The 1 play that changed the inevitable outcome

[Double TE]

The TB 15 yard run really changed the game as well IMO.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm sure folks will disagree but in watching the replay on NFLN I think it was the White TD to make it 28-9.

I think that TD kinda got the O going and gave them a little momentum and the D hope.

Sometimes all it takes is rolling a snowball down a big hill.

 

[1960Pats]

i havent seen much said about the Roberts tackle on Freeman because all he had infront of him was daylight. Saved a certain TD imo

Exactly. I mentioned it in another thread here. Freeman faked Harmon out of his jock and was then heading up the field. I don't remember the number of the Falcon player but he was a little ahead of Freeman looking to make a block. Roberts just caught Freeman from behind and to the side or that was game over.

 

[mb6592]

There was no 1 play that changed anything. We started taking over when Brady started going to James White and Malcolm Mitchell in the 4th qtr. The Falcons defense was gassed and pretty much everything had to go PERFECTLY for us, and it did!

It's not a matter of which play led to (or to the possibility of) victory, but rather which play led to the Falcons losing a game that could not be lost. I maintain it was the loss of those two yards that led to the ridiculous decision to pass on second down which led to the possibility of us winning. On our end, I agree, there were at least ten must have plays (and a couple of must have penalties). But, from Atlanta's perspective, they surely win if the loss of 2 yards on 1st and 10 doesn't happen as the pass/sack on second down would not have been called/occurred.

 

[Nikolai]

as many have said not one play, but a play that i feel is getting overlooked is the brady 15 yard run. he had just thrown a bad pass play before, but after that run (where he looked surprisingly fast(er) ) he was a machine

The TB 15 yard run really changed the game as well IMO.

100% agree. It was 28-3 at the time, 3rd and 8.

I said it live to my buddy while watching the game. "If the comeback happens, this will be the play that launched it."

 

[Mack Herron]

Most remembered:

 

[pdangle]

Win probability chart. It looks like nothing moves the needle until the last of the few minutes of the fourth. Although it probably should be in logarithmic scale. I'll see if I can track down the specific plays that cause the late spikes.

 

[Deus Irae]

The 1 play that changed the inevitable outcome

It's the strip sack. It didn't just steal a possession. It set up a short field, minimizing the distance the offense needed to go, and saving clock time. There's no sense trying to be cute with this. That's the key play of the game, from the Patriots side.

 

[Froob]

100% agree. It was 28-3 at the time, 3rd and 8.

I said it live to my buddy while watching the game. "If the comeback happens, this will be the play that launched it."

Lol dug up this text I sent my friend, this pretty much happened they asked Bennett about it after the game


So disappointed in my friend.....













He thought Lady gaga did a good job

 

[Froob]

It's the strip sack. It didn't just steal a possession. It set up a short field, minimizing the distance the offense needed to go, and saving clock time. There's no sense trying to be cute with this. That's the key play of the game, from the Patriots side.

They'd be hammered for taking so much time in the third had this not happened. That was some Andy Reid play calling..

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

It's about time we caught some breaks. The asante samuel drop int and the welker dropped ball hurt alot. These last two superbowls victories have ease the pain. Sometimes you need breaks. We gave the giants those breaks.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

You could argue the 3rd and 1 drop back that led to the Hightower sack (and fumble) or the 2nd and 11 from the 24 drop back that led to the sack - both those plays HAD to happen for the Patriots to win. But the under the radar - absolutely essential - play was the loss of two yards on the run on 1st and 10 from the Patriots 22 after the Jones miracle catch. It was a dumb decision to try a sweep instead of a straight ahead run on that play. I absolutely believe, that play's outcome led to the decision to throw on 2nd down. Had they even gained one yard, Shanahan would have, almost certainly, run on 2nd down. Losing those two yards put the idea in his head to abandon the safe (correct) route of "three runs, kick a field goal, let's get out of here". That play goaded him into resuming the petal to the metal approach that got them to within an inch of winning Super Bowl LI. Thank God!!!

IMHO you're right and that play was huge. However, Atl should have run 3 times at the 22 no matter what few yards were ultimately gained or lost. It would have made the Patriots use their timeouts or Atl runs off a critical 90 seconds of valuable clock (Patriots probably use their timeouts to preserve clock). Then Atl has a very good chance to make the FG and ultimately make the chances for the Patriots mounting a comeback rely on an onsides kick (3 minutes left, 2+ minutes to score the TD, onside kick, 30+ seconds to get into position to kick the tying FG).

IMHO in that position I say play the safe odds, run the ball 3 times, kill the Patriots timeouts/ability to stop the clock, take the FG, take my chances with a FG and prevent D that pushes receptions toward the middle of the field (no clock stopping). But as poster Luuked mention in another thread, Atl was going with what continuously worked for them for months, passing. Atl's passing was having their way with team after team for many weeks. Why wouldn't they think *pass it here and bury any thought of a Patriot comeback*. We certainly have seen BB/JM think the same way of don't play the safe odds, be bold, roll the dice a little and end it now. ((i think another factor with Atl's decision making was PO inexperience and a sinking feeling that the Patriots' momentum was in high gear and they needed to drop the hammer on that momentum instead of playing it super safe))

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

IMHO you're right and that play was huge. However, Atl should have run 3 times at the 22 no matter what few yards were ultimately gained or lost. It would have made the Patriots use their timeouts or Atl runs off a critical 90 seconds of valuable clock (Patriots probably use their timeouts to preserve clock). Then Atl has a very good chance to make the FG and ultimately make the chances for the Patriots mounting a comeback rely on an onsides kick (3 minutes left, 2+ minutes to score the TD, onside kick, 30+ seconds to get into position to kick the tying FG).

