Cameron Adamczyk: So the Atlanta Falcons are going to the Super Bowl. Hold on, I have to say that again. The Atlanta Falcons are going to the Super Bowl. Nothing about that sentence feels normal or real or correct. Especially because we are playing the literal antithesis of Falcons postseason success in the New England Patriots, whose irregular sentence is “The New England Patriots are not going to the Super Bowl.”
Colin Masterson: After an 18-week preseason, the New England Patriots are finally back in their rightful place as the representatives of the American Football Conference in Super LI. Sure this season didn’t go exactly how many of the team’s fans wanted it to go, but as we all know it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. After the NFL Czar, sorry, Commissioner Rodger Goodell unlawfully suspended Tom Brady for “more probably than not” knowing about a few measly pounds-per-square inch in a football game that the team won 45–7, the Patriots seamlessly transitioned power to backup QB and inevitable Bachelor contestant Jimmy Garoppolo and something called Jacoby Brissett before handing the team back to Brady with a 3–1 record. Brady, the Darth Vader of the Patriots evil Empire, then embarked on a revenge tour the likes of which haven’t been seen since the Kill Bill movie series. After months of rolling through the rest of the NFL, it is only fitting that this team is now in position to take the Lombardi Trophy and restore their standing as kings of the National Football League.
CA: If I wasn’t nervous enough for the New England Death Machine, Roger Goodell had to make his refuge in Atlanta for two straight weeks. Would I care if Roger had stopped by for only one game? No, that makes sense to me. Is it possible Roger just loved the Atlanta night scene? Clearly. But the only thing I fear more than a hot Patriots team is a large group of pissed off Boston fans rallying together against a cause (ask Great Britain).
Atlanta’s path to the Super Bowl began in week 16 when the Seahawks dropped an inexcusable game at home to the Arizona Cardinals, giving the Falcons control of their own destiny for a first round bye week. They routed the Seahawks in the divisional round, and then they did unspeakable things to the hottest quarterback in the NFL (see Brian Poole).
Now the Falcons’ all-time great offense is set to take on the number one scoring defense in the NFL this season. How fun is this going to be?
CM: Here’s the thing, as a Patriots fan and a New England sports fan in general, I know I have seen plenty of championship performances in my day. However, I have also been exposed to more postseason failures in 18 years on this planet than most sports fans witness in their entire lives. I watched as David Tyree and Eli Manning ripped not one, but two Super Bowls right out from underneath us. I watched as rookie David Price pitched the game of his life in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS to crush the Red Sox World Series hopes. I watched as Lebron James hung up 45 points to single handedly beat the Celtics in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals. I watched as the Chicago Blackhawks scored 2 goals in 17 seconds to win the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013. I am well aware of Murphy’s Law that states if something can go wrong it will go wrong. I’m not saying I’m not confident in the Patriots ability to stop the Atlanta Falcons top ranked offense, but I won’t be shocked if things don’t go as planned.
CA: The Falcons offense is otherworldly. The more somebody analyzes the insane stats the offense has produced, the more scared an opposing fan should be. They led the league in points and ranked 7th in points scored in a single season in NFL history. Matt Ryan’s season stats (4,944 yards, 38 TDs, 69.9 comp%, 117.1 QB rating) is something out of a fairy tale. Julio Jones is a terrifying Demagogue sent to wreak havoc on undersized cornerbacks and rip apart double teams. Alex Mack is a center superhero. Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman create a pass-catching/run threat that is unparalleled. Taylor Gabriel is as fast as a freaking cheetah. This offense is unstoppable. That is simply the truth. The question is whether the Patriots can keep up.
Nick Schwarzmann: Speaking of cheetas, Cheetos Puffs have got to be at the top of the Super Bowl Party Snacks Food Chain.
CM: Thank you Schwarz, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
I understand that the Atlanta Falcons offense is certainly a sight to behold, however, what’s getting lost in the midst of all this pomp and circumstance is that the New England Patriots are an incredibly talented team on the defensive side of the ball. After trading defensive end Chandler Jones to the Cardinals and linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns, many thought that the defense would cost this team valuable wins throughout the season. Fortunately, these people were wrong as once again coach Bill Belichick proved that there was a method to his madness. The defense he constructed for the 2016 will go down as one of the most impressive accomplishments in his illustrious career.
