[Elvis]

not sure what game this guy was watching? freeman had a big first half, 6 carries for 71 yards, with more than half of that yardage coming on a 37-yard gallop.... the second half? 5 carries for 4 yards, 3 of the carries were stuffed for losses... but it was a no-brainer to give him the ball on 3rd an 1? really?

funny, last season against the rams seattle gave lynch the ball on 4th and 1 in overtime, the rams stuffed him for a loss and won the game, but it was a no-brainer to give lynch the ball in the super bowl instead of throwing it?

anyway not sure how any of this can be blamed on the falcons offense, they played the league's stingiest defense that held the falcons to their second lowest offensive output of the season, and it seemed that adjustments were made in the second half that gave atlanta fits, save for 1 second half drive... the problem was the falcons defense, it ranked 27th in offensive points allowed on the season and let the falcons down big time in the super bowl, unable to even protect a 28-9 second half lead.

Absolutely.

NE had shut down the run in the 2nd half.

And it's not like a RB can't be stripped or you can't get a holding call on a running play, but yeah, they really needed that FG and they blew it...

[actionjack]

Man the calls were fair and square. And the pats get some David Tyree turnabout fair play.
Id fire Quinn though. That is a disgrace.
Give the keys to Shanahan

My gawd why. Shany is the idiot who lost the game for them. Worst series of play calls I have ever watched. You have to run the ball up the middle 3 times, kick the FG and win the game. What a moron. I knew the defense collapse on the field way to long

[dieterbrock]

Show me a 4 man rush that won't be gassed being on the field for 96 plays! All they needed was the offense and Shanahan to not keep failing in the 4th quarter and they got nothing! Just one series getting three points and Atlantas offense couldn't do it. Get a field goal and extend a drive and this is a game. You make it sound like it should be easy to beat Brady and the Pats for 5 quarters et fail to hold the offense to the same standard. One field goal, one drive where the light should have come on for Shanahan. But no he tried to get cute instead of being smart and it cost Atlanta dearly.

And if Ryan completes a pass (like he did against Seattle and GB) Shanahan is a genius

[dieterbrock]

My gawd why. Shany is the idiot who lost the game for them. Worst series of play calls I have ever watched. You have to run the ball up the middle 3 times, kick the FG and win the game. What a moron. I knew the defense collapse on the field way to long

Because that offense and team was up 28-3 against the #1 scoring defense in the land in the middle of the 3rd Q
Its amazing how that is conveniently forgotten

[Elvis]

And if Ryan completes a pass (like he did against Seattle and GB) Shanahan is a genius

If it weren't for Matthews holding Chris Long, it would've probably gone down that way...

[BuiltRamTough]

Quinn in his presser said the defense ran out of gas and had no energy.

[OldSchool]

And if Ryan completes a pass (like he did against Seattle and GB) Shanahan is a genius

You're right everybody else is an idiot. Atlanta had the number 5 rushing offense in the NFL and had been averaging almost 5 yards a carry yesterday. According to everybody but you all they had to do was run the ball three straight times even if they lost 10 yards and kick a field goal and win the damned Super Bowl. But instead they pass the ball lose 22 yards on two plays putting themselves out of a game winning field goal all because it was the defenses fault. An incomplete pass takes no time off the clock and stops the clock. A 2 yard loss on a run takes time off the clock.

These say all you need to know about why the Falcons choked.





But by all means keep exonerating Shanny and blame the defense.

[OldSchool]

Quinn in his presser said the defense ran out of gas and had no energy.

That's what happens when you stop running the ball when you were averaging almost 5 yards a carry and your defense in on the field for 96 plays compared to your offense with less than half that.

[aeneas1]

That's what happens when you stop running the ball when you were averaging almost 5 yards a carry and your defense in on the field for 96 plays compared to your offense with less than half that.

they ran the ball as much in the 2nd half as they did in the 1st half, difference is new england adjusted and shut them down, to the tune of just 2 yards per carry in the second half...

in other news, that was the 4th time the falcons defense has given up 21 or more offensive points in the 2nd half of play this season, absolutely crazy...

[Gareth]

It doesn't matter to me what Atlanta had done in the first half, even what they had done all season. Nor does it matter whether or not NE was shutting them down.

What matters is the situation. The situation called for running clock, getting NE to use their timeouts, and getting the 2 score lead. What were the best odds of accomplishing that? In my opinion it's obvious - run the ball 3 times. Maybe you get fortunate and actually end up with a first down. But, if not, you're in great position to kick the clinching field goal.

Of course it's possible they could fumble on a run play. But you wrap both arms around the ball and play conservatively. That's what the situation called for.

It's all about odds. And their best odds, in that specific situation, was to play it safe.