NFL Superbowl: Dont Waste My Overtime

[Maithanet]

I dunno, maybe it's just the cynic in me, but I feel like this was a lot more Atlanta choking than the Patriots playing well.  I mean, yes, for the final 20 minutes of regulation and OT, the Patriots were awesome on both ends of the field.  But if it weren't for the Falcons completely choking, awesome wouldn't have been enough.  Twice in that final 20 minutes, the Falcons had 1st and 10 in field goal range.  If they just run the ball three times and kick a field goal (either time), they win.  That's just inexcusably bad.  And that's not even going into the dropped interceptions, two weird deflections that were both caught by NE, failing to see a free rusher and giving up a strip sack, and generally lackadaisical clock management that resulted in ATL having no timeouts when for a game winning drive at the end of the game. 

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

Eli Manning, still the only QB to beat Brady in the SB :). as far as it being the best SB ever, no. it was the best 4th quarter+ we have ever seen for sure though. I thought White could have easily been MVP, but Brady was amazing. I feel for Falcon fans

[Red Tiger]

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

What a choke job by Atlanta.

I dunno if this is fair, my friend.

I understand Ryan and the offense getting scorn, but that defense was just exhausted from a brutal 3 quarters.

[Martell Spy]

 

Quote

 

I dunno, maybe it's just the cynic in me, but I feel like this was a lot more Atlanta choking than the Patriots playing well.  I mean, yes, for the final 20 minutes of regulation and OT, the Patriots were awesome on both ends of the field.  But if it weren't for the Falcons completely choking, awesome wouldn't have been enough.  Twice in that final 20 minutes, the Falcons had 1st and 10 in field goal range.  If they just run the ball three times and kick a field goal (either time), they win.  That's just inexcusably bad.  And that's not even going into the dropped interceptions, two weird deflections that were both caught by NE, failing to see a free rusher and giving up a strip sack, and generally lackadaisical clock management that resulted in ATL having no timeouts when for a game winning drive at the end of the game. 

 

Yeah, it really seemed like a coaching failure more than anything. Sure the players screwed up too, but they could have found a way to play poorly and run out the clock as well with such a huge lead. Classic overconfidence. They didn't see a universe in which their players proceeded to choke after being so superior. 

[TheKitttenGuard]

This does lessen any irrational Political annoyance:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/super-bowl-donald-trump-234673

Quote

Donald Trump gave up on his favored team at 8:57 p.m. Sunday, as that team, the New England Patriots, was on pace for an embarrassing Super Bowl blowout, trailing 28-3. “The motorcade is rolling from the Trump International Golf Club, as Super Bowl LI continues but POTUS' preferred team trailing,” read a pool report.

 

The Falcons defense was just spent and  did as fine of a job they could of.

The Falcons offense never recovered for being iced for an hour. They did not go to Julio enough and Ryan did not hold up to the pressure.

It is the best comeback performance I have ever seen.

[Rockroi]

You never saw anything like that before.  

You never saw anything like that before.

You never saw anything like that before. 

You never saw anything like that before.  

Some numbers:

10 Points: Previous greatest deficit overcome to win a Superbowl before tonight (Pats out did that figure by 2.5 times) 

8:31 in the 3rd quarter. Atlanta scores a quick Coleman TD reception, making their greatest lead of the game- 25 points.   

99.6% With 9 min left to play in the 4th quarter Coleman ran up the middle to ATL 36 for 1 yard.  (Coleman was injured during the play).  The ESPN game tracker put the Falcons win at 99.6%, leaving the Pats with a remarkable .04% to win.  

0-124.  Prior to tonight, NFL Playoff teams down 17+ in 4th quarter were 0-124.  

4-1,057: Prior to tonight. the record of teams down by 17 points in ANY GAME all time in NFL history was 4-1,057 (.3% winning %).  

This was the tale of two blow-outs, but both in the same game.  The first was the 21-3 and 28-3 game Atlanta had over the Pats.  But then it was this unbelievable 31-unanswered point game put on by the Pats in the second half.  The game was a nightmare at every turn; Freeman and Hooper got quick TDs and that 14 point lead looked ominous.  IN fact, the way the Pats were playing it looked insurmountable.  The fumble was bad but then… 

In his dozens of playoff games, Tom Brady had never thrown a pick-six.  And then that happened.  

You never saw anything like that before.  

And no team had ever lost a Superbowl after a pick-six.  

I even had in my mind what I would write on this wall: that I alwys wanted to know which would be better: losing a close one or losing in a blowout and by the 3rd quarter, it was clearly “blowout.”  But That’s no longer a memory.  

At the start all I could think on was the Falcons D: where did it come from?  How did they play like that?  How did they get that much pressure on Brady with just a four-man rush?  Its not simple but Atlanta- like The Giants before them, managed it.  

