Super Bowl LI will feature the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons and the AFC champion New England Patriots. This contest will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The arrival of February brings another opportunity for a team to compose their page in this chapter of Super Bowl history. This is the Super Bowl. One of America’s most popular sports (if not the most popular) being played at its highest level on the biggest stage. This is the defining moment that these two exceptional teams have been playing for since day one. Better yet, these players have been playing their whole lives for this moment. It doesn’t stop at the players though. Coaches and team management have been cycled in and out to prepare the perfect foundation for this moment. Fans have waited their whole lives for this moment. Millions of dollars have been spent to reach this moment. Millions more have dreamed about this moment. The difference between winning and losing could take just this moment. The only thing that will be in the back of these players’ minds leading up to this game is, “Could this be my moment?”
On one side, there is the New England Patriots who have been here year in and year out. On the other, the Atlanta Falcons are few and far between when it comes to late postseason experience. Being a team that carries a wealth of experience beholds a great advantage especially in late game/season situations. I have always believed that success in sports is closely tied to mental toughness which is also a product of experience. However, experience and history can only go so far. This is because the game is being played in the present. All of the past credentials go out the window as soon as the competitors step on the gridiron. It’s only how the teams decide to view/handle those credentials when preparing for the game that really matters.
This Super Bowl match up is quite interesting as it matches up the expected with the unexpected. That can be largely attributed to media outlets leaving viewers in the dark while they focus on jabbering about flashy teams with big fan bases but that will be discussed elsewhere. The New England Patriots have returned to the Super Bowl for the seventh time since 2001 and in those appearances they have won four rings. The Atlanta Falcons have only been to the Super Bowl once before this season where they lost to the Broncos in 1998. The disparity between these franchises, as far as Super Bowl appearances go, is certainly evident when comparing the two. The Falcons have had seven different head coaches since that Super Bowl appearance in 1998. The Patriots have had the same head coach since 2000. The Falcons have been on and off as of recent with three straight playoff appearances between 2010 and 2012 including two division titles but now they finally get the opportunity to redeem themselves by making it back to the big dance for the first time since 1998. So at this point, it’s basically been Super Bowl or bust for the Patriots as they’ve been there and done that as far as making the playoffs with eight straight appearances (one back from the NFL record for straight playoff appearances) and getting to the conference championship for the sixth straight season (NFL record). Though, it may be worth noting that the team holding less appearances in this game has went 5-2 in the last seven Super Bowls. As far as this season goes, the Patriots entered 2016 as one of the odds on favorites to win the championship (per usual) and the Falcons were located somewhere near the back end. When I say back end I mean the area on the odds page where you have to scroll down and near the bottom is all of the teams that would make you hesitant to even throw a dollar or two on to win the Super Bowl because you’d find more value in the vending machine at lunchtime. Well at least that’s what their odds look like in comparison to a team like the New England Patriots. In a battle of two teams with distinct differences but copious similarities, I’m thinking Super Bowl LI will be as good as advertised and more.
New England Patriots
Have you ever gotten the feeling like you’ve seen the same movie too many times yet the filmmakers keep producing it in different forms? Look no further than the New England Patriots as the NFL’s version of a broken record. Their run of straight playoff appearances mixed with Super Bowl victories that are pretty closely knit is extremely impressive to put it lightly. This team is led by head coach Bill Belichick. He’s been the ring leader for this team (figuratively and literally) since 2001. Many successful coaches come from rather humble beginnings but that was not necessarily the case for coach Belichick. He was handed the keys to the team in the year 2000 where he began 5-11. This is definitely not a formidable start by any standard but that’s not the point. In just his second season, he coached that 5-11 team to a Super Bowl victory. After that, he did not record a single losing season and only missed the playoffs twice. Then there was Tom Brady. He was the sixth round quarterback who went from the bench to Super Bowl champ in a year’s time. How many other quarterbacks do you know that went three for three in the Super Bowl, achieved two Super Bowl MVP awards, and back to back Super Bowl wins in their first five seasons? Brady is the Patriot’s 1B as Belichick is their 1A. Or it could be the other way around. Who knows? In retrospect, it really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that they win which is what they do consistently and consecutively. In fact, they will be going for the NFL record that they’ve been chasing since the beginning: Five Super Bowl rings. This would give Belichick the most Super Bowl wins as a coach in NFL history and Brady the most Super Bowl wins as a quarterback in NFL history. With both of them already being considered as the greatest of all time in their respective positions then it would only make sense that they’d back it up with the rings. To be honest, is it really the Super Bowl if it doesn’t involve Tom Brady and Bill Belichick? A Super Bowl win on Sunday would also put them two championship wins away from the NFL record that is owned by the Pittsburgh Steelers who have seven. The New England Patriots have been the cream of the crop in the NFL for the past decade or so and will be known as one of the greatest dynasties in football history. Hate them or love them, you will always remember when the Patriots dominated the NFL.
