The Game Ball Thread: SB vs Atlanta

mwonow

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I love how BB will probably have two things eating away at him:

1.) The bullshit penalty on McClellin that foiled what was, technique wise, a great play that would've taken a point off the board for Atlanta.
2.) The onside kick that, in terms of play design, was actually really impressive and is one they probably recover 8 of 10 times or so.
Well, he always likes to have something to pick on in film study...

I really hope we get one more Belichick Breakdown. This game would be so epic
 

Koufax

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Agree entirely. Do we just like the refs because most of the calls went our way, or are be objective here? I wonder what the Atlanta fans think about the refs.
 

The Needler

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Agree entirely. Do we just like the refs because most of the calls went our way, or are be objective here? I wonder what the Atlanta fans think about the refs.
I actually mentioned in the third, when we were getting killed, that they officials had been wonderfully unobtrusive. Thought they did a good job throughout letting them play. We got the defensive holds, but they were pretty obvious.
 

kenneycb

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Agree entirely. Do we just like the refs because most of the calls went our way, or are be objective here? I wonder what the Atlanta fans think about the refs.
A couple of the defensive holding calls were weak but it seemed pretty even. Nothing too crazy either way. One of the holdings was a facemask. Seemed fine otherwise.
 

troparra

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just watching on replay and odd that Atlanta wasn't running the clock down in the 2nd half.
It was odd. I've watched a lot of Pats games, and under BB at least, clock management is clearly very important. Maybe other coaches don't pay attention to what Belichick does?
 

Hoya81

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Well, he always likes to have something to pick on in film study...

I really hope we get one more Belichick Breakdown. This game would be so epic
They'll be on the 3 games to Glory V video. Which is already up for pre-sale at the Pats pro shop website.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Ernie Adams, who I am sure had already worked out why the FG in the first half was the right move, and all the permutations that led to the decisions on on-sides kicks, field goals, and two-point conversions. Preparation, like competing until the end, cannot be faked.
 

H78

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I'm drunk in Denver with a dozen fellow pats fans soaking all of this up. I was at the AFCCG last year. Time for payback you fucking assholes
 

joeflah

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Tom Brady winning %
reg season .779 (183-52)
playoffs .735 (25-9)
SB .714 (5-2)
That's what we've been enjoying the last 16 years...let that marinate. 16 years of .700+ winning in a league built for parity. To say that's special is a clumsy understatement.

Also gameballs to Malcolm Mitchell & Trey Flowers

And Julian and Danny

And Slater for calling heads!
And that's why a handful of incompetent owners concocted "defletegate!"
 

Jettisoned

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Agree entirely. Do we just like the refs because most of the calls went our way, or are be objective here? I wonder what the Atlanta fans think about the refs.
There were two that stuck out to me that favored the Pats a little bit. The first was the defensive holding against Poole(?) on Edelman that looked pretty weak. In fairness, however, the Falcons did a lot of defensive holding, especially early. The second was the offensive holding on the Falcons right after the sack in the 4th quarter, where Sanu caught the ball and whoever tackled him got a lot of facemask.
 

Stitch01

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It was Ryan I think, but Sanu also facemasked him
and took his helmet off on the play. Probably all should have offset.

Amendola is an interesting question this offseason. He's been a pretty incredible break glass for playoff season asset but he's going to have to restructure yet again to stay and is sort of a weird fit if they sign Floyd (and Floyd adds a little more diverse skills to the receiver core).
 

PedroKsBambino

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There were two that stuck out to me that favored the Pats a little bit. The first was the defensive holding against Poole(?) on Edelman that looked pretty weak. In fairness, however, the Falcons did a lot of defensive holding, especially early. The second was the offensive holding on the Falcons right after the sack in the 4th quarter, where Sanu caught the ball and whoever tackled him got a lot of facemask.
I agree on the Poole holding.

The Sanu facemask would (on the merits) have been offsetting since he took the helmet off the DB on the same play.
 

Zososoxfan

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Flowers was a monster - 2.5 sacks, 5 QB hits would be awesome, but factor in that Ryan only dropped back 28 times and it's stunning. In my opinion, his emergence is the biggest factor in the defense's improvement down the stretch.

Tons of big plays from a bunch of guys. Edelman, Amendola, Mitchell, Bennett, and Hogan all had between 4 and 8 catches and between 57 and 87 yards. Brady was spreading it around.
Have to think it was scheme, but yeah. Him and Sheard were creating a ton of problems for the Falcons O in the second half. In this fugue state, I think most of it came on stunts and twists up the middle taking advantage of Mack's injury. Although HT's FF was off the edge and past Freeman.
 

Tony C

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speaking of which, Matthews has got to be among the huge goats for the Falcons with those two (obvious) holding penalties. Ryan for taking that sack too, of course.
 

Jettisoned

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Have to think it was scheme, but yeah. Him and Sheard were creating a ton of problems for the Falcons O in the second half. In this fugue state, I think most of it came on stunts and twists up the middle taking advantage of Mack's injury. Although HT's FF was off the edge and past Freeman.
Anyone know wtf Freeman was doing on that play? He was on the right side of the line and set up like he was supposed to pass protect, but when the ball got snapped he looked off to his left while Hightower ran right by his right shoulder.
 

E5 Yaz

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Anyone know wtf Freeman was doing on that play? He was on the right side of the line and set up like he was supposed to pass protect, but when the ball got snapped he looked off to his while Hightower ran right by his right shoulder.
I posted in the Atlanta thread that Shanahan said Freeman had responsibility, while Freeman thought he was going to get help
 

Tony C

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get help? I mean...that doesn't excuse putting no effort into the block (well, I suppose it would explain it if he thought he should avoid DH in order to get into a route...but since he didn't run a route, I don't think that could be it, either).
 

