Schadenfreude thread: Falcons loss fallout

[ReddingRam]

The clock management was pathetic and not only did it give Bradbelichik enough time, it kept putting their gassed defense back out on the field over and over in crucial moments of the game. Poor use of play calling, IMHO and poor use of the clock buy not using every second available between snaps. Got to greedy with wanting big plays at the wrong time of the game. The Falcons GAVE this game to NE as much as NE played great to win.
Smarter coaching on the Atlanta side could have mad it almost impossible for them to score 16 pts with just under 4 min's to go.

 

[Mojo Ram]

They were good enough to have a 28-3 half time lead. They just were on the field too much from the second quarter on.

All i'm saying is that they were ranked 6th worst all season long in ppg allowed, 8th worst in yds allowed, 7th worst in 3rd down % and on and on. Did they get better towards the end of the season? Yeah. Does their guns a blazin stye of offense affect how they defend the field? Sure, but you can't expect to keep and hold leads with a bad defense vs the other elites in the big games. This is why i prefer a team that is either more balanced(NE) or a team that dictates defensively(SEA, DEN) for example. I just don't believe in hanging your hat on an elite offense in the post season...in any major sport.

 

[Mojo Ram]

And the thing is, Atlanta had success running the ball yesterday and during the season. How do you have a 28-3 lead and wind up with just 18 rushing attempts when it's all said and done?
I just don't believe in that philosophy. Fun to watch yeah yada yada....but nine times outta ten it won't win you squat when the smoke clears.

Call me old school or stuck in a cliche if you want but defense wins championships.

 

[wolfdogg]

Before you say you can't take a sack or penalty in that situation you should probably say, hey OC, don't put your team and qb in that situation. Run the ball, force time outs, kick a 40 yarder to make it a 2 score game with 3 minutes left. HC should have called time out and taken shannys headset when he heard the play. I couldn't believe it as I was seeing the formation and it immediately made me think of how seattle blew it against these same assholes. The last 2 SB s should have been a nightmare for brady but the worst playcalling, and only a few unbelievable plays to be exact, has only emboldened his whiny ass and and charmed alot of the media into thinking the same bullshit as their unbearable obnoxious fans.

 

[Q729]

Jesus, I'd hate to be a Falcons fan right now. Even I couldn't listen to or watch any news programs all day. Couldn't stand to hear how "great" the game was or Patriots this, Brady that. Eff 'em.

 

[OldSchool]

All i'm saying is that they were ranked 6th worst all season long in ppg allowed, 8th worst in yds allowed, 7th worst in 3rd down % and on and on. Did they get better towards the end of the season? Yeah. Does their guns a blazin stye of offense affect how they defend the field? Sure, but you can't expect to keep and hold leads with a bad defense vs the other elites in the big games. This is why i prefer a team that is either more balanced(NE) or a team that dictates defensively(SEA, DEN) for example. I just don't believe in hanging your hat on an elite offense in the post season...in any major sport.

I agree, and when a mediocre at best defense holds the #3 offense in the NFL with a HOF QB to 3 points in the 1st half you'd hope the #1 offense in the NFL could put the game away but they decided to defy common sense and decided not to chew up any clock at all. The defense kept them in the game until they were on the field for so long. Clearly over achieved but to blame them for the loss is just silly.

 

[sjm1582002]

The Falcons needed a Mike Jones to step up to the plate and make "the tackle".

How many times do I have to watch as a team's pass rush vanishes when the game enters the later stages and a money qb takes advantage of this.

Remember this years Dolphins game and their comeback against us?

If you can't get a pass rush with four, then it is time to send five. On every down, and hope one of those five can beat their man and get to the qb.

If that dosen't create pressure then it is time to start rushing just three while mixing the zone / man coverages schemes.

The Falcons defense became predictable and they paid for it, big time.

 

[Angry Ram]

Wow you guys are ruthless lol.

They passed their way up to where they were. ANd lets say they ran 3 times in a row, if everyone thinks that's what they should've done, then wouldn't have NE too?

Besides, its not like they were in "gimme" FG range at that point.

All I'm saying, that sequence isn't the reason they lost.

 

[Pancake]

Isn't it weird how defenses get "gassed" but the offenses they are playing against don't. I mean the WR's are running just as far and fast as the db's. The OL are shoving around just as much weight as the DL. RB's are getting hit just as hard as the hitters. It seems like equal work going on to me.