Offense: The Patriots have one of the most consistent offenses that can be seen in the NFL. It’s truly a thing of beauty the way that it functions so smoothly year in and year out. This offense has been ranked inside the top ten in every season since 2004. They are ranked fourth this season. Many people only see the points that go up on the scoreboard but they don’t see how this offense really makes it all happen. They have the third highest scoring offense in the NFL. When observing how it operates, look at the different formations and players that they use. Most of the formations are catered to the types of players that are on the field to exploit mismatches in the defense. This is true for the small/speedy guys they have and the big/heavy guys. An example of this would be when they line up tight end Rob Gronkowski out wide and try to match him up with a smaller safety. This makes for a huge mismatch because Gronkowski is much larger than almost any safety out there (okay maybe not Kam Chancellor) which makes it simple for Brady to pitch and catch for a big gain. The Patriots could also make it simple and not care about where they line up Gronk, though, because he’s too fast for linebackers to cover him and too big for a defensive back. Since Gronk is hurt, Martellus Bennett has served as a great fill-in for that spot because he’s also a big receiver who has some speed. The Patriots may not possess the greatest running backs every season but they get the job done. Who needs a running back these days anyway, right? I know the Green Bay Packers can attest to that. Remember that ‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ card game where the most powerful character in the game was the monster called Exodia who needed all five cards that represented its limbs and head in order to use it? That’s what I relate this season’s Patriots running back group to. Their running back production is weak with just one or two of them but when you put them all together then you could have the best running back in the league. That seems to be precisely what the Patriots envisioned when they picked out these running backs to supplement their game. These backs aren’t big names as individuals so they don’t garner a ton of attention which means the team doesn’t have to sacrifice a lot of cap space in order to retain them. The backs in this tandem each carry a specific set of skills that provide an extra dimension to this offense. Legarrette Blount is the big back who runs between the tackles, picks up the tough yards, effective in short yardage/goal line situations, and softens up the interior while opening up play action for deep plays in the passing game. Dion Lewis and James White are the pass catching backs who are also third down specialists. They can be lined up anywhere on the field such as in the backfield, the slot, or out wide as a receiver. They create mismatches because when the offense goes into their multi-receiver wide sets then defenses are forced to put linebackers on them in coverage. As soon as Brady sees this, he loves to call go-routes to them (especially if it’s a slow or particularly inept pass coverage linebacker) and it’s an easy score. This works well against defenses who are sloppy with swapping in the correct personnel or creating a scheme to audible into appropriate coverage to defend it. The Patriots have taken three pieces of Le’Veon Bell and inserted them into their backfield. It’s almost like Belichick is the modern day Victor Frankenstein. That may or may not be a bit over the top but I’m happy with the comparison so we’ll move on. Speaking of Patriots offensive players, the way they gather their personnel is truly special. They always have a player that nobody has heard about who comes up with big plays in key moments. I will take this opportunity to recognize the Seahawks for their ability to do this as well (even though they just picked up Jimmy Graham but let’s not act like the Pats haven’t gone for big players from time to time either). Considering that Belichick is the team’s head coach AND general manager, he is able to have a good amount of power in who he brings in to play on his team. They used Brady, Gronkowski, and now Edelman as their base and have picked up receivers and running backs around them to fill in the rest. It’s almost like he’s a scavenger going through a scrap yard looking for a couple shiny pieces that other teams have glossed over. This tactic works particularly well because teams will have a hard time game planning against their offense when they have to account for how the Pats will use these new pieces. However, the Pats have had a history of picking up a few big name players to temporarily kick start their team like Randy Moss and Darrelle Revis. The most recent example of the Patriots picking up scrap players comes in the form of Chris Hogan who just set the record for most receiving yards in a postseason game by an undrafted player during their AFC Championship win. Julian Edelman has become a household name around New England with his performances and rapport with Brady over the years but he is also one of those guys. Edelman was drafted in the seventh round out of Kent State in 2009. He was actually a quarterback in college but Belichick clearly saw more in him than just the position he played. At just 5’10”, he developed into on of the better receivers on the best team in the NFL. Much like Brady and everyone else on this team, his competitiveness and moxie (as well as football intelligence) has made him a great player. He is one of those gadget guys that the Patriots like to use because he is a play maker with the ball in his hands. Punt returner, running back, receiver, and quarterback. He can do it all. All of this comes with a purpose though. There are two rules of qualification to fit in this Pats offense: One is you must catch the ball if Brady decides to throw to you and two is you must be able to follow the offensive route book to a T. The Patriots playbook must have at least a million pages in it because it seems like they are always running a bunch of wacky plays. Most of these are disguise routes that can fool a defense which typically results in a receiver standing all alone in the end zone with the football once the play is over. All I have to say about it is if you try to run a zone against this offense then you are going to be in for a long day. I think the Steelers may have learned a thing or two from what happened to their zone last week (or 36 points worth of things). It doesn’t matter which way you decide to analyze this Patriots offense, you’re most likely going end up off track. As hard as it is to predict, it’s twice as hard to defend.
