FALCONS CAN FIND WAY BACK TO TITLE
Atlanta has youth, playmakers on its side for future playoff runs
The Atlanta Falcons can get back here.
This was never supposed to be their year. Not when they’re still so young, especially on defense, and still growing as a program in their second season under coach Dan Quinn.
But oh, how it’s going to hurt when the Falcons look back on the biggest collapse in the history of this title game — a 25point lead turned into a 34-28 defeat that cost Atlanta the first championship in its 51-year history.
“There’s never going to be a way to get over the loss,” Quinn said, “but what it does have is, some of that toughness that you have to go through, it does make you stronger.”
There were so many opportunities and mistakes, perhaps none more costly than an apparent missed blitz pickup that led to Dont’a Hightower’s strip-sack on newly crowned NFL MVP Matt Ryan, swinging open the door for the New England Patriots midway through the fourth quarter.
Falcons cornerback Robert Alford — whose pick-six on Tom Brady helped Atlanta take control in the first half — had a chance to break up, if not intercept the Brady pass that turned into Julian Edelman’s crazy catch, keeping alive New England’s tying drive late in regulation.
Anyone could’ve made one play to give Ryan another chance in overtime, but the Patriots marched 75 yards in eight plays to finish with 546 yards against a Falcons defense that played beyond its years for the better part of three quarters.
They were younger and faster and found matchups on both sides of the ball to outrun the Patriots, whose 21-3 deficit after 30 minutes felt deeper than the ball pit Lady Gaga jumped in to cap the halftime show.
It was almost reminiscent of the Seattle Seahawks — with Quinn as defensive coordinator — running circles around the favored Denver Broncos three years ago. Those Seahawks got back to the Super Bowl the following year, and these rising Falcons will have a shot to do the same.
Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman and rookie tight end Austin Hooper scored touchdowns. Rookie linebacker Deion Jones and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett had monster games on defense. Not one of those guys is over age 24, and the list goes on from there.
Ryan and star receiver Julio Jones made plays Sunday, too, and neither of those guys is showing signs of slowing down.
They didn’t finish this one against the more seasoned Patriots, though. And no matter what happens from here, this pain figures to linger for a while.