IMHO in that position I say play the safe odds, run the ball 3 times, kill the Patriots timeouts/ability to stop the clock, take the FG, take my chances with a FG and prevent D that pushes receptions toward the middle of the field (no clock stopping). But as poster Luuked mention in another thread, Atl was going with what continuously worked for them for months, passing. Atl's passing was having their way with team after team for many weeks. Why wouldn't they think *pass it here and bury any thought of a Patriot comeback*. We certainly have seen BB/JM think the same way of don't play the safe odds, be bold, roll the dice a little and end it now. ((i think another factor with Atl's decision making was PO inexperience and a sinking feeling that the Patriots' momentum was in high gear and they needed to drop the hammer on that momentum instead of playing it super safe))

What if they had fumbled the ball? The falcons have been aggresive all game long. That's their nature.

 

[mb6592]

It's the strip sack. It didn't just steal a possession. It set up a short field, minimizing the distance the offense needed to go, and saving clock time. There's no sense trying to be cute with this. That's the key play of the game, from the Patriots side.

From the Pats side, 100% agree that's the play of the game. That's when hope for a miracle turned to holy crap is this really going to happen. Once Jones made that catch we returned to hope for a miracle. The loss of yard run enabled the dumb decision which enabled the sack which returned us to holy crap is this really going to happen. For Atlanta, the loss of yard run was the catalyst for their demise.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

From the Pats side, 100% agree that's the play of the game. That's when hope for a miracle turned to holy crap is this really going to happen. Once Jones made that catch we returned to hope for a miracle. The loss of yard run enabled the dumb decision which enabled the sack which returned us to holy crap is this really going to happen. For Atlanta, the loss of yard run was the catalyst for their demise.

We where our own worse enemy all game long. Turnovers. Dropped balls. We almost ran 100 plays. That's ridiculous. Falcons did a good job in tje secondary. Shaq Mason was getting abused.

 

[QB12]

Exactly. I mentioned it in another thread here. Freeman faked Harmon out of his jock and was then heading up the field. I don't remember the number of the Falcon player but he was a little ahead of Freeman looking to make a block. Roberts just caught Freeman from behind and to the side or that was game over.

With surprisingly good closing speed by Roberts, I agree, although I do think he was the bust in coverage that allowed Freeman to be wide open.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

What if they had fumbled the ball? The falcons have been aggresive all game long. That's their nature.

Fair enough and correct PP. The Falcons stayed with what got them there - passing the ball and being aggressive. Just saying I would have played it safe (the easy and correct call to make from my headcoaching TV room couch )

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

Fair enough and correct PP. The Falcons stayed with what got them there - passing the ball and being aggressive. Just saying I would have played it safe (the easy and correct call to make from my headcoaching TV room couch )

True but it's about time the breaks headed our way. It makes up for the samuel dropped int and welker missed catch against the giants. For me it eases the pain somewhat. Brady has 5. I hope we can send the goat into the sunset with 6 rings.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

They'd be hammered for taking so much time in the third had this not happened. That was some Andy Reid play calling..

I agree Froob. That made me a bit crazy they were not being more 'urgent' on that drive. I'm guessing the thinking by BB/JM was to make sure as possible this drive ended in a must have TD, then speed it up on the next drives.
But, yea, down by 25 with 23 minutes left in the game then taking almost 7 minutes to score a TD didn't compute.

 

[deroc5050]

You could argue the 3rd and 1 drop back that led to the Hightower sack (and fumble) or the 2nd and 11 from the 24 drop back that led to the sack - both those plays HAD to happen for the Patriots to win. But the under the radar - absolutely essential - play was the loss of two yards on the run on 1st and 10 from the Patriots 22 after the Jones miracle catch. It was a dumb decision to try a sweep instead of a straight ahead run on that play. I absolutely believe, that play's outcome led to the decision to throw on 2nd down. Had they even gained one yard, Shanahan would have, almost certainly, run on 2nd down. Losing those two yards put the idea in his head to abandon the safe (correct) route of "three runs, kick a field goal, let's get out of here". That play goaded him into resuming the petal to the metal approach that got them to within an inch of winning Super Bowl LI. Thank God!!!

It was essential but still even with a 2 yard loss, all he needed was 1 point and to kill some clock. Lets say they run it 2 more times for 2 yard losses they are at the 27-28 yard line with the clock running down under 3 minutes.. so that would have been about a 44 yard FG indoors.. unless the pressure gets to the kicker or a block thats almost automatic.

I am glad he decided to get aggressive and drop back to pass.