Super Bowl LI

It was definitely a catch, and a damn good one.

On the one replay they played of the game winning touchdown, I saw his knee clearly on the ground before the ball touched the goal line. The announcers even said Oh well the crowds already on the field. Even Tom Brady was panicked after trying to get people to focus on the replay. But by that time everyone was on the field.

I say no touchdown.

In reply to Nick (Bo) Comstock:

The replay from the far sideline shows that the ball broke the plane before his knee was down. It was pretty clear. And since it was called a TD on the field- it would take a lot of evidence to undo that call.

I thought the 2 point conversion to tie was closer than that play.

I've been saying for a while that all PATs should be 2-point conversions. So much more exciting than kicks.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

It's a pretty obvious hold over from the ruby roots.

Did anyone notice they didn't do anything about awarding the MVP. It was only mentioned by Terry Bradshaw when he brought up Tom Brady. Don't they usually do something more about the MVP, not just have the TV announcer say it? Brady won a truck the last time he played (and gave it to Butler for saving that last SuperBowl). That would be another reason why everyone was boo-ing Goodell

I see Goodell mostly as the beneficiary of circumstance when it comes to earning money for the league. He's basically just been lucky enough to preside over arguably the most successful sports league in the world at a time of peak growth and popularity. Most of the revenue growth, as I understand it, comes from the latest round of contracts with the TV broadcasters, and he's selling them their most lucrative product (which the NFL does a pretty good job of ensuring them a monopoly on) at a time when all other programming is going into decline. It's a virtual name-your-price scenario.

Meanwhile, he's positioned himself as judge, jury, and executioner on all matters concerning discipline and bungled more or less every opportunity for controversy handed to him - Ray Rice, Spygate, Deflategate, Bountygate, concussions...the list goes on ad nauseum. Players are retiring early at a rate never before seen and participation at all levels of the sport is at its lowest in decades. The league has some serious, long term issues which he has utterly failed to address, and the general quality of play has degraded significantly over his tenure. But who cares, as long as they can virtually print money (for now.)

Goodell is nothing more than a $40mil/yr punching bag for the public to draw their ire away from the owners. He's done nothing that a poo flinging monkey could not do as well or better.

The first half was a stellar example of what Tom Brady is capable of with fully inflated footballs.

I'm not a huge football fan, but I thought the game was pretty horrible. It took the Patriots 3 quarters of playing pretty badly, on both offense and defense, before they finally figured out how to out-play the Falcons. Likewise, it felt like the Falcons played 3 quarters of very good football, then simply collapsed.

So game itself aside, does anyone here have direct tv?

I got a call, which was why I turned the game on, direct tv cut all coverage on non premium sports package channels right before over time started. At least at my buddies house. Wondering if this is a more widespread issue?

Everyone else I know around here has comcant, but the error messages and stuff that were coming up on his screen looked like carrier more than consumer problems.

Nick (Bo) Comstock wrote: On the one replay they played of the game winning touchdown, I saw his knee clearly on the ground before the ball touched the goal line. The announcers even said Oh well the crowds already on the field. Even Tom Brady was panicked after trying to get people to focus on the replay. But by that time everyone was on the field. I say no touchdown.

I will say it was VERY close for sure. The replay that I saw that clearly showed the knee has the football blocked from view so you can not see if it crossed the plane of goal line. When his knee is clearly down you can then see the ball actually most of the way across the line and in the end zone. Definitely not a definitive touchdown as you can not see the ball in the frame as the knee comes down. Without irrefutable evidence in the replay it stood as called on the field.

For the record, I really think it may not have been a touchdown.

In reply to dean1484:

The play was clearly a TD on review. The ball does not need to cross the line and enter the painted part of the end zone, just touch the first part of the white line.

I have seen 51 Superbowls. That was probably the most exciting game I've ever seen.

Last Friday everyone at work was placing bets. We're in GA- hard to find a Pats fan. I don't gamble, but I warned a large group of my coworkers not to get too cocky. I said I would root for ATL, but I would never bet against Bellicheck and Brady.

I said the Birds are young, strong, fast, and energetic. I said they would explode out of the gate and dominate early, but fizzle out in the 4th qtr and Brady would come back and make them look silly.

I had 20 guys standing in line who would have each put up $500 against me. It sure would have been a good night (although I'd have pissed myself by the halftime).

Didn't care who won, but had a lot of fun watching.

The most fun for me, however, was seeing my son on the field. What a rush! (He was a cameraman).

Oh, I forgot...

It was definitely a catch.

SVreX wrote: The most fun for me, however, was seeing my son on the field. What a rush! (He was a cameraman).

Now that is awesome!

In reply to dculberson:

Yeah, it's official. A $20XX Challenge competitor has made it to the Super Bowl!

I went to bed at the end of the 3rd quarter, figuring there just wasn't enough time to make up the difference. The game had been very lopsided in Atlanta's favor until that point. I though the Pats could make a comeback, but not win the thing. That plane ride back to Atlanta had to be interesting, to say the least. Some of the Falcons players may never see another Superbowl again. Gotta figure losing one like that haunts you the rest of your life.