Defense: When it comes to strong defenses, the Patriots haven’t exactly been known to fit in that category. The offense has been the lone star on this team for quite some time and there’s good reasoning for that. They have struggled on this side of the ball over the years where they have ranked in the back half of the league from 2010 through 2013. However, the defense has quietly improved from 2014 into the present. This defense has went from being in the lower half of the league to the top tier. The Pats allow the least amount of points per game this season. Every time I see that stat I really can’t believe that it’s true. This development has left many people in a state of denial and has them asking, “What has changed?” The suspension of Tom Brady seemed to have came at just the right time as the Pats defense rounded out to be the best that it’s been in about a decade. Adversity has lit a match under this team and made it complete. The adversity mixed with the criticism of being an underachieving defense on a great team has motivated this unit to become much stronger as a whole. The Pats have been playing bottom tier offenses in the NFL this season as well as bum quarterbacks so the rise of this defense has been fanned a bit by the critics. However, I would like to say that I don’t completely agree with the critics based on the fact that this is the NFL and these are all professionals. I believe that strength of schedule should not be considered a big deal in professional sports because no matter who you’re playing, you’re still playing against the best of the best talent wise. If the Patriots defense can play through their 16 game schedule and end with the best scoring defense and a top ten defense overall then I’d say that they’re pretty proven regardless of said competition. I would possibly consider strength of schedule an excuse if we were talking about this in the first half of the season but since they’ve played all of their games then they have cemented their stats on the season and it should be respected as such. Before I name any of the players, it’s time to pay respect to Pats defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. It’s ridiculous how he has been cheated (anyone? no? okay) out of the tremendous amount of credit that he deserves for running this defense. He should be largely credited for the revival of this defense in 2012 when he was named defensive coordinator. Since he took that position, the Pats began to see some improvement on this side of the ball. It began to peak in 2014 when the defense finally got good enough to vault the Pats to the next level. Their defense went from seventh worst to thirteenth best in just two seasons. They won the Super Bowl in that 2014 season which was a result of a goal line stand interception to end the game. I’m not saying that it was all because of Matt Patricia that Malcolm Butler caught that miracle interception (which was most likely just the product of the Seahawks’ stupidity of getting greedy on the goal line and throwing it on a pick play instead of running it with Beast Mode so I guess they deserved to lose because pick plays are insanely cheap) but he definitely played a part in making that moment possible. His defense has finally reached its final stages in this season where they have seen their improvements show on the stat sheet. Top scoring defense, top ten in yards allowed, and top ten in red zone defense. One thing that the Patriots have become famous for over the years is their ability to take what a team does best on offense and eliminate it. This messes with the opposing offenses physically and mentally. Physically, I mean that they actually do take away the opposing offense’s best option and make them look like a completely different team than they were the week before. Mentally, the Pats defense’s reputation of doing this makes offenses get in their own heads too much and try to game plan differently than what they’ve gone with that has worked well for them during the season that they end up turning into a mess that is unrecognizable to a loyal fan of the victimized team. Middle linebacker Dont’a Hightower has been the centerpiece of the defense for the past few years. In fact, he won two national championships at Alabama and helped the Patriots to the Super Bowl in 2012. It seems fitting that a player who helped Saban to two titles in college would get a spot in helping Belichick to a title as a professional. Defensive end Trey Flowers has been a huge factor in the recent success of this defense. His seven sacks leads the team by a large margin. He was a fourth rounder out of the 2015 draft and has fit in well with this defense. His presence bodes well with the loss of a Pro Bowl player in Jamie Collins. The secondary of this team has to be one of their most notable assets. Though they haven’t been great against the pass this season (12th in passing yards allowed), they have been playing a bit better as of late and can make a variety of plays on the field. In fact, the top four tacklers on the team are defensive backs. Yes, I realize this could be a result of teams having to pass against them more than they would against others but it’s still impressive nonetheless. Malcolm Butler may not be a bona fide shut down corner but he can surely give your top receiver something to think about. Logan Ryan is the team’s leading tackler. Devin McCourty is a two time Pro Bowl player and has won a Super Bowl with this team. This defense may have been underappreciated during the majority of this season but their statistical successes are now being recognized as a ‘X factor’ for the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
