I've not buzzed like this in years, I need to take it up full time. Still open mouthed.
First full season I've avidly followed, it's an amazing game and totally worth the effort you need to put in to see the games and get a good understanding of the rules.
reading this thread since the start of the game is quality. gonna watch it tonight after work. its been called the greatest superbowl game ever. sounds like it was amazing.
It was 28-3 with 9 minutes to go and somehow the Patriots got it to overtime. Even in regular season games that's very very rare. So I think they froze. If I was on the Falcons offense I'd be very angry with my defense and defensive coorindator
The defence should be angry with the offence, who should've played it safe in the last few minutes, run the ball (and the possibly the clock) and secured a relatively easy 3 points, putting them out of reach. Instead they tried going for another TD with a risky passing game and fucked it.
9 minutes is a long time in American football, especially in the fourth quarter, and facing a machine that has found the form it lacked in the first half. If the Patriots had put in a 'normal' performance, I'd say the Falcons had bottled it. I feel that saying that they bottled it takes away from what was an amazing comeback.
You saw it live, I didn't, I wish I had. Probably a different experience watching it live whereas on highlights with the result known I can be more critical of the Falcons
A number of players on the Patriots have Superbowl experience whereas the Falcons didn't, that played into my idea of them freezing.
Googling "did the Falcons choke" brings up a lot of articles and concensus is that the Falcons bottled it. Apparently no team in superbowl history has recovered from a ten point deficit never mind a 25 point. Choke it is for me.
I totally see how people see it as the Falcon's bottling but I don't think that was the case.
The Pats should have been all over the game from the off, As it was Pats were poor and Falcons started OK and were peaking by half time. The second half the Pats came out and showed why they were favourites.
The 4th Quarter was classic winner mentality, they played the full length of the match believing they could win it.
I would liken it to Fergie's Man U. People always call it Fergie Time but the reality is the team played to win until the final whistle while other teams shutdown around 80 minutes.
The Pats know how to win and that experience shone through.
That being said some of the stuff the Falcons were doing was amazing, a young side that will be a side to watch in the future.
The Falcons tried to play the ball when the realistic safe play was short, get to 4th, huge punt and regroup the defence. They bottled it somewhat but the Patriots made some incredible plays to make it happen.
I liken it to the 99 CL Final. Complete domination by one side for the majority, then holy shit at the endgame.