Instead of going the conventional route and building a defense that’s focused on either stopping the run or the pass, Belichick’s 2016 squad is a wonderful mixture of the two that can be shaped and adjusted in any way to match the offense it is up against. This starts in the defensive backfield where safeties Duron Harmon and Devin McCourty are able to double their opponents top two receivers, cover tight ends, or pull up to stop the run while corners Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan play tight man-to-man coverage. Linebackers Donta Hightower, Shea McClellin, and Kyle Van Noy are also tremendous run stoppers at the second level while being fast enough to cover in pass protection.
Along the line of scrimmage, the Patriots are also able to build their defensive front like legos, plugging and playing as they deem necessary with pass rushers Trey Flowers, Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long, and Jabaal Sheard and run stopping masters Malcolm Brown and Alan Branch. This New England defense has more layers than the movie Inception and I believe its complexity could cause trouble for Matt Ryan and his team littered with young talent.
CA: The Falcons are used to top-ranked and complex defenses. Let’s not forget Atlanta took it to the Denver Broncos (#1 in defensive DVOA) in Denver and Arizona (#5 in defensive DVOA). Oh and Tampa Bay (#8) and Carolina (#6). I’m not saying the Patriots’ 7th ranked defensive DVOA ranking isn’t impressive, it just doesn’t scare me as much as it should.
The reality is the Patriots are going to have to score at least 30 points because there is no way the Falcons aren’t going to score 30 points. This offense has too many weapons and too many ways to hurt you. Take away Julio, we find Patrick DiMarco stumbling down the sideline for a 30-yard score.
CM: As much credit as I would like to give to the Atlanta Falcons, let’s not forget that high powered offenses have been of little issue for Bill Belichick lead teams in the past. Don’t believe me? Ask the 2001 St. Louis Rams, the 2003 Indianapolis Colts, 2003 Carolina Panthers, 2004 Philadelphia Eagles, and the 2014 Seattle Seahawks how well their Super Bowl rings fit.
As far as the Patriots scoring over 30 points, I believe that as long as Tom Brady is living, breathing, and able to throw a football, New England is sure to at least come close to that. This season where Brady missed the first four games due to suspension, backup Jimmy Garoppolo got injured after playing in just two, and 3rd string Jacoby Brissett played a majority of his two games with a torn ligament on the thumb of his throwing hand, the Patriots are still in the top ten in every major offensive category including points (3rd), total yards (4th), and even rushing yards (7th) with their three headed running back monster of LeGarrette Blount, James White, and Dion Lewis. Oh by the way, with Dion Lewis healthy and active for the Patriots, they have never lost a game.
The Patriots offense is also bolstered by one of the more underrated passing threats in the league headlined by Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Malcolm Mitchell, Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan (I heard a rumor he played college lacrosse but I cannot confirm or deny), as well as any running back or fullback New England decides to let run a route.
CA: New England’s offense is what is truly scary. The Falcons have shown vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball as the year has progressed. Both Deion Jones and Keanu Neal have had seasons that could win them defensive rookie of the year. They have had guys like Brian Poole step up in big ways when the Falcons’ best cornerback Desmond Trufant got injured. Oh, and Vic Beasley led the league in sacks this season.
The only issue is, this defense is young. Tom Brady has proven he can rip apart defenses, but the scarier part for Atlanta is everything New England can bring out of the backfield. For the Falcons to have a real shot at success, they have to get up early to try and take away the run game like they did against the Packers. When the run game isn’t a threat, that is when the Falcons have the best shot at getting to and pressuring Brady, which is the only way to truly stop the Patriots.
CM: All joking aside, the reason this Super Bowl is one of the most interesting one we’ve all ever seen is because of just how evenly matched both these teams are. Both feature incredible offenses, defenses that are peaking at the right time, outstanding special teams units, and coaches that will not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment. Anyone who claims to know which way this game will go is either A) a genie or B) a moron. I like to call this game Nash Equilibrium because neither team will divert from their dominant strategy and it would take a beautiful mind to figure out what will happen.
The only thing I do know is that February 5th can’t come soon enough.