Patriots’ Story Line: It’s no secret what the big story was to begin this season. The NFL’s prolonged investigation on Tom Brady regarding ‘Deflategate’ had finally reached a verdict. The NFL suspended Brady for the first four games of this season. Deflategate was spawned after Colts players accused the Patriots of tampering with the footballs by deflating them to Brady’s liking and giving the Patriots an unfair advantage when they routed the Colts by 38 points in the 2014 season’s AFC Championship game. This all seemed pretty ridiculous considering the game wasn’t even close regardless of what kind of ball was being used. It’s widely believed that Deflategate was mishandled by commissioner Roger Goodell and this belief seems to be fairly accurate. The whole investigation was a bit shady with both sides being accused of omitting information from time to time and the media was strung out on who was right and who was wrong. The Patriots are already a tough team to out as it is, now think about what it would be like if they had a chip on their shoulders. The result was a 14-2 season even without Brady. The Pats went 3-1 without Brady or even Gronk for that matter. They were clearly on a mission to show the NFL and everybody else that they could win no matter what the circumstances were. It’s easy to look back now and think that the Patriots might have had a rough start to the season and maybe struggled a bit considering the suspension of Brady but the adversity just made them stronger as a team. I feel bad for all of those writers that chose to doubt the Patriots in spite of this. Actually, on second thought I really don’t feel bad at all. The Pats already had a successful season by silencing the doubters but they’re certainly not thinking about stopping now. The revenge would be extra sweet if Brady could win the Super Bowl and get his NFL record fifth ring in the same season that he got suspended. Goodell would have to personally congratulate Brady and hand him the trophy.
Atlanta Falcons
There’s a word for something that has qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success. That word is ‘potential’. This can be applied to people, a group of people, an object, a business, etc. That is precisely what I think of when I look at a team like the Atlanta Falcons. Over the past decade or so, the Falcons have had a plethora of talent specifically on the offensive side of the ball. This team has went through their highs and lows. There really hasn’t been a middle ground. The Falcons were either in the playoffs or almost completely irrelevant. The appropriate place to start would be in 2008 which was Matt Ryan’s rookie year. After a few lackluster seasons leading up to 2008, the Falcons decided they needed to draft a quarterback so they selected Matt Ryan with the third overall pick. He turned out to be one of the better selections in that draft class as he went on to lead his team to the playoffs whilst finishing just outside the top ten in passing yards and winning offensive rookie of the year. He had the assistance of All-Pro receiver Roddy White and the NFL’s runner-up in rushing yards in Michael Turner. This was a nice base but they were looking for more. After an early out in the playoffs, they acquired legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez. Predictably, his stats took a step back in the first year arriving in Atlanta where the team finished 9-7. The Falcons really started to turn up the heat in 2011 when they scooped up star receiver Julio Jones with the sixth overall pick out of Alabama. The Falcons were in ‘win now’ mode and everybody knew it. They had a top ten offense with one of the best tight ends to ever play the game in Tony Gonzalez, a top wide receiver in Roddy White, Matt Ryan was a top ten quarterback, Michael Turner has been a tested top ten running back, and they had just drafted an incredible young talent in Julio Jones. Unfortunately, the results didn’t show on the field come playoff time when they were blown out 24-2 by the Giants who went on to win Super Bowl XLVI. They could have been a Super Bowl caliber team but nobody would have known it because the eventual Super Bowl champs ended their run before it even started. This set the bar even higher for the Falcons in 2012. It was playoff success or bust as they had their team personnel at a high enough level where at least a conference championship appearance should have been expected. The team had been cut short for the second straight season in the playoffs and Gonzalez was running out of time while Roddy White was running out of prime. They finished the season with the sixth ranked offense as they cruised to a 13-3 record with home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This was looking like the year that the Falcons would final put it all together and allow the Atlanta faithful to rejoice in finally receiving the elusive Lombardi Trophy. The Falcons finally made it back to the NFC Championship game. They needed four playoff appearances to do so since they made it in 2004. I’m sure this will bring back harsh memories for Falcons fans as they all remember this game far too well. The Falcons led the 49ers 24-14 led at the half. This included a 17-0 lead. Things were looking up for them as they went into the locker room with good odds at making it to the Super Bowl. However, there was still another 30 minutes to be played. The 49ers’ defense clamped down and didn’t allow the Falcons to score again in the game. The offense for the 49ers kept moving though and scored 14 unanswered points to end the game in a victory. They would go on to blow a lead in the Super Bowl to the eventually championship Baltimore Ravens team. That was the final dagger for the Falcons. They put their best foot out there and still couldn’t bring it home. Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White fell off not too long after this and they both eventually retired. The common trend in these playoff failures? They didn’t have a defense. The Falcons carried a defense that was ranked worse than 20th in every one of those seasons. They always say that offense wins in the regular season but defense wins when it counts. This defeated Falcons team would go on to finish 4-12 in the next season and not reach .500 again until 2015. It didn’t take too long for the Falcon’s ownership to realize that they need a change in team culture. So as a result, they went out and hired former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. This was the mastermind behind the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom Super Bowl winning defense. He had experience and showed promise in leading a group of players. Most importantly, he knew how to win. When he was hired, I don’t think too many people looked at it twice. It wasn’t a flashy or popular choice because he really wasn’t a big name pick up. As it turned out, this was a perfect preface for their success. They had a team that was rebuilding following the retirement of Gonzalez and White among others so they might as well bring in a new coach. The team immediately saw success as they improved to 8-8 which included a 5-0 start and a victory over a previously undefeated Panthers team. This was all a warm up to prepare for this season. They knew they were capable of playing at a high level and just had to put it all together and that’s exactly what they did. The draft went very well for the Falcons as they picked up some great talent. Their transactions in the off season were great as well by parting with Roddy White, signing big Bengals receiver Mohamed Sanu, signing three time Pro Bowl Browns center Alex Mack, and claiming Browns receiver Taylor Gabriel off waivers. The potential was present and was definitely something to get excited about. The Falcons wasted no time duplicating the start they had last season by going 4-1. Then the flashbacks from last season began to return for Falcons fans as they finished 6-4 before the bye. They wouldn’t let this get them down though as they ended hot going 5-1 to end the season. In just their second year of improvement/rebuilding with head coach Dan Quinn, the Falcons are on their way to the Super Bowl. Many say that it’s too soon and that this team is too young but Matt Ryan and Dan Quinn have been to the postseason before which gives them valuable experience in understanding what is needed to be successful. The Falcons have rebuilt their team and it’s looking stronger than ever. Will they capitalize on their potential?
Offense: This unit can put points on the scoreboard in so many ways that it’s difficult to decide where to start when discussing it. The Falcons have the highest scoring offense in the league. Their 34 points per game makes them the highest scoring offense since Peyton Manning’s record breaking Broncos in 2013. This offense scores points consistently and efficiently. They rank second in total offense, third in passing yards, and fifth in rushing yards. Efficiency wise, they rank first in yards per pass attempt, third in completion percentage, and sixth in third down conversion percentage. This offense is led by their quarterback Matt Ryan. He’s a four time Pro Bowl player and has been to the playoffs five times. Ryan has had an up and down career but there’s no question that he possesses exceptional ability. His consistency is what has been his downfall throughout his professional career. That is something that he has patched up during this season. He is enjoying one of his best seasons and the team’s success is reflecting it. Unlike some of the other high scoring offenses in the past, this offense is highly sophisticated and finds ways to beat teams by using complex play calling and select personnel groupings. This is where Kyle Shanahan comes in. He has been the real story on this offense. He signed on as the offensive coordinator with the Falcons in 2015 with the arrival of head coach Dan Quinn. This was a quality signing for the Falcons as Shanahan has coached the Redskins’ offense to some productive seasons prior to this deal. This offense wasn’t particularly struggling or anything but it was starting to look a bit stagnant. Shanahan’s arrival improved the offense in his first season and has brought it to the league’s highest level in this season. He has found ways to get all of his offensive personnel involved and utilizes schemes to get the best out of his players. His spread offense has become virtually impossible to defend as zone defenses get turned into Swiss cheese with all of the holes the receivers sit in to exploit it and man-to-man defenses are countered with rub plays to get guys open in space in a hurry. This is far and away better than the Atlanta offense that people were used to watching where Matt Ryan would sit back and lob the ball down the field to Julio Jones every play. In fact, Matt Ryan has thrown touchdowns to thirteen different receivers this season. Julio Jones has been targeted 129 times this season. This may sound like a big number but that puts him at 19th in the NFL. For being one of the league’s best receivers, that’s a pretty low target count. It’s definitely a far cry from the amount of targets he’s had in the past few years. He was targeted 203 times last season (most in the league) and 163 times in 2014 (third in the league). Speaking of Julio Jones, he is the team’s greatest offensive asset. He’s been in the top three in receiving yards since 2014. He is a monster physically and athletically. He’s a machine on the gridiron and literally plays like one too. The way he runs is like one of those robot clones in the Terminator movies. In other words, unstoppable and extremely fast. Mix that with a 6’3″ 220 pound frame that can make acrobatic catches and the result is a match up nightmare. Jones used to be the one man wrecking crew for the Falcons’ offense but they have filled in the positions around him with complimentary talent such as