The game was out of hand.  You contemplated what you would write, how you would discuss the massiveness of the loss; how it could impact Brady’s legacy, how you would argue with people that it wouldn’t, but that now it was an argument.  And that you originally were going to start this piece off with “I now know that its much better to lose a blowout than to lose close…”  And how at the time that seemed relevant… And then they scored that TD and missed the XP and then botched the onside’s kick and you thought about how even the little things were against them.  The Pats would likely lose huge.  Oh sure, you thought about the other comeback games; the one against the Saints or the one you were at: that crazy one against the Ravens in the 2014 playoffs… and then there was the other games he just threw the team on his back and tried to see where they would end up.  But really?  25 points? In the Superbowl?

You never saw anything like that before.  28 points… and they had no deep threat so there was no huge player the Pats could count on to win this thing.  It took too long to score and even when the Pats did, it seemed as if it was all too little, all too late. 

But then… Hightower coming through with a ridiculous strip-sack and suddenly, the Pats didn't need to go 75 yards for the score; just 30.  

If you had to go back and watch the Falcons wilt - find that one moment where the Falcons LOST the game as much as the Pats WON it ... it was that middle drive, after the Pats came within 8 and ANY score by Atlanta makes it a two-score game.  That incredible catch by Julio Jones for 22 yards put the Falcons at the New England 22 with 4:40 left and an eight-point lead.  Any score at all would have made it a two-score game; all but impossible give the time left.  It would have been, at that moment, a 39-yard field goal. 

On first down, Devonta Freeman – 1 yard loss.  

On second down, Flowers got the sack for a 13-yard loss.  

Third down - nine-yard strike to Mohamed Sanu. But there was a holding call on Jake Matthews to push Atlanta back another 10 yards, and Matt Ryan in-completes the next pass. The Falcons punt. 

And all of that made you forget something- that brilliant catch by Jones.  And that’s what the Patriots really did tonight: it’s not that they made you remember everything they all did that was incredible; its that you don’t even remember that when you first saw that Jones catch you said to yourself, “I’ll never forget that ….”  But you already had.  

And then there was the Pats’ own “Helmet Catch”, finally at long last the bullshit came out in their favor; Edleman just honing in on that ball.  Catching it, then releasing it and then catching it again.  For that one instant it was Julian Edleman versus the World and Physics.  And the Pats, finally, at long last, defeated Physics.  And even if David Tyree and Javon Kearse had theirs, they didn’t seem to matter at all in that instant.  Because you had never seen anything like that before.  

And then he did it again; he leads two more scoring drives.  You never saw anything like that before.  

In the history of post season play 124 teams had gone into the 4th quarter down by 17 or more points and before last night 124 of them lost. 

So, LITERALLY, You never saw anything like that before.  

I heard this stat today: in the last 2 Superbowl 4th-Quarters Brady is something like 34 for 42 for 362 yards 3 TDs and 0 INTs.  

And as James White made his way to the endzone; after Brady had eviscerated the now gassed Falcons D; after the Falcons could no longer hold up under the pressure of this insanity one second longer, that …

I don't know what that must have been like for Falcons fans.  All that joy you had built up over the previous 3.5 quarters; how you made it THAT FAR... and the whole time you must have FELT like "We have already won this game... but they are still playing... "  Its similar to the same way I cannot think on what it was like for Seahawks fans when there as that INT.  The Seahawk fans were screaming "BEAST MODE! BEAST MODE! BEAST MODE! as Seattle was at the one and then... 

There's a video of fans reacting to the Seattle game.  And there is this one of this beautiful woman sitting under a blanket on the floor, a room filled with Seattle fans as they sll scream 'BEAST MODE" and how they are so ready to celebrate.  And she is looking with these huge black eyes up at the TV; and you know she';s just WAITING to explode with joy.  All that is left is for the moment to GET HERE!  Just give the ball to Lynch, go over the one-yard line and be done with it!  Its going to happen- YOU CAN SEE IT IN HER EYES!  All that is left for TIME to catch up TO HER JOY!  Its all there. 

Same thing with the Falcons; the Falcons and their fans- JUSTIFIABLY -were ready to celebrate.  The game was over.  All that was left was for TIME to catch up to the Falcons already living in the futuire where they were champs and the game was theirs.  

And you never saw anything like that.  Because it never happened.  

The joy died; you can see it in that woman's eyes as Michaels screams "and the pass is ... INTERCEPTED AT THE GOAL LINE..."  And you can see it in her eyes- she still is READY to be happy; her whole body WANTS to be happy.  But there is nothing to be happy abouit.  The joy she thought was there is gone.  

Same thing with Falcons fans as they must have felt that the universe stopped and would not get to them.  How? They won?  They did EVERYTHING they needed to do to win... How?  

