Mack goes beyond the call of duty

Atlanta centre Alex Mack gets the yearly gut-it-out Super Bowl award. There’s always a player or two on the field in the final game of the season who wouldn’t be suiting up under normal circumstances, and this year it was Mack with a fractured fibula.

No matter though, as the Pro Bowl offensive lineman was in his usual spot snapping footballs to Ryan, and the Falcons’ rushing attack was one of the reasons they were able to jump out to a big lead.

Mack was limited throughout the week in practice, but one report said the 31-year-old simply told Falcons decision-makers, “I’m playing — period.”

Slow starts, fast finish

It’s amazing to think the Patriots haven’t scored a single point in the first quarter of any Super Bowl during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.

Another slow start Sunday allowed the Falcons to work out the cobwebs early — Matt Ryan’s eightgame streak of scoring on his first possession was snapped — before the floodgates opened in the second quarter thanks to costly mistakes by the Patriots.

The stunned Pats hadn’t trailed since Week 12, and they looked like a team not used to playing from behind, too. But they got used to it pretty quickly.

O-see ya

With the Super Bowl now over, Falcons offensive co-ordinator Kyle Shanahan can officially be given the title he’s unofficially had for at least a couple weeks: San Francisco 49ers head coach.

That leaves the Falcons searching for an offensive co-ordinator. Atlanta quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is seen as one potential successor, but rumours have him either joining Shanahan by the Bay or taking the vacant Los Angeles Rams offensive co-ordinator job.

If that happens, the Falcons could turn to former Philadelphia Eagles and 49ers head coach Chip Kelly.

Smith returning?

If troubled Oakland Raiders pass-rusher Aldon Smith can keep his nose clean, he’ll likely be allowed to return to the NFL.

The 27-year-old has racked up 47.5 sacks in only 59 career games, but he hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble since being selected by the Niners in the 2011 draft.

The final straw came in November 2015 when he was suspended for one calendar year. According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, that ban will come to an end next month.