaking blew it.
RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
Mike in Long Beach : 8/9/2017 2:47 pm : link
In comment 13554012 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
they ran the ball 5 times.

think about that.


Wow.
the play that gets me...  
phil in arizona : 8/9/2017 2:47 pm : link
It's 3rd and 1 around ATL's 30 (28-12 ATL, 8:30 left), the line up shotgun and attempt to pass. Freeman blows a block, sack, fumble recovery NE.
though I do agree  
santacruzom : 8/9/2017 2:47 pm : link
that running the ball would have removed the tackle's mistakes from the equation altogether.

And it's not like Freeman was having a poor game prior.
.  
arcarsenal : 8/9/2017 2:48 pm : link
Why? Because they decided to suddenly employ the worst playcalling in the history of the game.

All they had to do was run the ball right up the gut and kick a FG. Instead, they had Ryan drop back to pass in an area where a loss of yardage could put them out of FG range and he got sacked.

One of the most inexplicable decisions ever.
.  
Danny Kanell : 8/9/2017 2:51 pm : link
Could you imagine BBI if that was the Giants?

This place would be insane for years.
I know saying Matthews lost the game is idiotic BUT...  
kinard : 8/9/2017 2:51 pm : link
... he had his fingerprints all over the choke. Here's what went down:

When all the Falcons needed was one more score, Matthews knocked the Falcons out of field goal range with two of the worst second half penalties in NFL History.

Holding #1: 1:30 left in 3rd quarter; Atlanta up 28-9. 2d and 1 on Pats 32 and he gets called for a hold on a running play...on 2d and 1!!! - Not only would Falcons have gotten easy first down, they probably score a TD and ice the game. That play is followed by an incomplete pass and a God-awful Ryan sack to push ball back to pats 49 yard line. Falcons blow field goal chance and punt.

Holding #2: Leading 28-20 with 4:40 left in game, the Falcons, after great Julio Jones catch, have first and 10 at Pats 22 yard line. Atlanta loses 2 yards on first down with with run. On second down Falcons inexplicably try to throw and Ryan takes another sack moving ball back to Pats 35 - still within Matt Bryant range. But then on third down, Matthews tackles Chris Long and his penalty nullifies 7-yard pass to Sanu and moves ball back to Pats 45 and then (3rd and 33) Ryan misses a short throw. Falcons punt and the rest (as they say) is history.

A hold on a 2d and 1 running play? Tackling Chris Long with Falcons in field goal range? Can you imagine if that was Eric Flowers? He would have been run out of town before the game ended...
what a gift to the Pats  
spike : 8/9/2017 2:51 pm : link
just like Seattle did the same with the previous super bowl at the 1 yard line.
TC/Eli are the only ones that called the game right  
SHO'NUFF : 8/9/2017 2:53 pm : link
in 2 SB wins vs. the Pats. Running Bradshaw at the goalline in 46 was absolutely the right call. The execution left a lot to be desired though =)

If Carroll and Quinn make the correct calls, there is no talk about the Pats Dynasty. Amazing that Quinn didn't learn from the first debacle.
This, right here  
phil in arizona : 8/9/2017 2:57 pm : link
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pHGUtq-nxw&t=243s - ( New Window )
If Matt Ryan  
andrew_nyg : 8/9/2017 2:57 pm : link
were Eli Manning he would've been crucified for that loss.
RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
LAXin : 8/9/2017 2:58 pm : link
In comment 13554012 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
they ran the ball 5 times.

think about that.


This is the truth but not the whole truth. Between 28:3 and 28:28, the Falcons had 3 drives, lasting 3 plays, 3 plays, and 6 plays. They passed 4 times in the final drive after the scores were tied.

So really, of the 12 plays they ran while leading, they ran the ball 5 times and passed 7. Running it all 12 times would NOT having exhausted the game clock, as the Patriots tied it with 57 seconds left and still had a time-out.

RE: RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
pjcas18 : 8/9/2017 3:04 pm : link
In comment 13554078 LAXin said:
Quote:
In comment 13554012 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


they ran the ball 5 times.

think about that.



This is the truth but not the whole truth. Between 28:3 and 28:28, the Falcons had 3 drives, lasting 3 plays, 3 plays, and 6 plays. They passed 4 times in the final drive after the scores were tied.

So really, of the 12 plays they ran while leading, they ran the ball 5 times and passed 7. Running it all 12 times would NOT having exhausted the game clock, as the Patriots tied it with 57 seconds left and still had a time-out.


