Pats Fans welcome
 

Great comeback, tough competition. My nerves are shot!

Congrats on your fifth title🍻

Best SB ever, bar none. Down 25 in the 2nd half and win?!? What an amazing game!

Even though they didn't finish their drives, the Falcons kept playing aggressively with the big lead, but gotta think they'll be kicking themselves over the sack fumble (3rd and 1), and later the sack and hold which took them out of FG range. A FG there basically ices the game, barring a score and onside kick. Run, run, kick... ball game (2 score lead and bleed the clock). Had that happened, it'd be Julio Jones' catch that everyone remembered. Not to be, but a great season for the Falcons.

Regardless, Brady is an absolute winner, and that whole Pat team stepped up huge in the 2nd half (White, Edelman, Amendola, and the D). Congrats to the Pats and their fans on another one.

Once again, another game decided by the officials. Come on guys, I realize that you are NE fans, but I know you watched the same game I did.

4th Quarter, 3:50 seconds left in the game. How do the officials see a holding penalty that happens away from the play, but miss a face mask (tell me you didn't see that) that happens right there in front of them? :confused:

Shouldn't it have been offsetting penalties, replay of down? Instead, the holding penalty set them back 10 yards and took them out of FG range.

NFL is rigged. You can't sit there and say it's not in your make believe fantasy world, but it really is. Another Pats SB is good for the NFL and it was going to happen no matter what.

And your evidence is one missed call? And you infer from that that the NFL instructed the referees to make sure NE won? That's pretty weak David. Do you think 31 unanswered points had anything to do with it, or were the referees responsible for that too?

By the way on that non-call how did Ryan lose his helmet? Sanu had him by the face mask too.

Fine, they both had each other by the face mask. Why wasn't it called? Still should have been offsetting penalties, replay of down.

I'll give you another example. On the pick 6 drive, the Pats down 14-0, there were 3 defensive holding calls on Atlanta all on 3rd down to extend the drive. 3 defensive holding calls, all on 3rd down?

You may have had the game on, but it's obvious you weren't watching it.

So as you see it or saw it, the NFL is nothing more than Hulk Hogan and Andre "T" Giant ?

Side Note
 

On a side note for N E fans or really anyone old enough to remember, what`s more improbable these Pats coming back from 25 in last night`s Super Bowl or the 1986 Mets comeback game 6 against the Sox ? As a refresher, in 86 the Sox, trying to erase many decades of misery, were up 3 games to 2 and 5 to 3 I believe with 2 out 2 strikes and NOBODY on in the bottom of the 9`th. The entire region was literally the real "Walking Dead" the following mourning.

Thanks for the reminder. I believe several times during that inning the Mets were down to their last strike.

Not only down to their last strike, the center field scoreboard at Shea had the message Congratulations Boston Red Sox, 1986 World Champions, before Carter started that rally.

The ultimate example of Yogi's aphorism.

Prediction: in two weeks time we will learn the Patriots had been filming pre-game drills or perpetrating some other "unwritten rule" just like they've done in the past.

93 PLAYS! That's like something out of Texas Tech

LOL. Congratulations on your team winning it all last year. Assuming your avatar is your team. And I mean that sincerely.

Holy cow, that game was a roller coaster! I'm glad New England won, but I can't help but think of the ending scene from Patton.

If it's the play I'm thinking of they didn't call the offsetting facemasks. which would have been technically correct, but also pretty weak as facemasks go.

The hold on the other hand was about as solid of a hold as you can have.

One of the pass interference calls against the pats looked like nearly nothing, but TV didn't have a good angle and didn't show any replays of it.

Overall I though the game was called well. There didn't seem to be any cheap penalties. There's always ones you hear and say what? where? But then on replay its pretty clear.

Steve B

It was the bottom of the 10th, the Red Sox had scored 2 runs in the top of the 10th.

