The New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. 34-28.
That outcome didn't seem possible halfway through the third quarter. The Falcons had the game in hand at that point.
A couple things that seemed to turn the game.
Tom Brady didn't seem like Tom Brady until the defense gave him the ball whem the Patriots needed it most. Brady looked rough. Unsteady. For most of the game Brady just looked off. With over eight minutes to play Dont'a Hightower sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, forced a fumble, and Alan Branch recovered on Atlanta's 25-yard line. Five plays later a walk-a-way Falcons win was 28-20 with nearly six minutes to play. And Brady looked a lot like Brady the rest of the way.
The Falcons played the second half like they were trying not to give away a win. Instead of stepping on the gas the offense seemed to play cautious. The defense too. With about two minutes to play in the third quarter the Patriots felt forced to follow a score with an onside kick. The Patriots were desperate. The Falcons recovered the onside kick attempt for terrific field position but the offense didn't look like the high octane Falcons offense. Maybe the Patriots finally stepped up their game but it looked more like the Falcons were simply trying not to lose.
A team with a lead that's trying not to lose is often a team that loses.
This was the Falcons Super Bowl until the Patriots took it from them.
We finally saw a Super Bowl go to overtime. That's big. Some talking heads were immediately tapping this game as the best Super Bowl ever. Maybe I'll one day agree with that opinion. Sometimes a game has to sit with you for a while. The one-sided nature of this Super Bowl from the second quarter into the third keeps me from pushing it to the front right now. But, a terrific comeback and overtime are strong qualities.
I wonder if this outcome will bring about further revisions to overtime. It never feels right when one team never sees the ball. At least it was a touchdown rather than a field goal that won it.
***
It was a big football weekend.
NFL Honors
The NFL held their annual NFL Honors show on Saturday night. Here's a little tip to the league's decision-makers. Don't leak the winners before the program. And show the damn thing live in all time zones. It was pretty anticlimactic when it finally aired on the west coast. I remember being surprised and thrilled when Adrian Peterson won the MVP in 2012. It was easier for me to avoid the leaks then but why leak the results at all? Anyway, here are the winners of the big awards at the 2016 Honors.
MVP: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack, DE, Oakland Raiders
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joe Bosa, DE, San Diego Chargers
Comeback Player of the Year: Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
Coach of the Year: Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
Walter Payton Man of the Year: Larry Fitzgerald, Eli Manning
Art Rooney Sportsman of the Year: Frank Gore, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Dak Prescott edging out his rookie teammate Ezekiel Elliott for Offensive Rookie of the Year is further proof that the quarterback position rules all when it comes to awards. Elliott's talent and performance did far more to help Prescott than the other way around. Prescott was terrific but Elliott was the Offensive Rookie of the Year for me.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2017
A seven member class will be inducted in August. That will bring the membership to 310.
LaDanian Tomlinson
Jason Taylor
Terrell Davis
Kurt Warner
Morten Andersen
Kenny Easley
Jerry Jones
A fine class. For me, the surprises are Jason Taylor and Morten Andersen. Taylor is a Hall of Fame football player. I was just a little surprised that he made it in his first year of eligibility. The only argument against Andersen is the position he played. If you're okay with a kicker in the Hall of Fame, Andersen's in. He's arguably the best kicker to ever play.
The greatest and loudest argument over the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 is the exclusion of Terrell Owens from it. Critics are calling for the heads of the voters. At least a check of their sanity. The most stated reason for his second miss is his "team cancer" reputation. It's little consolation to those that are screaming for his Hall inclusion that he will be in Canton in one day. I remember my outrage each year that Cris Carter was denied. It took six years before he finally made it. I may be a tad biased by Carter was a much better receiver than Owens. They both have dynamite career statistics but Carter separates himself from Owens for one simple reason. No one caught the football better than Carter. The fundamental act of catching the football was always an issue for Owens. It's the one thing that a receiver simply has to do. Twice Owens led the league in drops. Granted, Owens saw a tremendous number of passes come his way but a Hall of Fame receiver should never be anywhere near the the top of the drops category. No matter how many targets he gets. For me, his sometimes comical issues with catching the football keeps him in the Hall of Fame receiver line. Every receiver not named Jerry Rice has had to wait in it. It's little consolation to him and his fans now but when he does finally make it the years of anger and frustration will fade away. Take that from a Cris Carter fan.
I thought that Paul Tagliabue would make this an eight-member class. As commissioner from 1989-2006, Tagliabue attained labor peace. The sort of labor peace that was only a dream in the decade before his reign and the years since. I felt that was reason enough for his Hall of Fame induction. Perhaps his ignorance toward the effects of head trauma was the reason. It's a valid reason.
Here's how the voting broke down for the Hall of Fame finalists:
First cut:
Isaac Bruce
Don Coryell
Alan Faneca
Joe Jacoby
Terrell Owens
So, Owens didn't even make it through to the second level of debate. That won't go over well.
Final cut:
Tony Boselli
Brian Dawkins
John Lynch
Ty Law
Kevin Mawae
It's going to get real difficult to get into Canton in the coming years. Here are the players coming up over the next four years.
2018
Randy Moss
Steve Hutchinson
Richard Seymour
Ray Lewis
Brian Urlacher
Rhonde Barber
I can see Moss, Hutchinson. Lewis, and Urlacher making it. Although Moss might have to join Owens in the receiver line.
2019
Tony Gonzalez
Eric Reed
Champ Bailey
All three.
2020
Troy Polamalu
Reggie Wayne
Patrick Willis
Polamalu and Willis are in. Wayne will have to do the receiver wait.
2021-the big one
Peyton Manning
Charles Woodson
Calvin Johnson
Jared Allen
Marshawn Lynch
That's a strong class.
It's going to be tough for some of those players that have been waiting to break through.
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