Steelers Related Thoughts on the Super Bowl

[EzraTank]

Leading 28-20 with 4 minutes, 40 seconds remaining, the Falcons had a first down at the Patriots' 22-yard line and a great opportunity to make it a two-score game. The Patriots had found their rhythm on offense, but it's debatable whether they would have had enough time to score twice.

The Falcons' playcalling at that point was, well, unexpected -- and that's being kind to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. They missed a huge opportunity to seal the game.
Shanahan called a pass on second and third downs. The first resulted in a 12-yard sack, and the second was overturned by a holding penalty. On the next play -- on third-and-33 -- Shanahan called another pass that fell incomplete. The Falcons lost 23 yards on two plays, were forced to punt and drained only 1:10 off the clock.

Had the Falcons simply run three times -- even if they failed to gain a single yard -- kicker Matt Bryant would have been in position for a quite reasonable 39-yard field goal attempt. In his career, Bryant is 31-for-32 on field goals of 40 yards or shorter in the fourth quarter or overtime, according to research from Micah Adams of ESPN Stats & Information.

This sums up the stupidity of the Falcons perfectly. It doesn't matter how tired their defense was had they run the ball 3 times, forced the Pats to burn their time outs and kicked a FG they are most likely champs barring an onside kick recovery.

[dislocatedday]

I just read that the Falcons only attempted 5 rushes the whole 2nd half.....unbelievable. The decision to not run it 3 straight times up the middle when they had 1st and ten from the 22 is mind-boggling enough (you kill the clock down and kick the FG to make it a 2 score game......Matt Bryan was 38 of 39 on FG attempts within 40 yards this year).

Are the 49ers sure they want to hire Kyle Shanahan? He was a big part of the biggest choke job in SB history.

[Rotorhead]

Atlanta Dan, that was spot on. I was just shaking my head that Ryan took that sack, then holding (with no face mask called) and all the sudden they are out of FG range. Run the ball there 2x and with how the night was going, they probably get a first down. And if not they get the FG and the game is pretty much over. I am not sure why the pass rush disappeared in the second half, fatigue or what. But if the offense hadn't completely crapped the bed, it was fine to sit back and make the Pats drive the full length of the field to burn up the clock, which is what they did, but that series of sack and holding lost them the game.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Thanks to this game, the rest of the world will completely forget about our terrible performance in the AFC Championship game.

[Mojouw]

Kinda got lost in the shuffle yesterday, but here is what Atlanta did on third down in the SB:

• Sack for loss of 10.
• Sack for loss of 2.
• 19-yard touchdown to Austin Hooper.
• Incomplete on third-and-6.
• 3-yard DPI to set up the Tevin Coleman touchdown on the next play.
• Sack for loss of 9.
• Sack for loss of 11, fumble, recovered by New England.
• Completion to Taylor Gabriel for 9 yards on third-and-23, wiped out by a holding penalty.
• Incomplete on third-and-33.
• Incomplete on third-and-6.

That is not good. Not good at all.

[AtlantaDan]

Kinda got lost in the shuffle yesterday, but here is what Atlanta did on third down in the SB:

• Sack for loss of 10.
• Sack for loss of 2.
• 19-yard touchdown to Austin Hooper.
• Incomplete on third-and-6.
• 3-yard DPI to set up the Tevin Coleman touchdown on the next play.
• Sack for loss of 9.
• Sack for loss of 11, fumble, recovered by New England.
• Completion to Taylor Gabriel for 9 yards on third-and-23, wiped out by a holding penalty.
• Incomplete on third-and-33.
• Incomplete on third-and-6.

That is not good. Not good at all.

Ed B. of the P-G brought this burn on the third and one pass play that resulted in the sack/fumble (IMO the biggest play of the game that put the comeback into overdrive)

What was Atlanta thinking on that third-and-1 straight drop-back pass to throw deep? The play had everything but Sammie Coates running down the sideline.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...s/201702060135

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Basically the Pats been gifted two SB's in the last three years thanks to Seattle and Atlanta and their coaches,

[Steel Peon]

The Falcons lose the most Atlanta game ever

This wasn't just another in Atlanta's lengthy series of Hard Knocks and Epic Collapses. This was the absolute worst. This was the game that, with 17 minutes and seven seconds remaining, could not be lost. It was.

Somehow, for the second time in 3 years I can say that a team playing against the P-Words in the Super Bowl lost a game they should've won......kinda weird.

