Couldn't read the whole thread, a few points I'd like to point out, maybe someone already did it.
- Atlanta has been putting big numbers when playing home but they usually are not so good on the road in past years, but this year they have been good on the road too, and Houston is a dome and not a open stadium in the cold weather, so we have no advantage here.
THis is not an away game. It's a game on a neutral field, not in Foxboro.
- Defense wins championships, if it comes down to defense I think we have the edge.
But Atlanta's defense has been playing much better.
- Matt Ryan is not very mobile and very rarely scramble. That's one less thing BB will have to worry and that's huge for us.
He ran a pretty good TD there in the 1st half. Plus, he's a pocket QB. So is Brady. What's the great advantage?
- Deer in the headlights, Ryan was a playoff choker meme victim until very recently, this year they beat a very poor Seattle team and did well against Green Bay garbage defense. New England is above those teams in both sides of the ball. How much this will play on the SB we don't know, but the Pats have players that already made to the big dance and won, and a good balance between veterans and young players. So that's a thing that will certainly play a factor, how much we don't know.
Ryan performed at an MVP level in 2 playoff games. I think he's shed the "deer in the headlights and the "choker" labels. THinking he's going to suddenly lay an egg in the SB is not something I would count on. Just the opposite. I'd be more willling to say he's gonna put in another great performance.
- Atlanta is due to a loss, they have been winning with ease, we struggled against Houston so this team is more battle tested in this playoffs.
Due a loss? Not when you're on that kind of roll they have been. If anything they have huge momentum on their side. "Due a loss" means nothing in this kind of game.
- I think Gostkowski is due to miss a FG, he's been making the attempts but this season he was bad at times and even recently his kicks have been cardiac tests. I hope the offense leaves the field with 7 every time. We may have to go for it a few times.
- We can't turn the ball over, simply can't. Brady needs to cut those stupid picks he tends to throw when no one is open in the endzone.