E5 Yaz

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get help? I mean...that doesn't excuse putting no effort into the block (well, I suppose it would explain it if he thought he should avoid DH in order to get into a route...but since he didn't run a route, I don't think that could be it, either).
Yeah it sounds as though he just didn't pick up the coverage call
 
Apr 7, 2006
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I can't even process any of this yet. It's INSANE. Amyway, here goes...

Brady - just keeps plugging away. Doesn't let the poor plays that came before keep him from doing what needs to be done.
White - a hair close from MVP. Whale of a game. And some people thought he was on the bubble. (He never was.)
Hightower - another huge play.
Flowers - felt like a shit ton of huge plays. Huge part of the D turnaround.
Julio Jones just fucking gets one
Crowd for booing Goodell - when and where is the MVP trophy televised? Need to see it live! Anyone?)
Mitchell - can't wait to see what he becomes.
Bennett - that deflected reception gets lost in all the bigger plays, like...
Jules. That catch. Absurd. Absurd. We got our own STUPID CRAZY SUPER BOWL CATCH!
Robert Kraft for making it clear in no uncertain terms that, well...FUCK YOU EVERYBODY!!!
 

jodyreeddudley78

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Patricia/secondary/Hightower

The defense was basically spotted 7 points because of the Blount fumble. But they kept a prolific offense to not that many points after that series. Hightower for the strip sack.

Edelman

I know that Brady and White are the real heroes, but that stupid circus catch broke the ATL D. It really did, I don't care what anyone says. It was nice to have a dumb, stupid catch go our way for once.
 

Ed Hillel

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You know, he won't do it....but if Amendola would consider taking a paycut....I'd take him back. He showed me a lot tonight.
I'd be surprised if Amendola isn't back to compete for a spot on a much lower contract. I wouldn't consider him a lock to make the team, though, depending on how things shake out.
 

Stitch01

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Patricia/secondary/Hightower

The defense was basically spotted 7 points because of the Blount fumble. But they kept a prolific offense to not that many points after that series. Hightower for the strip sack.

Edelman

I know that Brady and White are the real heroes, but that stupid circus catch broke the ATL D. It really did, I don't care what anyone says. It was nice to have a dumb, stupid catch go our way for once.
Defense might have been the better of the two units considering opponent strength. The running backs were always going to be a disasterous matchup, the red zone defense wasn't good, and there were a few more breakdowns than we are used to seeing, but punt, punt, TD, TD, punt, TD, punt, fumble, punt, punt with zero margin of error the last four drives is pretty impressive.
 

brandonchristensen

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Brady
White
Edelman (even with some ugly drops)
Amendola
Hightower
Flowers
Logan Ryan (because we didn't hear his name much)
Harmon (for the apparent half-time motivation)

I mean, what can you say? This was as fucking strange of a game as I've ever seen.
 

DeadlySplitter

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we all said Atlanta would get some points. I'm thrilled they limited to 21 and got seven 3rd down stops out of eight.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Just rewatched overtime. The passes that Brady completes to Amendola, Hogan and Edelman were amazing. The coverage wasn't even bad. Those were great great throws.

In the little things department: The ten yard play to White from the 25 to the 15 was actually a lateral, which is why it wasn't his 15th catch. One of those little plays that looks like a pass but isn't that if dropped can be six going the other way. Also, I loved Tom staying locked in while they were reviewing whether White got in the end zone.
 

brandonchristensen

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I believe it was the first play on the 91 yard comeback drive but the out to Hogan for 15 or whatever. There's a great over the shoulder shot of Brady throwing to him and he is 2-3 steps from even looking.

Unbelievable.
 

54thMA

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The Defense.

If you told me prior to the game the Falcons offense would score 21 points, go 1-8 on third down and Jones would have 4 catches, I would have been thrilled with that.

And that's exactly what happened.

I still can't believe the Falcons got zero points on that botched onside kick where they had the ball after the penalty on about the 40 yard line and also zero points on their second to last possession after Jones made that circus catch on the 20.

What an effort.
 

Tony C

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and 2 of Jones' catches were unbelievable -- Ryan on one and Rowe on the other couldn't have had better coverage.
'
 

Eddie Jurak

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Just rewatched overtime. The passes that Brady completes to Amendola, Hogan and Edelman were amazing. The coverage wasn't even bad. Those were great great throws.

In the little things department: The ten yard play to White from the 25 to the 15 was actually a lateral, which is why it wasn't his 15th catch. One of those little plays that looks like a pass but isn't that if dropped can be six going the other way. Also, I loved Tom staying locked in while they were reviewing whether White got in the end zone.
Ha, I wondered about that White catch at the time.
 

Dollar

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I don't know what Dante Scarnecchia said to his guys before the fourth quarter started, but I've never seen an offensive line go from complete shit to impenetrable wall so quickly. Brady had such a clean pocket on the last two drives. Maybe it was just the Falcons defense finally tiring...

OH! And one game ball for NAC. I drank a lot and slept three hours this morning, but I feel like a fucking champ today.
 
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jsinger121

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I believe the Patriots didn't face a third down on the OT drive. Atlanta just had nothing left on D.
Agreed. I knew the second the Pats won the coin toss and took the ball that the Pats were scoring and they would make it look easy to drive the field. The Falcons were cooked.
 

speedracer

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I think I've lost count of the number of games over the last 5 years where the Patriots looked like they had zero pass rush the first half and suddenly cranked it up in the second while the opponents did precisely the opposite. Have to wonder how intentional this is by Belichick and Patricia.