The timing of those flags was pretty crazy, but I also saw several Falcon holds not called (Edelman and Amendola included). These Falcons, coached by Quinn seemed to be channeling the Seahawk DB methodology that says to play very physically, screw up timing, knock guys off their routes, while knowing "the officials won't call holding on every play". There was lots of holding, jersey grabbing last night.

I think the facemask/hands to face was just missed, but agree with others that the game seemed pretty well called overall. Loved that the refs got a few incredibly fast developing plays right on the field, including Jones' securing the ball/toe tap, and Edleman's miracle catch. Don't remember anything being overturned by the booth.

Adding-- I'm not a Pats fan, but do appreciate watching them.

Uh oh, Somebody got butthurt

What a great game. We host a Super Bowl party every year, and even with score 28-3 nobody left early.
For those that shut it off early they missed a dandy.

I almost feel like it was two games; first the Falcons blew out the Patriots, then vice versa.

I like that someone stole Brady's jersey. Where was Ruben Rivera?

I have no skin in the game, but my question is.

Has a team with the lead in the waning moments of a game (not necessarily a Super Bowl) ever kicked a first down field goal?

After the Jones catch, there were two issues for the Falcons, the score and the clock.

A first down field goal (with a 95% chance of success) would have given them an eleven point lead and probably the victory.

Instead they run time off the clock, but instead of running forward, they run backward. Whoops no field goal.

Without momentum in the the fourth quarter, the Falcons should have taken the points that Julio's catch provided.

With a little extra time on the clock, the Pats may have scored a touchdown, a two point conversion and a field goal and the outcome would have been the same. We'll never know, but I doubt that a field goal on first down was even considered.:eek:

A team can kick a field goal on any down during their possession. The same goes for a punt which is called a quick kick. I have seen both in a game. A filed goal is commonly kicked during an early down when the clock is running out and the team needs the points to win or tie.

Pats
 

Well it appears in spite of the weather here in Mass. the parade is going VERY well. Kraft is excited as ever, the Pats faithful has showed up in droves and Coach Belichick seems unusually delighted in the festivities ! James White is getting much love from the crowd as well as a brand new truck awarded to the S Bowl MVP. Overall, another great day for the community. On a side note, the coverage did mention and honor the Marathon Day victims when the convoy passed the site of the tragedy.

I know that a field goal can be kicked on any down. I just wondered if a first down field goal had ever been kicked with several minutes on the clock to change a one score game into a two score game in deference to trying to run time off the clock.

Sure you could, but no one would. At minimum, you'd down it 3 times (making sure center the ball), forcing them to use all timeouts (or bleed 2 min), then kick. That's as conservative as you would ever play it.

Just imagine the blow back if they kicked on first down, allowing the Pats to keep all 3 TO with over 4 min left, then lost? 4 min is still time enough to score twice, and with all timeouts you don't even need a successful onside. Imagine even worse if you kicked, missed and gave them the ball at the spot of the hold, with 4 min and all timeouts... That's just taking like taking a 7-8 yard sack on 4th down.

Packer guy. Yea, were gonna have to cut ya loose. I understand your rage. But, this was meant as a positive thread. Accept my apologies

In closing, I hope someday your team has a better season. 'Til then, enjoy your baseball cards -S

Congrats to the Pats, but you have got to admit, their last two SB wins were absolutely luck of the Irish. The Falcons had 5 or 6 opportunities to put this game to rest. When they were up 28-3 with two minutes to go in the third quarter, they showed Brady on the bench with his head between his knees. Everyone had given up at that point....

They sure know how to make luck happen 😊

Frank did not get the memo about clock management. :D

Rigged? Then Kyle Shanahan must have been in on it too.
They were up 28-3 and got a bad case of tight ass.