It isn't just the number of times they ran, and I wasn't saying they could have simply run the clock out, but it was also the situational plays when they didn't run the ball 3rd and 1 midway through the 4th, every down after the Jones catch, so many plays where running the ball would have been the thing to do from a success standpoint and from a clock management standpoint and they inexplicably just simply didn't.

and Atlanta was having success running the ball averaging over 5 ypc.
the headsets went out for atlanta  
big_blue : 8/9/2017 3:08 pm : link
the patriots hacked them and knew the plays - atlanta looses.
RE: Arthur Blank would have been within his rights  
TyreeHelmet : 8/9/2017 3:09 pm : link
In comment 13554019 Go Terps said:
Quote:
to fire Quinn on the sideline.


Watch all the NFL films of that game of the Falcons sideline. I would have fired Quinn after that debacle.
RE: Doesn't matter what..  
LAXin : 8/9/2017 3:09 pm : link
In comment 13554025 FatMan in Charlotte said:
Quote:
mistakes players made. The math was shown after the fact that the Falcons, if they ran the ball every play, would have run out the clock.


How so?

Between leading 28:3 and being caught at 28:28, the Falcons operated three offensive drives, lasting 3 plays and 2:15, 3 plays and 1:20, and 6 plays and 2:26, respectively. So that's a total of 6:01 off the game clock.

If they just ran the ball each time in those 3 drives, with ball snapped at two seconds remained in the play-clock and consumed two seconds each time, no out-of-bounds, no penalty, that's 9 plays of 40 seconds each, or 6:00. Each of the 3 drives would have ended with a punt, and let's say it consumed an average of 8 seconds. So that's a total of 6:24, compared to the 6:01 in reality.

An extra 23 seconds, but the Patriots tied the game with 51 seconds remaining, and still had a time-out.
And Ryan deserves every bit of criticism he gets  
Go Terps : 8/9/2017 3:09 pm : link
Just a huge choke job. But at least he didn't outright quit on the game like Cam Newton did the year before.
They will not get over this.  
Big Blue '56 : 8/9/2017 3:15 pm : link
Sure, they might win 10-12 games in the regular season, but in the clutch they're toast, just as Seattle was (championship-wise) after giving the SB to the Pats
Domster nailed it ...  
Manny in CA : 8/9/2017 3:15 pm : link

ATL's D-line was gassed; Tom Brady played "rope-a-dope" with the inexperienced Atlanta defense, wore them down, then destroyed them.

Same thing when the Giants played the Packers; our defense looked unstoppable, then Rogers steals the momentum with the Hail Mary to end the 1st half, DRC gets injured and it's over
RE: RE: RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
LAXin : 8/9/2017 3:21 pm : link
In comment 13554086 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
and Atlanta was having success running the ball averaging over 5 ypc.


That's misleading too. The Falcons ran the ball 10 times in the 2nd half, with a net total of 18 yards. They gained 1 yard or less in 6 of those 10 times.

Talk about great half-time adjustment, by Belichick's D against Falcons' run game.

The most salient thing I noticed was Ryan kept snapping the ball with 12, 15 seconds remaining in the play-clock. What the F were they in a hurry for? In the 2nd half they snapped the ball 15 times while leading, and if they only took an extra 5, 6 seconds off the clock each time, it would have sufficed.

The Seattle choke was not in the same stratosphere  
Overseer : 8/9/2017 3:36 pm : link
horrific, horrific call by PC, but that was a close game throughout.

The Falcons game was the definition of IN THE BAG. Even after having done all but everything to give it away, you manage to put yourself in a position to again ice it late. But you fuck that up too.

It was simply mind-blowing. People get ridiculed for thinking they can coach better than these professionals. But in that snapshot of a 2nd half, it was true for Quinn. This is not a hindsight is 20/20 situation.

I was pretty into the "Brady is a great player and had his heyday early on but then couldn't win more Super Bowls after the Giants twice crushed his dreams" narrative. So I like many of us was rooting like hell for Seattle & Atlanta.

Really hoping they don't repeat in 2017. Go Raiders (in AFC).

RE: RE: RE: RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
kinard : 8/9/2017 4:16 pm : link
In comment 13554112 LAXin said:
Quote:
In comment 13554086 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


and Atlanta was having success running the ball averaging over 5 ypc.



That's misleading too. The Falcons ran the ball 10 times in the 2nd half, with a net total of 18 yards. They gained 1 yard or less in 6 of those 10 times.

Talk about great half-time adjustment, by Belichick's D against Falcons' run game.

