Just had a painful conversation with a Pats fan trying to explain how the Falcons royally messed up the end game.

Regarding not running the clock down and snapping at 20 seconds - he explained that Ryan must have seen something in the D set up that he thought he could take advantage of, so needed to snap immediately. He also explained that if Atlanta ran more time off the clock, then NE would just have scored faster, so it didn't matter.

Regarding calling a pass play rather than running, he first stated that if Atlanta ran the ball twice more, it would have been at least a 45 yard FG attempt, since they would lose a few yards per play (due to the fact that they had lost a yard on first down, and NE had been strong against the run - ). He also said that you can never go wrong putting the ball in the hands of your best players (Ryan and Julio).

He finished it off with the great general point that the Atlanta coaches and Ryan get paid million to make these decisions, so of course they would be right.

I'm guessing he thinks it takes something away from the victory if he admits the Falcons played stupid at the end of the game.

I think for the most hardcore of fans it does, the rest of us just realize that is football.

I do think the run the clock down to 1 thing is interesting, I never really pay attention to that in those spots but don't other teams mostly snap it around 15 instead of like 3-5 seconds? Maybe it has something to do with wanting to keep a rhythm and attacking mentality rather than having your QB spending 10 seconds waiting to snap it.

Matt Bryant is arguably our best player, relative to his position, though. Your pats fan buddy forgot about that.

I mentioned to him that Bryant was the best kicker in the league. His response was basically lol kickers and even the best kicker can miss a FG.

His points are bad but I do think the 40 yard FG turning into 45 was what the Falcons were thinking with their offensive line injuries and the Pats D having stuffed them a few times.

They were stuffed once. Their running game was working the entire game. They didn't have to run off guard -- get creative and use Freeman's speed to your advantage. I mean, if your offensive line has injuries I wouldn't want to give up a sack. Like, the difference between 8 and 11 is huge. Maximize your chances of making it a two score game. Running the ball also allows for the Pats to have to use your timeouts. All angles point toward running the ball.

There are special clock rules for delay of game, it runs after the first one but stops on any subsequent ones.

I believe they were stuffed like 4 of their previous 5 runs.

I'm not saying I agree with what they did, I'm saying that is what they were thinking it seemed like. And I do think it is fair to wonder if the drive was more methodical rather than 2 plays for 66 yards if it would've been easier for them to "pump the breaks" so to speak.

Also run twice and then pass if it's 3rd and long, they don't need to kneel it out, but going pass-pass-pass enormously increases the chance of failure for a relatively minor gain. A FG and a TD both put you at ~100% WP, so even if passing is much better YPG the downside of sacks/holding/interception isn't worth it.

The other thing, and this is just one of those "11 year olds playing Madden" things... in several of the terrible pass calls(both disaster after the Jones catch and the 3rd and 1 where Ryan fumbled) the Falcons came out in a passing-only formation. Freeman gets noticed for blowing the block on the sack, but that's because he was isolated against the defender as a H-back.

Maybe try a formation that at least poses a threat of a run? Play action if you want to pass? There's a big edge that comes from passing in a running situation, but you surrender that **** if you come out in shotgun!

... or, he's just used to following a team that tends to do make good decisions.

2-2-ATL 35
(9:00) 26-T.Coleman up the middle to ATL 36 for 1 yard (98-T.Flowers; 26-L.Ryan). ATL-26-T.Coleman was injured during the play.
3-1-ATL 36
(8:31) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan sacked at ATL 25 for -11 yards (54-D.Hightower). FUMBLES

They put Freeman in after the injury timeout, but he had no clue of what was happening. Seems like no one told him what the play was.

Seems like he thought he was the decoy and figured Hightower was his coverage, and they probably told him to sell the underneath route but pretend you're chipping and then leak out into the flat no way they won't follow you hard on 3rd-and-1 and we'll hit the knockout punch deep with the extra time. So smart, we're gonna fool the **** out of em!

When High sped by him, it was like whoops.

Refer your friend and yourself to have a look at Justin Tucker's kicking history in the NFL.

All conversations with pats fans are painful. Doesn't matter the topic.

Why don't you keep crying about how overrated Brady is?

When the Falcons run it and get stuffed everyone will just say OMG why the **** are you running it when you have the best WR in the league and the best offense in the league! Just trying to run the clock out? Don't play passive!

OMG what an insightful point that absolutely has not been discussed ad infinitum already itt!

Have you ever been a fan of a GOAT dynasty? How would you behave if you were? Humbly?

Does Tom Watson at the British Open count?

They should be 3-4 in the SB. They were handed 2 games.

Why do you count the giants wins as losses here

The crying of the haters/whiners makes it even sweeter.

Seahawks (correctly) throw the ball?? Pure luck for Patriots...

Catch by Kearse that set up the opp?? Let's just ignore that...

Heard there was a ranking of NFL head coaches article so I went to check it. Quickly saw it was written by the awful Pete Prisco, obv BB is 1, then I just immediately start laughing as FAT MIKE is his second best coach. Just amazing how even people paid to write about this stuff fail to realize what they are watching.

this is strangely appropriate today

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