I actually thought he attempted to play it pretty aggressively, going up top on 3rd and 1 (lead to sack fumble) in the 4th, and then throwing on 2nd and 11 from the 22 during the last drive, at which point a run, run, and FG would likely have sealed it. These ended up being their undoing, but lots of easy hindsight now. You always see people criticized for going the other way and playing it too safe, going 3 and out on no gain runs, and giving the ball right back. (Or kicking FGs on first down ;))

Apparently Ryan's primary target was wide open for a sure TD on that sack fumble too. Had Freeman been able to just chip and delay the rusher a split second, Ryan has time.

I will say as a Niner fan, I'm really looking forward to Shanahan next year. It'll be a few year process but am hoping our dipsh*t owner has learned his many lessons and will just let Shanahan and Lynch do their jobs.

I find the assumption that this game was rigged in favor of the Patriots ridiculous. You really think Goodell wanted to hand the Lombardi Trophy to Kraft, or the MVP trophy to Brady? He has been avoiding them for the last two years. If anything he would have wanted it rigged for the Falcons. And the call on the Falcons extra point was the worst call of the game. He was not lined up illegally and the refs blew that one. The league admitted as much. The holding calls on 3rd down were blatant. Blame the Falcons for those. And by the way the Pats didn't even score on that drive.

I am a Packers fan and don't have a dog in this fight. But the Patriots earned this one. Time for Falcons fans to quit complaining and move on. Unless you want to complain about your own play calling and situational awareness.

As relates to situational awareness, Matt Ryan not using the full play clock when he had the chance was inexplicable. Think it was 2nd down on that last drive where they snapped it with 15-18 seconds left on the play clock. Wtf?!? The running clock is in your favor, milk it. That's not on coaches either, that's on Ryan. Think he bears some, even most of the burden for taking those late sacks. He's a very good QB and had a great game, but there were some serious late brain farts too.

Neither did the Falcons.:D

Got a rule question - and I thought I knew about all rules.
It was near the end of the 3rd quarter with Atl having to punt. They let the play clock run out, hoping to get a 5 yd penalty to get a better punting angle. This left 3-4 sec on the game clock after the 'delay of game'. Next there may have been a commercial break. When coming back to the game, it's now the 4thQ and I'm pretty sure the announcers said the refs started the game clock and Atl let it run out.

I've never heard of the game clock being restarted following a delay of game. Maybe it happens all the time and I've never noticed. But if the game clock restarts after a delay of game this suggests the penalized team really never has to run a play and could just let the game clock run out - which is ridiculous.

That puzzled me too. I thought the situation was different, but the same sort of thing. something that would stop the game clock, but it was restarted when the play was set up.

Steve B

After twenty successive delay of game penalties starting at the 50 yard line, the line of scrimmage would be inside the Falcon 1 inch line. The ball would have to be deflated severely to keep it in the field of play, but there was expertise on the field that might have been willing to try.:D

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...ictureid=22286

Couldn't resist. Hate away. :D

Steve B

I couldn't believe the pass on first and goal in light of what happened two years ago. First and goal, hand the damn ball to your biggest strongest back which was Blount.

Someone on Reddit had the same question:

Thanks. I had a feeling something like that was occurring. So clearly once Atl was up 28-3, they should have simply taken delay of game penalties until there was 5 min left in the game.

I would guess there's another rule somewhere stating that the game clock will not re-start after 'x' number of penalties in a row.

As good as he is, Dan Quinn was still a first season head coach and hopefully he learned some valuable clock management lessons.

It seems like some coaches never learn to manage the game clock.

We will see if Quinn gets it next time.

They sure do. Under Brady, their first three SB wins were by a combined 11 points. The last two were the Seattle game at the half yard line and the Falcon game....Yes, I would say lady luck has shined on their asses....

So a team that wins most of its close games is just lucky?

Come on Peter, really??

What were the 49er's average win margin?

Five 49er SBowl wins....188-81 point differential.....Yes, the Patriots have had the football Gods on their shoulders....

Dunno Kevin, I always thought it was the sign of a great team that they were able to pull out the close ones.

Fair enough on that....