The most salient thing I noticed was Ryan kept snapping the ball with 12, 15 seconds remaining in the play-clock. What the F were they in a hurry for? In the 2nd half they snapped the ball 15 times while leading, and if they only took an extra 5, 6 seconds off the clock each time, it would have sufficed.


THIS ^
If the Giants had lost a Super Bowl up 28-3...  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 8/9/2017 4:26 pm : link
I'd be in a padded cell right now. And you probably think I'm kidding. If I'm a Falcon fan, I'd legitimately ? if I'd continue following the NFL.

I still get blood-boiling mad over the 2002 Niner game  
Greg from LI : 8/9/2017 4:32 pm : link
Now imagine that, only in the Super Bowl. Gah.
RE: If the Giants had lost a Super Bowl up 28-3...  
Tittle 9 20 64 : 8/9/2017 4:38 pm : link
In comment 13554184 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:
Quote:
I'd be in a padded cell right now. And you probably think I'm kidding. If I'm a Falcon fan, I'd legitimately ? if I'd continue following the NFL.


I still haven't got past the 2010 loss to Philly when we were up 31-10 with 7:37 to go in the game. And that was only a regular season game!
RE: RE: RE: RE: Once they were up 28 to 3  
pjcas18 : 8/9/2017 4:39 pm : link
In comment 13554112 LAXin said:
Quote:
In comment 13554086 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


and Atlanta was having success running the ball averaging over 5 ypc.



That's misleading too. The Falcons ran the ball 10 times in the 2nd half, with a net total of 18 yards. They gained 1 yard or less in 6 of those 10 times.

Talk about great half-time adjustment, by Belichick's D against Falcons' run game.

The most salient thing I noticed was Ryan kept snapping the ball with 12, 15 seconds remaining in the play-clock. What the F were they in a hurry for? In the 2nd half they snapped the ball 15 times while leading, and if they only took an extra 5, 6 seconds off the clock each time, it would have sufficed.


there is nothing misleading about it. Any time you look at average yards per carry stats there will be some above the average and some below it.

From the time it was 28 - 3 the Falcons had runs of:

1st down 8 yards
2nd down 1 yard
3rd down Key non-run play, strip sack. Even a negative running play likely changes the outcome of the game

Next ATL drive:....some plays then
2 yard run
then the pass to Julio bringing the ball to the Pats 22

4:40 left FG range, up 8.

you run the ball three times and kick a FG there the game is over, no debate really, the Patriots would be down 11, with no TO's left and maybe a couple minutes on the clock, who knows.

what did ATL do?

1st down run for 1 yard loss
3:56 left, still easy FG range
2nd down sack, 12 yard loss
still a 52 yard FG to probably ice the game
3rd down, holding call pushing the Falcons out of FG range

the rest is history, you can argue all you want about when they snapped the ball or how effective the run game was, but there is nothing, literally nothing misleading about saying had the Falcons run the ball more up 28 - 3 they'd be SB champs. Especially on certain key plays.




RE: .  
mrvax : 8/9/2017 4:39 pm : link
In comment 13554061 arcarsenal said:
Quote:
Why? Because they decided to suddenly employ the worst playcalling in the history of the game.

All they had to do was run the ball right up the gut and kick a FG. Instead, they had Ryan drop back to pass in an area where a loss of yardage could put them out of FG range and he got sacked.

One of the most inexplicable decisions ever.


Well, Super Bowl XLIX Pats/Hawks had a horrific ending also with piss poor play calls. That's 2 Super Bowl give-aways to the Pats.
I typically don't feel much sympathy for billionaires  
bceagle05 : 8/9/2017 4:57 pm : link
but it was so awkward watching Arthur Blank on the sidelines at the end of that game. FOX kept putting the camera on him as he got more and more miserable.
RE: I typically don't feel much sympathy for billionaires  
spike : 8/9/2017 5:02 pm : link
In comment 13554218 bceagle05 said:
Quote:
but it was so awkward watching Arthur Blank on the sidelines at the end of that game. FOX kept putting the camera on him as he got more and more miserable.


He jinxed it by going downstairs.. Morans
don't know how anyone doesn't start  
UConn4523 : 8/9/2017 5:06 pm : link
the blame at Quinn. Absolutely inexplicable gameplan and I'd go so far as to say its the worst I've seen in sports.
Really bad play calling and really bad luck  
Jimmy Googs : 8/9/2017 5:18 pm : link
and one of those was preventable...
RE: .  
Big Blue '56 : 8/9/2017 5:21 pm : link
In comment 13554064 Danny Kanell said:
Quote:
Could you imagine BBI if that was the Giants?