You never saw anything like that before.  

What happened on that sideline?  What were they doing at half-time?  How did they stay focused?  Chris Long claims that Jurod Harmond was in the locker room telling people “It will be the greatest comeback ever.”  How? What? Huh?  What did the coaches do or think or know?  How did Brady stay being Tom Brady?  What calculus did they use that made them know what to do and how to do it? And, yes, the corollary – just how did the Falcons do NOT ONE SINGLE THING right after the 8:31 mark of the 3rd quarter?  How could they not salt this one away?  Just how does team collapse like that?  

But in the end, it’s not that the Pats forced the first overtime in Superbowl history; its not that the Pats had the greatest comeback in Superbowl history; its not even the fact that the Pats became the only team in NFL Post-season history to be down by 17+ points in the 4th quarter and win.  

Its that you said to yourself as it was happening, time and time again how you had never seen anything like that before.  

And all the things it made you forget; the fact that 4-3 in Superbowls is nothing to sneeze at; that for much of the game, Matt Ryan had a PERFECT QB rating; the fact that the entire Falcons D seemed like they were on their way to a MVP-like day; the fact that McDaniels’ stock seemed t have fallen by half in 45 minutes of play; that maybe- JUST MAYBE – losing Collins and Jones and Gronk mattered a little too much.  

There was a time when 19-0 mattered; or when Brady’s 4th ring mattered; or that when a 25-point lead mattered; and all those things seemed so important… 

But that’s the true power of the Patriots- whether you like it or not – that their true viciousness is that the Patriots deny to others what they now have too much of: memories.  As if their mere presence seeps the remembrances that belonged to others from them.  Manning’s 2 rings, not the 3-5 people had predicted at one point; or Big Ben’s rather paltry 2; or helmet catches or bobbling catches or the Seattle “dynasty” that died at the 1 yard line.  Or the Falcons… 

See that’s why they are what they are- its not just that you never saw anything like them before…

… its that you didn’t get to see all those other things that, because they never happened, you can never remember them. 

You never saw anything like that before…   

 

 

Thanks for all the well-wishes and sorry Falcons fans; I cannot imagine what that must have been like- the fact that you had this game won for 3.5 quarters seems like a cruel joke.  I'm sorry; you don't deserve that.

Its insane that the Pats won.  

We have never seen anything like this before.  
 

[Tywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Red Tiger said:

I dunno if this is fair, my friend.

I understand Ryan and the offense getting scorn, but that defense was just exhausted from a brutal 3 quarters.

When you blow a 25 point lead, you choked. Last night was A Song of Champions and Chokers, and the Falcons were the choking chokers who choked. 

[Ferrum Aeternum]

9 minutes ago, Rockroi said:

~snip~

 

That was epic. Never stop doing what you do.

[sperry]

That was an insane game. The Pats were a significantly worse team than Atlanta, but Atlanta made some never been there before mistakes plus the Patriots got the lucky bounces they needed, and that was enough for Tom Brady to singlehandedly win that game.

 

I don't think he will, but Brady should retire after that one. He can never top that, and I don't think they are likely to win another Super Bowl as currently constructed. There are just too many teams that significantly out-talent them at this point. If there was ever a ride off into the sunset moment, that was it.

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

12 hours ago, Altherion said:

@Michael Seswatha Jordan

I wanted to point out that you were right and I was wrong. I'm kind of hoping that Darth Hoodie will come out at some point and say something like "Don’t be too proud of these statistical models you’ve constructed. The ability to predict football game outcomes is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

Just a feeling. Same feeling you get when you watch all the greats and their down. As a fan, you should know better to never count them out. 

[Reny of Storms End]

After reading Rocks post is it any question he's Bill Simmons?

[Maithanet]

I wonder if we'll ever see Suzzana Stormborn again.  She was talking a big game these past two weeks, but that loss would be tough for anyone to handle. 

[Reny of Storms End]

2 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

I wonder if we'll ever see Suzzana Stormborn again.  She was talking a big game these past two weeks, but that loss would be tough for anyone to handle. 

Hopefully it was just a joke, but she did say she was headed to the garage to party there with the car on. 

[Jaime L]

Dante, Rock, you're the most spoiled sports fans I know. But I can't help but be happy for you guys. You each bring an introspective side to your fandom that makes it hard to reflexively hate the Pats as God intended.

15 minutes ago, sperry said:

That was an insane game. The Pats were a significantly worse team than Atlanta, but Atlanta made some never been there before mistakes plus the Patriots got the lucky bounces they needed, and that was enough for Tom Brady to singlehandedly win that game.