Mohamed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel, Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, and others. Mohamed Sanu is another receiver that has been great for the Falcons. When he was signed in the off season, it originally looked like he was being overpaid and could be a bust. Sanu turned out to be a great asset for the Falcons as he compiled four touchdowns and over 600 yards. He’s another receiver who is a big target for Ryan as he is 6’2″ and 210 pounds. Taylor Gabriel was a surprise pick up for the Falcons as he was signed off the waivers when the Browns cut him. He’s a small but extremely fast receiver and can take the roof off of any defense. The addition of Gabriel was perfect for this offense because it provided them with a legitimate deep threat other than Jones. This allowed the Falcons to utilize Jones more often in the middle of the field and on possession plays. This offense also doesn’t hold back when it comes to getting the running backs and tight ends involved. It adds even more receivers to the mix so Matt Ryan never runs out of viable options. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have been the dynamic duo of the year. At first, it seemed like a position battle between the two for the starting job but it turned out that Shanahan had plans to use them both. The use of the dual running back system can be a thing of beauty when done properly. Freeman and Coleman were developed into backs who could run the ball and catch the ball even better. Freeman still carries most of the load when it comes to touches but Coleman provides valuable snaps when he is on the field. They are both explosive with the ball in their hands and can score at any given time. These backs can be lined up in the backfield or out in space and run routes. That’s incredibly difficult to guard if you’re forced to play man coverage using a linebacker. Austin Hooper and Levine Toilolo are the tight ends. Though they are not used often, they are very effective. They are big targets and are great in red zone/short yardage situations when the team needs a catch in traffic. This offense is incredibly talented from top to bottom and has the opportunity to cash in when they play on the league’s biggest stage.
Defense: One of the most unfortunate things about life is that most positives almost always come with some negatives. That is exactly what the case is for the Atlanta Falcons. They have such a spectacular offense in every facet possible but their defense doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain. The Falcons are ranked 25th in total defense, 28th in scoring defense, 28th in passing defense, and 17th in rushing defense. The only reason the rushing defense isn’t worse is probably because teams have to resort to passing the ball against them because they get so far behind due to the high powered Falcons offense. This same excuse could be used to defend the Falcons’ passing defense but you get the point. Statistically, this Falcons defense is pretty bad. I’m not here to completely defend the skill of this Falcons defense and say they are actually great or anything either but they may not be as bad as what people take them for. This defense is full of young players and is comprised of four rookies. They got off to a bit of a rough start to the season but have progressed since then. Before the bye, the Falcons had given up 27 points per game which would be ranked fourth worst in the league. After the bye, they only gave up about 21 points per game which would almost push them into the top ten. Yes, the back end of their schedule was far from impressive but there was definite improvement as these young players developed. In the playoffs, the Falcons held the Seahawks to 10 points in the first half and twenty total points on the game. Not impressed yet? This Falcons defense shut out Aaron Rodgers in the first half of the NFC Championship game. Yes, the Packers missed a field goal and fumbled on the goal line but it’s still pretty impressive how this defense has stepped up. Those were two of the top ten quarterbacks this season playing from behind in a playoff game and still couldn’t put up the points they needed to in order to make the games competitive. The Falcons have recorded five sacks in this postseason which is the third most. They have also only allowed twelve more yards per game in the postseason than the Patriot have. Outside linebacker Vic Beasley has been a major factor in the Falcons’ success this season. With the rest of the defense was in the early stages of development, Beasley turned into a quarterback sacking machine. He racked up a league leading 15.5 sacks in just his second season as a pro. His 6’3″ 246 pound frame and endless motor makes him an edge rusher that is incredibly difficult to stop. The rookies Keanu Neal, Deion Jones, De’Vondre Campbell, and Brian Poole have played a significant part on this team as well. Linebacker Deion Jones leads the team in tackles and interceptions (3). Keanu Neal isn’t far behind with just two less tackles. Brian Poole and De’Vondre Campbell have played above their game as middle of the field defenders. They each have recorded an interception. Third-year safety Ricardo Allen has two interceptions in this postseason. I’m not sure if people are aware but Dwight Freeney is still playing in the NFL. He is a Super Bowl champion and has been selected to seven Pro Bowls. At 36 years old, he may not provide too much as a player on the field for this defense but he is a great asset as an experienced leader in the locker room. The fact that this defense is still so young is a positive sign for them considering Dan Quinn is a defensive minded coach and was the man behind the controls of Seattle’s Legion of Boom. He has a plan for this defense and the only way to go from here is up. This defense has been heavily criticized all season and will come into this game with something to prove.
