It wasn't decided by a coin toss. I could have sworn they played several more minutes of football after that toss.
How did Atlanta lose this game?
- Thread starter onechase
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It wasn't decided by a coin toss. I could have sworn they played several more minutes of football after that toss.
The Falcons didnt have an opportunity to make a stop? Guess I missed that part.
There were many key plays, decisions, etc., but to me it came down to two situations that decided this game.
1) ATL up 16 has a 3rd and 1 or 2, Ryan drops back, defensive end goes unblocked, sack, fumble, turnover. If they can pick up the first down with a short pass instead of a slow developing play, they take off at least 3 more minutes and even if they punt, they punt New England down to the 20, down 16 points and about 5 minutes to play.
2) As mentioned several times earlier, getting the ball to the 25 and a chance to go up two scores - you simply don't take yourself out of FG range. Go up two scores with the FG and requires New England to have a miracle (likely including an onside kick.)
I've had very few bad things happen to me in life (fortunately) and I mostly sleep well. I don't know how the coaches and players from this team will get a solid sleep without nightmares about this game for the next year. Hard to wash the stench off of this loss, the way they did it.
1) ATL up 16 has a 3rd and 1 or 2, Ryan drops back, defensive end goes unblocked, sack, fumble, turnover. If they can pick up the first down with a short pass instead of a slow developing play, they take off at least 3 more minutes and even if they punt, they punt New England down to the 20, down 16 points and about 5 minutes to play.
2) As mentioned several times earlier, getting the ball to the 25 and a chance to go up two scores - you simply don't take yourself out of FG range. Go up two scores with the FG and requires New England to have a miracle (likely including an onside kick.)
I've had very few bad things happen to me in life (fortunately) and I mostly sleep well. I don't know how the coaches and players from this team will get a solid sleep without nightmares about this game for the next year. Hard to wash the stench off of this loss, the way they did it.
The winner of the coin flip wins more than 50% of the time. Falcons won the 1st 3 quarters and the Pats won the 4th. At the end of regulation, they were even. One team shouldn't get the edge in OT.
Atlanta had been in Brady's kitchen all night, even forcing a pick 6 at one point, so Atlanta knows how to play defense and knows it's a very important part of the game. Unless the rules stated Atlanta had to quit playing defense and just let Brady saunter down the field, then I fail to see the injustice.
But the team who loses the coin toss should be able to play some defense, especially if they made it to the Super Bowl. The offensive requires a TD not a FG to end it. I think it is perfect the way it is being done.
You're not really helping yourself with that 50% number.
Those bitching about the OT rules fail to see reality as it is. Someone has to win the game. OT is just to decide who wins the game, not to give both teams another 4 quarters just to be fair. If you wanted to win the game you should have done it in regulation. Outside of that, one of the teams is going to win the coin toss. You don't want to lose? Play defense and get a stop. I was rooting for the Falcons, but I'm not going to cry about Brady driving at will and sticking the dagger in. The rules didn't lose the game for the Falcons. That was all the Falcons doing.
It seems to me that if the game ends in a tie that both teams should have an even shot at winning. The coin toss decided that the Pats strength would go against the Falcons weakness and thus giving them an unfair advantage.
I can pretty much tell what side of the political aisle you fall on....or at least it seems pretty obvious anyway.
Yes, just like heads comes up more than 50% of the time, more than 50% of babies are boys, etc. Saying more than 50% isn't going to convince anyone.
Not trying to convince. Just stating facts. You are free to ignore them.
I noticed they kept snapping the ball with ~15 seconds on the play clock as well. If Nebraska had done that, I would have been going crazy.
Simply throwing out hypotheticals. And you make a great point. Atlanta absolutely deserved to lose the game. I suppose ATL really didn't deserve to get a chance to score to some extend. They totally implded. I just think the NFL OT rules need to change again in general somehow, but I don't know what they would do. They used to be terrible with the first person to score wins, but since the updated OT rules, they're somewhat better.
I absolutely loathe the Patriots, but have no complaints whatsoever about the OT rule. The format is much better than it used to be, because it forces the team that wins the coin flip to either get all the way to the end zone or kick a FG and play some defense. Might not be perfect, but I don't have any better solutions.
And after the way the Falcons crapped themselves throughout the 4th quarter, I'm convinced they lose in OT regardless of the format. They looked absolutely shell-shocked.
And after the way the Falcons crapped themselves throughout the 4th quarter, I'm convinced they lose in OT regardless of the format. They looked absolutely shell-shocked.
Oh crap, the life isnt fair crowd is out. It is fair because that is the rule. Oh the Falcons won the 1st 3 quarters, they should get a chance. Gtfo of here with that. They had a chance to win in the 4th quarter and they failed miserably and helped make history. Too bad they are on the crappy side of thre history book. Thats why you play 4 quarters of football. In your opinion they probably should have just called the game after the 3rd as the Falcons had won them all 3 so far. My goodness I cant believe I am reading this much stupid.
Players and owners want sudden death overtime in the NFL. Even with that rule they had I believe THREE Ties this year. The goal is to get it over quickly - college overtime would NOT do that.
So the regular season will NOT change - both side like it the way it is even if ESPN and ProFootballTalk bitch every time someone gets the ball and wins the game in OT in one possession - like NE did.
Playoffs going to something like one possession each is possible - but again I don't think anyone (networks, players, owners) really wants to change it - it is the media trying to stir up discussion and butt hurt fans of the team that lost asking for a change
So the regular season will NOT change - both side like it the way it is even if ESPN and ProFootballTalk bitch every time someone gets the ball and wins the game in OT in one possession - like NE did.
Playoffs going to something like one possession each is possible - but again I don't think anyone (networks, players, owners) really wants to change it - it is the media trying to stir up discussion and butt hurt fans of the team that lost asking for a change
It might surprise you, but many fans think the NCAA OT rules are ridiculous. If the team doesn't score a TD on the first drive, and gets a FG instead, the team who lost the coin toss gets a crack at the ball.
I had also seen research that suggested getting the ball first was about 50/50 with not getting the ball in terms of winning the game. It just seems so fast when they do.
NFL OT rules are better than they used to be - back in the day when it was a true sudden death, you had a well documented advantage by winning the coin toss. I think it's much fairer now. Frankly, I like both college and NFL OT rules.
Atlanta really screwed themselves with their play-calling in the 4th quarter, as has been discussed - 1st down at the 22 of New England....up 8 with 4 minutes to go? Hard to lose in that scenario.
Atlanta really screwed themselves with their play-calling in the 4th quarter, as has been discussed - 1st down at the 22 of New England....up 8 with 4 minutes to go? Hard to lose in that scenario.
Quit viewing the world through your political lens. Jeezus it wears me out.
I might also add (again without data to back it) winning the coin toss in college also holds an advantage in OT. If you win, you get the ball last knowing what you need to score. So the coin toss is part of the game and gives a team a slight advantage either way.
The only thing I hate about the NCAA rules is it always seems the games that go into triple OT are right before ours, then they have commercials, then interview the winning coach about how his team "hung in there", then more commercials, and finally get to the NU game tied at 7 with 4 minutes left in the 1st quarter.
New England had the #1 defense in the NFL this year. Defense was their strength.
I guess you've yet to figure out that games are won and lost by how many POINTS you score. Again, New England had the best defense in football this year giving up 15 points a game.
Bunch of high strung people around here lately. I didn't make the rating, the NFL did. They went by YPG.
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