 

I don't think he will, but Brady should retire after that one. He can never top that, and I don't think they are likely to win another Super Bowl as currently constructed. There are just too many teams that significantly out-talent them at this point. If there was ever a ride off into the sunset moment, that was it.

Agree with both these takes. Atlanta was a really good team this year beyond what most people recognized. Their offense was one of the best ever and by season's end their young defense had gelled and had the overall team speed to just swarm opponents. It was a very talented, very fast, well coached team.

Except they had a knack for stealing defeat out of the jaws of victory. Their losses to KC (where Eric Berry had the two point reversion) and Seattle (the uncalled PI on Julio Jones) were arguably the two biggest stomach punch losses of the season. Well until the Superbowl...

All they had to do was not lose 23 yards after Julio's insane catch...

--------

Anyway, this would be the most epic walk off of all time if Tom Brady did it. Elway's and especially PFM's would pale in comparison. It'd be the mike drop on the greatest career ever. Also would be the perfect bookend to a career that started by shocking the Rams in the Superbowl and ended by shocking the Falcons.

He'd never do it - he's too in love with the game to leave it before it's clear he can't play anymore. But if the rest of us without a dog in the fight could write the ending to his perfect career, this is the one we'd choose. 

[zelticgar]

3 hours ago, Rockroi said:

You never saw anything like that before.  

You never saw anything like that before.

You never saw anything like that before. 

You never saw anything like that before.  

{redacted for brevity}
 

Such an epic post. It's getting embarrassing to be a New England sports fan. My daughter was born in 2002 and has witnessed Super Bowl wins X5, World Series X3, an NBA Championship and a Stanley Cup. Not to mention 2 SB losses, an NBA Final loss and a Stanley Cup Final loss. She is 14 years old. 14 years old!!!! How is that even possible?! 

I can't wait to get home tonight and re-watch the 2nd half of the game. 

[Week]

Going back to re-read the second half of the last thread and this one was really just glorious.

This may be news to everyone, but your welcome for making that comeback happen. We switched from beer to whiskey in the middle of the 3rd quarter and that was the mystical, karmic change that balances our chakras. So, you're welcome and, yes, everything hurts and I cannot talk from yelling too much.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

After reading this Drew Magary Piece, I think understand the Frog Trolls and previously-sane-Republicans a little better now.The feeling of "Suck it haters" feels almost as good as the actual victory did. I can easily see it driving people to double down on what's clearly shaping up to be a huge clusterfuck.

[Howdyphillip]

I would like to make it abundantly clear that the Pats did indeed cheat to win the game. On the Amendola two point conversion to tie the game, both Edleman and Hogan were blocking in the end zone before the pass was thrown.

 With that said, they still deserved it. They may be cheating, cheaters who cheat, but they pulled off the miraculous last night.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

1 hour ago, TheKitttenGuard said:

This does lessen any irrational Political annoyance:

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/super-bowl-donald-trump-234673

And Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch bailed out early as well. 

 

[Rockroi]

11 minutes ago, White Walker Texas Ranger said:

After reading this Drew Magary Piece, I think understand the Frog Trolls and previously-sane-Republicans a little better now.The feeling of "Suck it haters" feels almost as good as the actual victory did. I can easily see it driving people to double down on what's clearly shaping up to be a huge clusterfuck.

That's the greatest thing I have ever read.  It sates me.  I hear his back-up headlines were "I-Know-You-Are-But-What-Am-I" and "Your Mother Doesn't Love You Either."  

MY favorite comment was:  

Quote

Literally no one is happy for you, Patriots fans. Everything good about sports is wasted on you.

That was what I was saying; that the Patriots dynasty is not just about them being great; its about denying greatness to everyone else.  The fact that Brady's nearest rivals HAS LESS THAN HALF the Sueprbowls that he does; that Brady ownes every significant life-time playoff and Superbowl record; that Boston has not stopped celebrating for 16 seasons.  

And that hatred that others claim AND THAT THEY THEN PRINT ARTICLES ABOUT how much the Pats are hated.. it ... it COMPLETES ...ME!  I have been saying it for years- since 2004 onward EVERYONE hated the Pats and was always happy when they lost (ie: when Brady was injured in 2008, Jay Leno stated that Brady was out for the season... and people cheered; They are the team everyone loves to hate.  Oh sure, at one time people hated the Cowboys and for a few weeks in 2013 people were sick of Seattle. 

But those are just candles of dislike against the bonfire of rage people have against the Pats. 

And its glorious.  

 

One story sort of lost in all this is "How will Atlanta bounce back?"  And what's troubling for the 2016 Falcons is how they lost and how devastating that could be for them.  We can all agree the 2014 Seahawks never QUITE recovered from that loss.  How will the Falcons?  That is a story that won;t die anytime too soon.   And if the Falcons start off 2017 0-2... ugh... free fall.