This place would be insane for years.


If this had happened to us, I still would be in bed under the covers..
RE: RE: .  
Gman11 : 8/9/2017 6:01 pm : link
In comment 13554235 Big Blue '56 said:
Quote:
In comment 13554064 Danny Kanell said:


Quote:


Could you imagine BBI if that was the Giants?

This place would be insane for years.



If this had happened to us, I still would be in bed under the covers..
Well, it did happen, just not in a Super Bowl. The same thing happened in that game, the defense stopped pressuring the QB. Oh, and that freakin' drop in the end zone by Shockey.
RE: You show what you are  
Gmen1982 : 8/9/2017 6:10 pm : link
In comment 13554051 Fred in Atlanta said:
Quote:
with the ball in the championship game with the game on the line. Matt Ryan showed he is Matty Choke.


It's not like he had the ball behind in the fourth quarter trying to score. Stupid to say he choked when he was basically just trying to survive.
In his first press conference with the Giants  
DieHard : 8/9/2017 11:32 pm : link
Coughlin said that there are more games lost in this league than games won. Taking nothing from the Patriots, but they've certainly benefited from other team's brain farts in the big games (Atlanta's playcalling meltdown, the Seattle goal-line INT, Panthers' kickoff landing out of bounds after tying the game, etc.).
RE: In his first press conference with the Giants  
LAXin : 8/10/2017 1:33 am : link
In comment 13554540 DieHard said:
Quote:
Coughlin said that there are more games lost in this league than games won.


Very true. Bill Belichick also echoed the sentiment by saying "Players win games. Coaches lose them." He wasn't just being humble. He once said his team is better, no because his #1 to #10 players were better than his opponent's #1 to #10, but because his #40 to #45 were better than their counterparts. And why are his fringe players are better? Better coaching, of course.

Wade Phillips told his players:"Mistakes are mine. Efforts are yours."

Is there another sport in which coaching matters more than football? More so in pro than collegiate.

RE: This, right here  
NoPeanutz : 8/10/2017 10:24 am : link
In comment 13554076 phil in arizona said:
Quote:
. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pHGUtq-nxw&t=243s - ( New Window )

that's still incredible.
get a brain morans
There's no question play calling blew it  
Ron Johnson 30 : 8/10/2017 10:39 am : link
but you have to credit the Pats players too. They took advantage where most wouldn't have been able to
RE: There's no question play calling blew it  
NoPeanutz : 8/10/2017 10:51 am : link
In comment 13554816 Ron Johnson 30 said:
Quote:
but you have to credit the Pats players too. They took advantage where most wouldn't have been able to

This is the SuperBowl. Almost by definition, both teams in the game should be able to take advantage. Effectively, you're automatically selecting for one of the top 100 teams of all time (with some exceptions).
.  
Go Terps : 8/10/2017 11:26 am : link
Russell Wilson's interception remains the worst play I've ever seen, but the sack Matt Ryan took last year is close. He absolutely, positively, could not take this sack:

Teams do stupid things when they play the Pats  
NYerInMA : 8/10/2017 7:57 pm : link
unlike most teams, the Pats will make you pay for them. The Pats could easily be 0-9 in Super Bowls instead of 5-4.
You have to give credit to the Pats defense  
Ron Johnson 30 : 8/10/2017 8:43 pm : link
for some huge plays in key spots. Suggesting it was all on Atlanta misses the mark
RE: RE: Doesn't matter what..  
Mr. Bungle : 8/10/2017 9:44 pm : link
In comment 13554095 LAXin said:
Quote:
In comment 13554025 FatMan in Charlotte said:


Quote:


mistakes players made. The math was shown after the fact that the Falcons, if they ran the ball every play, would have run out the clock.




How so?

Between leading 28:3 and being caught at 28:28, the Falcons operated three offensive drives, lasting 3 plays and 2:15, 3 plays and 1:20, and 6 plays and 2:26, respectively. So that's a total of 6:01 off the game clock.

If they just ran the ball each time in those 3 drives, with ball snapped at two seconds remained in the play-clock and consumed two seconds each time, no out-of-bounds, no penalty, that's 9 plays of 40 seconds each, or 6:00. Each of the 3 drives would have ended with a punt, and let's say it consumed an average of 8 seconds. So that's a total of 6:24, compared to the 6:01 in reality.

An extra 23 seconds, but the Patriots tied the game with 51 seconds remaining, and still had a time-out.

Why are you using colons in game scores?
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