[Born2Steel]

Breaking the game down, the Patriots owned the Falcons the whole way. A couple of offensive mistakes/good defensive plays gave Atlanta a big lead. But, Atlanta gets 2 TDs on 2 TOs. 1 pick6, and a TD off the fumble. Take those away and the Falcons high powered offense truly produced 2 scores. Give NE scores on those 2 possessions, or punts, and this game is a completely different story.

Atlanta 14
NE 48(with TDs on those drives)
40-44(w/2 FGs or 1FG and 1 TD)

Even if you give Atlanta the 7 after the fumble since the offense drove to score, with the final score where it was becomes Atlanta 21, NE 37-41.

[tube517]

Somehow, for the second time in 3 years I can say that a team playing against the P-Words in the Super Bowl lost a game they should've won......kinda weird.

Dan Quinn was part of both losses. He was so close twice.

[43Hitman]

You know the whole time I'm watching the last half of the 3rd and 4th quarter thinking, why isn't Matt Ryan running the play clock down? He was consistently calling for the snap with 13-15 seconds left on the play clock. They had the game won if they worked the clock a little and ran the ball on third and one. Reminded me of what we do on 3rd and short. Go deep to Bey, or Coates. SMH

[teegre]

3rd-&-1 from the 36:
They dropped back for the deep pass. I kind of get going for the throat at that point. They were in no man's land, and likely would have gone for it on 4th down.

1st-&-10 from the 22:
There is no excuse for not running it three straight times and kicking the FG. They would have been up by 11, with 2:30 left. Instead, they passed three times, lost a ton of yardage, and punted with 3:30ish left... while only up by 8. Again, no excuse.

[AtlantaDan]

You know the whole time I'm watching the last half of the 3rd and 4th quarter thinking, why isn't Matt Ryan running the play clock down? He was consistently calling for the snap with 13-15 seconds left on the play clock. They had the game won if they worked the clock a little and ran the ball on third and one. Reminded me of what we do on 3rd and short. Go deep to Bey, or Coates. SMH

But when the Steelers do it the run up to the play involves Ben waiting to call for the snap as the play clock inevitably ticks down to somewhere between 2 seconds and zero

[43Hitman]

But when the Steelers do it the run up to the play involves Ben waiting to call for the snap as the play clock inevitably ticks down to somewhere between 2 seconds and zero

True. I'm always watching that damn thing when they play. I wish he would mix it up a little more.

[katmandu]

When the Falcons defense pressured Brady, they gave up 3 points in almost three quarters. .

When they didn't get pressure, they gave up 25 points in a little over a quarter.

THIS !

I was great watching Pretty Boy get stressed out and pressured. Really nice to see he actually got his jerzey dirty.

If the Steelers want to beat the Patriots in the future, it's imperative they upgrade the pass rush.

# 97, Jarrett, Grady was a freaking BEAST ! Steeler's need to find a NT like that ! ASAP !

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

THIS !

I was great watching Pretty Boy get stressed out and pressured. Really nice to see he actually got his jerzey dirty.

If the Steelers want to beat the Patriots in the future, it's imperative they upgrade the pass rush.

# 97, Jarrett, Grady was a freaking BEAST ! Steeler's need to find a NT like that ! ASAP !

I was saying Jarrett needs to be considered as MVP. Of course before the Falcons browned the sheets worse then I ever seen from a team. He played a heck of a game.

[katmandu]

I was saying Jarrett needs to be considered as MVP. Of course before the Falcons browned the sheets worse then I ever seen from a team. He played a heck of a game.

I agree. Dude played lights out !

The Steeler's NEED a "lights out" NT like him.

Getting Tom Brady under pressure is imperative "if" the Steelers wish to ever beat him ever again. Letting him sit in the pocket throwing bullets "AT WILL" ... never breaking a sweat or getting his jersey dirty is suicide.

Improving the Pass Rush needs to be Job #1 in this off-season IMHO.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

I agree. Dude played lights out !

The Steeler's NEED a "lights out" NT like him.

Getting Tom Brady under pressure is imperative "if" the Steelers wish to ever beat him ever again. Letting him sit in the pocket throwing bullets "AT WILL" ... never breaking a sweat or getting his jersey dirty is suicide.

Improving the Pass Rush needs to be Job #1 in this off-season IMHO.

Exactly and agreed about defense Brady!

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Crazy thing is I swear there was 10 to 15 seconds or more where Brady got to dance around and hit a open wr when playing us. Not all the time but was a few times that happen with us having no pass rush whatsoever!

[katmandu]

Crazy thing is I swear there was 10 to 15 seconds or more where Brady got to dance around and hit a open wr when playing us. Not all the time but was a few times that happen with us having no pass rush whatsoever!

