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Hey Pats fans. Falcons fan here. Whats you guys beef with Roger Goodell? I think he is a terrible commissioner, but what happened with him on the Patriots? What am I missing?
Roger Goodell? To start with, Thursday night games and London games.
Then so-called deflategate, the AFC championship game two years ago when the Patriots, and QB Tom Brady in particular, were accused of deflating footballs. The game was played in freezing temperatures, the Patriots blew away the Colts, and the amount of air in the footballs had nothing to do with the outcome.
Based on no hard facts, but in an arbitrary decision by one man and with the appearance of personal vendetta (against Patriots owner Robert Kraft?), Mr. Goodell insisted on suspending Tom Brady for four games. The issue actually went through the court system; at first the suspension was thrown out based on the arbitrariness of the NFL suspension rules, but an appeals court reinstated it, and Tom Brady was suspended the first four games of this season.
I'm no Patriots fan, but the whole thing was ridiculous, the real motives are obscure, and I sort of hope that Tom Brady can gain favorable closure of this whole sordid affair in two weeks.
Not a precise term, and I didn't initiate it in this context, but obviously refers to Belichick's experience and long-term track record, as others have also mentioned, as a factor which gives the Patriots an edge.
In other words, most observers recognize the firepower of the Falcon's offense, but many have confidence, or at least expect, that Belichick will come up with a tailored game plan that will neutralize it enough to win.
We'll know soon enough.
You know, New England's pass rush HAS to get to Matt Ryan....point blank period. People talk about how Bill Belichick schemes a way to remove what you do well or he'll take away your #1 option. Okay, but taking Julio away just opens it up for our other receivers. Playing Julio straight up just opens up the big play. New England does have a good run defense but can they cover our RB's when they catch out of the backfield or when they line up as receivers? ATL's offense is versatile enough that I really don't think it matters what New England does. The New England pass rush has to get there or else you'll see wide open Falcon receivers time and again throughout the SB. Watching the game at the bar, I saw many pissed off Packer fans storming out and wondering why ATL had wide open receivers almost all game (all in the 3rd Q).
Last edited by Chevalier de Saint-George; 01-23-2017 at 12:00 PM..
I like Atlanta....I have had enough of New England.
Funny.. i live in Atlanta as well.. not had enough of the Patriots but i do expect to be pulling for the Falcons.
My son asked me yesterday who i was pulling for Steelers or Patriots.. i said Patriots.. he said Steelers.. I told him son.. there are a few teams that Cowboy fans CAN'T root for.. Redskins, Giants, Eagles are obvious and then there are the 49ers, Packers and Steelers.. The Patriots and Cowboys have never met in a game that held any value outside of the Regular season and those only occur every 4 years.. so i don't have anything against the Patriots..
He said that he didn't like when one team wins all the time.. and i said, unless its the Cowboys right?! I assured him that one day he will look back on this Patriots team with fondness even though he is not a fan of them today. I told him the he will appreciate what they did and what he got to witness because its SUPER RARE!!! I know this because nobody hated the Steelers more than i did back in the 70s.. UGH! And even though i don't root for them today, i do remember that team fondly because that Steelers team from the 70s that won 4 Super Bowls in 6 years is still the most dominant and impressive team i ever watched play..
I suspect this will come down to the final minute.. As every one of New England's Super Bowls have under Belichick.
The line being 3.. I think New England is generally the better team and if it were any other team, i'd expect them to be up by 6 or so.. But, NE always seems to make it a close game..
I do think Atlanta really has a chance.. This isn't the SB33 team that made it, but you just knew they weren't enough to take on the Broncos.
I want Atlanta to win.. But somehow I figure on another Brady ~65 yard drive setting up a ~45 yard field goal as time expires to win the game.
Let's recap - 8 out of 10 NFL playoff games this year were completely uncompetitive, decided by more than 2 touchdowns. Lousy entertainment spectacles.
If this happens again in the Super Bowl it's going to leave a mark. Has the NFL really become dull as dirt?
It didn't 'leave a mark' in the 1980s, when there was one close Super Bowl (XXIII - Montana to Taylor for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute). Otherwise, there were six blowouts and three other games that weren't blowouts but nonetheless weren't close. The only other game with a margin of victory in single digits was the first San Francisco-Cincinnati tilt, but even there the 49ers had a 20-0 lead at the half, and the Bengals only pulled to within the final margin of 5 with a touchdown with 20 seconds left. Then the 49ers just ran out the clock.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kyle19125
I blame it on the sports media, much like the regular media. ESPN does an amazing job of making certain teams and certain athletes more impressive than they really are.....examples? Aaron Rodgers and the Packers (who were on a roll of late but of course after losing it was because of injuries and an off day, the Falcons didn't actually beat them), the awe-inspiring Dallas Cowboys (who lost to the "beat up" Packers last week), the Seattle Seahawks (dangerous team, how 'bout that Russell Wilson...who got stomped by the Falcons last week) and the Pittsburgh Steelers with their marquee player Leveon Bell (6 rushes for 20 yards yesterday). Still not convinced it's not rigged toward certain teams? The Falcons played one nationally televised non pre-season game this season before yesterday, the week prior against the Seahawks, despite being/playing in the 10th largest TV market and leading their division all year. The smaller market Packers and Steelers played in 5.
Yeah. It's rigged. So the NFL decided to have Green Bay knock off the Cowboys, preventing the ultimate ratings bonanza of a Dallas-New England matchup. Right...
But aside from market size, you do know that Aaron Rodgers is a bigger draw than the Falcons, right? C'mon... people who peddle conspiracy theories should make sure that even if they haven't a shred of evidence to support them (and you don't) then at least they should be logical. And yours isn't.
Okay, as always... I believe in making up my own mind in these games!
If I always went with the oddsmakers, I'd probably lose more often than I'd win.
If I always went with the so-called "experts", I'd definitely lose more than I'd win.
If I always listened to the homers, I sometimes win, and sometimes lose.
If I always pick the one who ALWAYS wins, I'm most likely a bandwagon guy.
If I always pick a team even though they lose more than they win, then I'm a homer (Cards)!
If I listen to everybody who hates the Patriots, does that mean I pick the Falcons? No.
If I listen to everybody who is currently lovin' the Falcons, does that mean I pick the Falcons? No.
Also... I won't debate history, wins, losses, ties, injuries, offense, defense, special teams, GOATs, etc, et al.
So, then... since I continue to listen ONLY to my gut and the voices in my head, who do I pick?
ATLANTA FALCONS take down the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI!
~ Colt
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