 

[OldSchool]

Besides, its not like they were in "gimme" FG range at that point.

True but Bryant had missed once all year inside of 50 and was 3 for 3 on FG in the playoffs. A 40 yarder for a guy like him wasn't asking a ton.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Wow you guys are ruthless lol.

They passed their way up to where they were. ANd lets say they ran 3 times in a row, if everyone thinks that's what they should've done, then wouldn't have NE too?

Besides, its not like they were in "gimme" FG range at that point.

All I'm saying, that sequence isn't the reason they lost.

smart teams run out the clock. they had the lead and a fg would clinch it. run out the clock or get the cheats to use their timeouts. there's no downside to doing it that way unless he misses the fg.

.

 

[UKram]

Isn't it weird how defenses get "gassed" but the offenses they are playing against don't. I mean the WR's are running just as far and fast as the db's. The OL are shoving around just as much weight as the DL. RB's are getting hit just as hard as the hitters. It seems like equal work going on to me.

ive never understood that either ..i mean you could put it down to defense is more reactionary(ie pass or run whatever) but even so ...i don think that would account for it

 

[LesBaker]

And the thing is, Atlanta had success running the ball yesterday and during the season. How do you have a 28-3 lead and wind up with just 18 rushing attempts when it's all said and done?
I just don't believe in that philosophy. Fun to watch yeah yada yada....but nine times outta ten it won't win you squat when the smoke clears.

Call me old school or stuck in a cliche if you want but defense wins championships.

They only ran the ball 5 times in the second half.

Sound like another SB to you? 36?

 

[PhillyRam]

2 holding calls, both on Matthews I believe, killed them. The 1st one was on a running play on 2nd and 1 at the Pats 31 following the failed onside kick. That killed that drive because it was also followed by a sack.

If not for that 1st holding call, they probably burn another minute or two off the clock, kick a fg, and kill the Pats momentum..... ball game!

 

[dieterbrock]

Wow you guys are ruthless lol.

They passed their way up to where they were. ANd lets say they ran 3 times in a row, if everyone thinks that's what they should've done, then wouldn't have NE too?

Besides, its not like they were in "gimme" FG range at that point.

All I'm saying, that sequence isn't the reason they lost.

Yup, if Matt Ryan throws an incomplete instead of getting sacked, and fumbling, the Patriots lose. Live by the sword, die by the sword

 

[Merlin]

I still think the reason they lost was the defense was so gassed.

I am used to hearing that excuse a lot with our own defense, but it is an excuse. Fact is a defense can get itself off the field, and needs to be able to in order to be a championship unit.

Through this season the Patriots gave up by far the fewest points (1st in the league with 15.6ppg), while the Falcons were bad defensively (27th in the league with 25.4ppg). In the end THAT is the story of this game. Pats had the defense that adjusted and played well to the end and it's not a surprise when you look back at the way both units played through the season. Falcons' defense simply wasn't good enough.

And btw take a look at that correlation between the top scoring defenses and winning Super Bowls. Can't recall a team that won it all with a defense that gave up over 25ppg; generally you want to at least be below 20, preferably well below.

 

[KJD_Ram]

Same here man. The Angels' loss to the Red Sux in the '86 ALCS is something I have never gotten over...

Neither did Donnie Moore - RIP.....I hate Dave "Hendu" Henderson to this day...

OK, back to Football....carry on.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Isn't it weird how defenses get "gassed" but the offenses they are playing against don't. I mean the WR's are running just as far and fast as the db's. The OL are shoving around just as much weight as the DL. RB's are getting hit just as hard as the hitters. It seems like equal work going on to me.

ive never understood that either ..i mean you could put it down to defense is more reactionary(ie pass or run whatever) but even so ...i don think that would account for it

Have you ever chased someone? It's always harder than being chased.
With all the substituting, I'm not shocked that the offense, especially the line, are in much better shape. They never leave the field.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I still think the reason they lost was the defense was so gassed.

This^ is my opinion too!

 

[Boston Ram]

Honestly I can't understand what they were doing with about 5 min left. Why pass every down when you are already in FG position. Run down the clock and make it a two score game. They called a good game the first half but that was really bad. They let that sack kill them when they they were running the ball so well all day.
Just horrible decision making at the end that will haunt them.

Exactly!