Sheer madness allowing Brady to hangout like that in the pocket. Like he was tossing the ball in his backyard to his kids.

[SteelerFanInStl]

The Falcons are replacing their DC and DL coach after the Super Bowl fiasco.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Sheer madness allowing Brady to hangout like that in the pocket. Like he was tossing the ball in his backyard to his kids.

That is funny but also the hard truth.

[NCSteeler]

I don't care if you are man or zone what he Falcons did works against Brady. As lousy a coach as Ryan is, he figured it out. Rush the passer and a Tackle the Catch. It beats brady

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[steelreserve]

Crazy thing is I swear there was 10 to 15 seconds or more where Brady got to dance around and hit a open wr when playing us. Not all the time but was a few times that happen with us having no pass rush whatsoever!

I don't care if you are man or zone what he Falcons did works against Brady. As lousy a coach as Ryan is, he figured it out. Rush the passer and a Tackle the Catch. It beats brady

"Tackle the catch" worked for the Falcons because they played a lot of press coverage and they were all over the receivers on short routes. So it would be a 2-7 yard contested throw and not much after the catch.

"Tackle the catch" did not work for us because we gave their receivers space. So it was a 7-12 uncontested throw and an opportunity to juke the defender, which they often did. Just like every time they play us.

The other ting that went the Falcons' way was, there were a lot of times when Brady could NOT get rid of the ball quickly because the tight coverage meant people were not open immediately on the short routes. So he had to hold on to it and the rushers had time to get there. Atlanta did have a much better rush than us, but if not for the coverage it wouldn't have mattered because Brady just dumps the ball off anyway and someone is wide open.

I missed most of the second half because I was on my way to the hospital for an animal bite, but if I had to make a bet, it'd be that Belichick made some adjustments to get guys open underneath and the Falcons didn't react. Plus their defense got tired.

[NCSteeler]

"Tackle the catch" worked for the Falcons because they played a lot of press coverage and they were all over the receivers on short routes. So it would be a 2-7 yard contested throw and not much after the catch.

"Tackle the catch" did not work for us because we gave their receivers space. So it was a 7-12 uncontested throw and an opportunity to juke the defender, which they often did. Just like every time they play us.

The other ting that went the Falcons' way was, there were a lot of times when Brady could NOT get rid of the ball quickly because the tight coverage meant people were not open immediately on the short routes. So he had to hold on to it and the rushers had time to get there. Atlanta did have a much better rush than us, but if not for the coverage it wouldn't have mattered because Brady just dumps the ball off anyway and someone is wide open.

I missed most of the second half because I was on my way to the hospital for an animal bite, but if I had to make a bet, it'd be that Belichick made some adjustments to get guys open underneath and the Falcons didn't react. Plus their defense got tired.

In the second half he really got the backs involved underneath , swing outs, and screens. Somehow Atlant had know idea this was doing


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[86WARD]

Rushing Brady and tackling the catch works because Brady is downright average or worse at passes over 15 yards. Usually completing well less than 50%. If there is one flaw in his game, it's that he can't throw the long pass.

So basically, rush the passer, get the sack and get to him before he finds his open guy or tackle the catch. Force third and long and he will have to throw long. If you give him all day, he'll find the open guy...and they always have an open guy.

[EzraTank]

I agree. Dude played lights out !

The Steeler's NEED a "lights out" NT like him.

Getting Tom Brady under pressure is imperative "if" the Steelers wish to ever beat him ever again. Letting him sit in the pocket throwing bullets "AT WILL" ... never breaking a sweat or getting his jersey dirty is suicide.

Improving the Pass Rush needs to be Job #1 in this off-season IMHO.

I said this the week leading up to the AFC title game. Brady is not Brady when you get pressure up the middle. He easily handles rushes from the sides by stepping up away from it. But when you get it right up the middle like Houston and Atlanta did against him in their games he makes mistakes (both his picks came off pressure up the middle).

The Steelers dropping into zone and not running any stunts up the middle was moronic. Brady cannot handle middle pressure. That really is his only weakness.

[86WARD]

And he can't throw over 15 yards with regular accuracy and if you watch that Houston game and beyond, Brady struggled making those longer throws and a lot of times, the receivers made the catch because the balls were thrown too short or the DBs just weren't looking.

[Bradyschin]

Atlanta had a hold of the Patriots face mask also

[Born2Steel]

Atlanta had a hold of the Patriots face mask also

Actually, the Atlanta player removed the helmet of the NE player via facemask. Should have been offsetting penalties and replay the down.