It was a game of inches and milliseconds: In Screenshots

Was rewatching the game and noticed that there were many plays in which an inch would have changed the game. There will be a lot of sleepless nights in Atlanta because they were so close....so close. Maybe just an inch away from a win.

Note: This will have to be put in two posts. Too many photos.

If this kick was just an inch more to the left.


If this ball was thrown an inch shorter. ( Or if Edelman was an inch taller. )


If Hightower gets to Ryan a millisecond later??


If Ryan's throw......If Julio.......If Rowe.... A lot of ifs in this shot. Incredible catch and throw.


4th Qtr 3:17 left in the game. 3rd and 10. 16 yard completion to Hogan. IF Poole......


So many IFs and Inches during this catch. That ball may have grazed Alford's left leg.


If definitely bounced off of Alford's right leg. (Keep in mind Alford's legs were moving throughout the catch.)


My God.



Just enough for two. (FYI: This same play resulted in a 3 yard loss earlier in the game.)


Overtime: 14 yard completion to Amendola. If Brian Poole......? Ahh Poole was so close...so close.



Con't in next post...

I'm not sure how this ball wasn't deflected.


This was close as well. Alford tries to knock it out immediately after the catch but he might have been able to deflect the ball. He was right there.


YIKES!!


And of course it was the last inch of the game that counted for the win. James White had his game of the year.


All the training, film study, practices and Avocados are all a part of what makes those few valuable inches possible.

This is awesome, man! That pic at the end of White's TD. Love the look of focus on the ref's face, it is hard for us to appreciate how important that moment is for the ref too! They work their asses off to get the honor of SB duty.

neuronet said:

This is awesome, man! That pic at the end of White's TD. Love the look of focus on the ref's face, it is hard for us to appreciate how important that moment is for the ref too! They work their asses off to get the honor of SB duty.

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They were a decent crew. They missed some calls on both sides of the ball but definitely a good crew. They didn't get caught up in the moment.

Brady nearly getting tackled for a safety is the most under discussed play of the game IMO.

Tony2046 said:

They were a decent crew. They missed some calls on both sides of the ball but definitely a good crew. They didn't get caught up in the moment.

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Which do you have in mind? [Fantastic posts, by the way!]

Tony2046 said:

They were a decent crew. They missed some calls on both sides of the ball but definitely a good crew. They didn't get caught up in the moment.

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I remember reading before the SB that Cheffers had that rep; he wasn't afraid to make the right calls (or non-calls) just because of the gravity of the moment.

I made the point in another thread that on the second 2 point conversion, Poole tries to play Amendola over the top for absolutely no reason, considering he had inside out help from Ricardo Allen. He gets himself caught up behind another defender and he's completely taken out of the play. If he stays outside - and Amendola did sell the motion hard, so part of it was good technique on his part - he probably drops Amendola at the one yard line.

Mike the Brit said:

Which do you have in mind? [Fantastic posts, by the way!]

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There were a few holding calls missed on both sides. Amendola complained about one which was shown on replay. Nothing game changing in my opinion.

Tony2046 said:

There were a few holding calls missed on both sides. Amendola complained about one which was shown on replay. Nothing game changing in my opinion.

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PI on Edelman was prettey egregious and not called on one play in the 4th. Facemasking on both players on that holding play could have been disastrous for us (the Falcons player literally tore off the helmet of the Pats player). Overall it was well officiated, though I agree.

neuronet said:

PI on Edelman was prettey egregious and not called on one play in the 4th. Facemasking on both players on that holding play could have been disastrous for us (the Falcons player literally tore off the helmet of the Pats player). Overall it was well officiated, though I agree.

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I was glad that, in reviewing that play, Troy Aikman was sure to note that it was a facemask on both players. Some broadcasters would have ignored that aspect.

Excellent officiating and I have never heard announcers so unbiased about officiating ever. Troy Aikman and Joe Buck called a great game.

neuronet said:

PI on Edelman was prettey egregious and not called on one play in the 4th. Facemasking on both players on that holding play could have been disastrous for us (the Falcons player literally tore off the helmet of the Pats player). Overall it was well officiated, though I agree.

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Special thanks for the word "egregious"!

Yup. This game was competitive at every minute. The Cosell wrap up said the same basic thing. His break down of the Hightower play is fantastic. If Ryan had a half second more, he would have thrown to the Falcons receiver who was behind the defense. Who knows if he would have caught it, but if he did, that would have need another 7 points for them. Game was close and fought hard by both teams for 60 minutes.

Breathtaking work, thank you. i still gasp when I see how close the ball was to the ground on Edelman's great catch.

That other pass to Edelman where you say "This was close as well. Alford tries to knock it out immediately after the catch but he might have been able to deflect the ball. He was right there." ..What a brilliant and ballsy throw. So Brady. The lob to Bennett in the EZ in OT ... not so much. Phew.

Yeah, there were a LOT of those very close plays that could have gone a different way, packed right into that last 25 minutes of play. Its almost like all the bad breaks of the past few years got paid off all at once. And as Brady said, if ANY ONE of those goes differently...

I'm still a little out of breathe about it all.

Whats the story with McClellin's blocked extra point that was flagged? Have not heard much discussion on it even though it was points of the board..

And Tony, this is one of the best posts we've had here since the end of the game. Well done!

Uncle Rico said:

Breathtaking work, thank you. i still gasp when I see how close the ball was to the ground on Edelman's great catch.

That other pass to Edelman where you say "This was close as well. Alford tries to knock it out immediately after the catch but he might have been able to deflect the ball. He was right there." ..What a brilliant and ballsy throw. So Brady. The lob to Bennett in the EZ in OT ... not so much. Phew.

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IIRC that was the throw where after the play was over Alford looked at the Atlanta safety and just threw his hands out and shrugged.

betterthanthealternative said:

And Tony, this is one of the best posts we've had here since the end of the game. Well done!

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Thanks a lot.