Falcons’ Story Line: Underrated would be an adequate word to use when describing this team. Or are they overrated? The variety of opinions on this team has been like a roller coaster since the beginning of 2015. Their 5-0 start to the 2015 season began bringing attention to the Falcons as they were one of the most surprisingly successful teams of that time. Nobody really knew much about them but they saw the 5-0 record and were intrigued. As it turned out, the people who began buying in to what was once a lowly team below .500 in the previous seasons finally becoming successful were greatly disappointed as the Falcons lost every game but three to finish the year. That would be the definition of overrated. This set up perfectly for the doubters to come out in full force when the Falcons began this season 4-1. It was widely believed that the Falcons were once again overrated and were bound to bottom out sooner or later. The media was on the same boat as they didn’t report a single word about their successes. They were much too worried about the Dak/Zeke Cowboys and the Wentz Eagles. I will give it to them, the Falcons did end up falling apart a bit after that hot start by going into the bye 6-4 which once again made them ‘overrated’. They came out of the bye even hotter than in the beginning by hanging 38 on the Cardinals and finishing the season 5-1. They would end the season as the champs of the NFC South at 11-5. With this, the media neglected to give them any credit and wrote them off as the NFC South team that sneaked into the playoffs just like everyone else because the NFC South is trash. The part about the NFC South being trash may be true but the wide belief that the Falcons weren’t a worthy playoff team was false. This would now make them ‘underrated’. Their underrated stamp came at the perfect time as the playoffs were under way. With initial expectations lowered, it made it possible for the Falcons to play with a chip on their shoulder and prove that their record was better than what people gave them credit for. The Falcons routed the Seahawks in the divisional round 36-20 which felt more like 45-10. Again, the Falcons were doubted as the media blamed the Seahawks for being on the downturn rather than highlighting the Falcons for displaying a very impressive performance. But of course, the cameras were fine tuned on the Cowboys vs Packers game where everyone drooled over Aaron Rodgers the whole week following his victory. Rodgers’ performance was indeed worthy of all of that because he did pretty much win the game all by himself and made throws that made me wonder if he is even human. It was extremely impressive but I still believe the Falcons deserved more credit especially when matching up against the Packers. Rodgers was basically the only player on his team that was in full health leading up to the match up. Even with that in mind, Vegas made the Falcons just a four point favorite over them and the media had the gall to think that the Packers still stood a chance. Mind you that this game was also on the Falcons’ home field. However, considering that everyone and their mother was touting Rodgers as the greatest quarterback of all time after he barely beat a rookie quarterback and a Cowboys defense then I guess it was reasonable to believe that they stood a good chance. That’s what everyone thought at least. Meanwhile, the Falcons were enjoying all of this in silence as they prepared to dismantle the Packers’ injury muddled mess. The Falcons went on to win 44-21. In other great news for the Falcons, the Patriots were playing the Steelers that night. The result of that game was the Steelers receiving a traditional tail whipping by the Patriots who did their usual routine of outsmarting them in every way possible while making the them look like fools in the process. As a result, everyone is drooling over the Patriots now and the Falcons are being discredited once again. As what so predictably happened, everyone blamed the Packers’ injuries for why they got slaughtered on Sunday. Obviously that has some truth to it but it seemed apparent that the result was going to be relatively similar even if they were a bit healthier. The Falcons are now in position to be the lesser appreciated team once again as they have been all season. This has to be the most underrated team to score 80 points in two playoff games.