Furious_E wrote: I see Goodell mostly as the beneficiary of circumstance when it comes to earning money for the league. He's basically just been lucky enough to preside over arguably the most successful sports league in the world at a time of peak growth and popularity. Most of the revenue growth, as I understand it, comes from the latest round of contracts with the TV broadcasters, and he's selling them their most lucrative product (which the NFL does a pretty good job of ensuring them a monopoly on) at a time when all other programming is going into decline. It's a virtual name-your-price scenario. Meanwhile, he's positioned himself as judge, jury, and executioner on all matters concerning discipline and bungled more or less every opportunity for controversy handed to him - Ray Rice, Spygate, Deflategate, Bountygate, concussions...the list goes on ad nauseum. Players are retiring early at a rate never before seen and participation at all levels of the sport is at its lowest in decades. The league has some serious, long term issues which he has utterly failed to address, and the general quality of play has degraded significantly over his tenure. But who cares, as long as they can virtually print money (for now.) Goodell is nothing more than a $40mil/yr punching bag for the public to draw their ire away from the owners. He's done nothing that a poo flinging monkey could not do as well or better.

Yes, Goodell was in the right place at the right time, but the same could be said about David Stern and the NBA, Selig and MLB, etc... Goodell is basically an employee of the owners, so he does what they want. Which is why I never understand all the hate directed at him. Sorry, but I would bet that he alone didn't make decisions on "deflategate", etc...he has owners in his ears. Same with concussions. It's just coming to the forefront in recent years, but it's not a new issue. It as there before him and will be there after. I don't think he's been some miracle worker, but don't think he deserves the hate he gets.

As for the game, it was definitely a touchdown at the end of the game. Fact of the matter is that even if his knee was down on the 1" line, they would have scored on the very next play. The Falcons defense was 100% out of gas.

Klayfish wrote: As for the game, it was definitely a touchdown at the end of the game. Fact of the matter is that even if his knee was down on the 1" line, they would have scored on the very next play. The Falcons defense was 100% out of gas.

This is something overlooked by Pats haters. If the review had said it was not a touchdown, it would have been a first down with inches to go. The TD was inevitable at that point.

Chris_V wrote:

Klayfish wrote: As for the game, it was definitely a touchdown at the end of the game. Fact of the matter is that even if his knee was down on the 1" line, they would have scored on the very next play. The Falcons defense was 100% out of gas.

This is something overlooked by Pats haters. If the review had said it was not a touchdown, it would have been a first down with inches to go. The TD was inevitable at that point.

It would have been third down. First down was a pass into the end zone, second was the run that scored. So had he not made it, it would have been third down.

Although, all things considered- I bet they would have gone for it on 4th, given that a TD ends the game.

I was talking about the game with guys at work yesterday. We all agreed that had the Patriots been the team with the 25 point lead, no way they let the Falcons back into it. They might get close, but that drive late in the game where the Falcons went backwards would have at least ended in a field goal attempt to make it an 11 point lead. Very suspect play calls there. All they needed at that point on the Pats 21 I think was to kneel down a couple times, and kick a pretty makeable field goal indoors on field turf. That is where the game was lost.

I still can't believe the Patriots got two touchdowns, and both 2-point conversions. That almost never happens it seems. Last year they needed a 2 point conversion in the AFC championship game, and couldn't make it even with the Gronk.

Maybe one of the most amazing comebacks in sports history! It never should have happened though. I feel bad for the Falcons fans. They deserve better.

One of the things people seemed to miss is that the 25 point lead wasn't really earned by the Birds. 2 of those touchdowns were directly related to Brady errors which became conversions, which became TDs.

I recognize that forcing mistakes is part of the defense's job, but celebrating the "dominance" was an error on the part of the Falcons. They let down their guard- classic young team problem.

Yes, the comeback was unprecedented, and there were a lot of miraculous plays that came together to make it happen. But that is classic Brady. When he gets on a drive, he makes miracles happen (and his team gets behind him and does their job).

Brady is also exceptionally good at recovering from his mistakes.

The Birds simply didn't know their opponent well, and let down their guard.

You gotta play all 4 quarters.

In reply to Mazdax605:

I have no bad feelings for the Falcons fans at all. This week all I am hearing from Falcons fans is that the game was rigged. Sounds like the whining of a certain presidential candidate.

The game was theirs to lose, and they did.

No offense, but how did the falcons not earn that lead? They caused a fumble and recovered the ball. That allowed a short drive for a touchdown. They also intercepted a Brady pass, and brought it to the house for another 6. Those were earned.

I agree that they let their guard down, but I put it squarely on the play calling of the coaches. They were gashing the Patriots with the running game all night. Then when they should have stuck with it they throw the ball . Even if the Patriots adjusted, stick with it. They stupidly went to throwing the ball. It should have been run, run, run and wait for the play clock to get down to single digits every snap. That's how you play with a lead.