What I Expect:
- I expect the Falcons to find plenty of success on offense. Everybody still seems to think that the Patriots are going to sell out on shutting down Julio Jones. I do tip my hat to the Patriots keeping Antonio Brown quiet in the AFC Championship but that was only because they were able to focus all of their efforts on him alone. This was possible due to the Steelers really not having any other viable options with Martavis Bryant suspended and Le’Veon Bell hurt. The Falcons have plenty of weapons other than Julio Jones at their disposal so it will be difficult to focus everything on one guy. I think the Patriots will actually attempt to sell out on stopping the run and will send extra pass rushers to put more pressure on Matt Ryan. This is the Patriots’ only hope because if Ryan is able to get enough time in the pocket then their defense is going to get shredded. They also don’t want the Falcons running the ball either because their ground game is just as dangerous with Freeman and Coleman.
- I expect the Patriots to have more difficulty throwing the ball in this game than they did against the Steelers. Simply put, the Falcons will not run the same defense that the Steelers ran in the AFC Championship. I am not exactly sure what the Steelers did with their defense to prepare for that game but it must have involved leaving receivers wide open in hopes that they wouldn’t catch it. That was one of the most incompetent displays of defense in a conference championship game that I have seen. It was disappointing as I expected them to have more in store when they showed up to this game. The Patriots just called up play after play for the receivers to just sit down in the zone and it was pitch and catch for Brady. Then when the Steelers decided to clamp down on those short chunk routes, Brady would torch them over the top for a wide open touchdown. As bad as this Falcons pass defense has been during this season, I would be pleasantly surprised if the Falcons’ defensive backs and schemes get lit up as bad as the Steelers did.
- I expect the Patriots to take a more run heavy approach. One thing you don’t want to do when playing against the Falcons is get into a shootout with them. The Falcons have the league’s highest scoring offense and is not the type that you would want to trade shots with. Look for the Pats to finally unleash Legarrette Blount in this game as they try to set the pace early by chewing up the clock and keeping the Falcons’ high powered offense off the field.
- I expect the Falcons’ linebackers to be the ‘X factor’ in this game. The Falcons’ linebacker group is very inexperienced as it features two rookies and second-year starter Vic Beasley. However, these young players can play ball. Beasley led the league in sacks, Deion Jones led the team in tackles and had four interceptions including one in the postseason, and De’Vondre Campbell is tied for team lead in tackles for loss and had an interception in the regular season. The Patriots will be looking to get their short passing game going early and often to test the middle of the field in front of these linebackers so it is imperative that they stay active in pass coverage. In order to win this game, the Falcons will also need to get a consistent pass rush going. This will be crucial for the linebackers as they need to get in Brady’s face quickly and get hits on him. The Texans were relatively successful in getting in Brady’s face in the divisional round which caused him to be off his game and throw two picks.
- I expect the Falcons’ defense to be better than advertised. This unit has actually played pretty well during the playoffs. This is especially true when it came to getting to the quarterback and closing on receivers. When observing this defense over the past two games, I did not notice very many sloppy plays or times where the opposing offense capitalized off a blown coverage. They have also been getting to the quarterback much more frequently than what they get credit for. Aaron Rodgers took some huge hits in the NFC Championship game and Russell Wilson didn’t have it much easier. Those two quarterbacks are also some of the most elusive passers in the league. There is more to this defense than what shows up on the stat sheet. This defense has been playing fast, confident, and inspired in this final stretch. Dan Quinn has some great experience from when he was the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks including a Super Bowl victory led by a dominant defense.
- I expect the turnover battle to be a major factor in this game. This is especially important for the Falcons offense. The Falcons have done a great job this season in reducing their turnovers. Matt Ryan has had one of the best seasons of his career in terms of taking care of the ball. The Patriots have made a living off capitalizing on other team’s mistakes. Both of these teams are extremely efficient on offense so a mistake could mean the difference between a win and a loss in this game. Whichever team comes out with the least amount of turnovers will most likely be the one holding the Lombardi Trophy.
If you liked this article and would like to read more similar this one, please visit Alec’s Ohio Sports Blog at alecdhartman.wordpress.com. If you would like to be notified when new articles are posted, go to alecdhartman.wordpress.com and click the follow button in the lower right hand corner.
Alec's Ohio Sports Blog 