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Super Bowl 51 Autopsy: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

By W. M. Lawson

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan before a game against the Washington Redskins at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan before a game against the Washington Redskins at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Atlanta Falcons blew a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl, wasting an opportunity to change city history, and breaking the hearts of fans.

There is no way around it, over it, or under. There is no way to sugar coat it. There is no spoon full of sugar to help this medicine go down. The tart taste of the epic melt down of the Atlanta Falcons can’t be sweetened. And while it is normal and necessary to take time away to heal and massage, there is a time to process and analyze. You can find my pre-Super Bowl LI “musts” for victory here and here.  For those ready and able, here are the things that stand out from our Super Bowl stutter.

Matt Ryan Turnovers and Sacks (BAD)

. Most ardent Falcons fans know what happens when Ryan starts having to throw the ball under duress: He forces throws or takes sacks. He did both in the 4th quarter Sunday, after Shanahan inexplicably abandoned the run game. The fault doesn’t completely rest with Ryan, but taking a sack that late in the game, rather than throwing it away, and the fumble at mid-field, are the perfect examples of what I describe as

“Bad Matt Ryan”.

When he shows up, Atlanta loses.

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  • Kyle Shanahan loses the Script (UGLY). There is just no way around it. The play calling from about mid-3rd quarter to the finish was not only baffling, but maddening, and entirely unacceptable. Yes, there is no way for this writer, or you readers, to understand what it would be like to call plays in the Super Bowl, and the pressure that comes with that job, but even a sprightly novice to the game knows that you run the ball with a lead. For some reason, Shanahan decided to “let it rip”, only running the ball 4 times in the 4th quarter. To not run the ball, run the clock, and kick a field goal, after that amazing and game changing Julio Jones catch, is almost football criminal, and history will judge that decision accordingly.
  • Dan Quinn Silence (Also Bad). One cannot, and should not, say much negative about head Coach Dan Quinn in his 2nd year with Atlanta. He took a reeling franchise to the Super Bowl in his 2nd year. By all accounts, that was way ahead of schedule. That said, all six Atlanta losses were games where the Falcons held a lead in the 2nd half, and blew it. There is something systematically and structurally wrong when a team does that. It is up to the Head Coach to step in when an Offensive Coordinator, or whomever, gets loose and undisciplined. Ultimately, it rests with Quinn. 2-3 blown leads are acceptable in a 16 game regular season, and a 3 game post-season, maybe, but not six, and not in the Super Bowl.

    • Next: Atlanta Braves: What to Expect from Dansby Swanson

    Even with this heartbreaking loss, there is reason for optimism, and there was good. Nothing about this team the screams “moonshot” or “fluke”. Quinn and company look to have begun building a team suited for playoff performance for the next few years. This is not a guarantee, naturally, but the Atlanta Falcons seem perched for relevancy for a while. The defense is incredibly young, and played incredibly well, for having played most of the game. Special Teams was almost perfect, and there is talent all over the field, and in all three phases. It may not help now with the pain felt by fans, but the Dirty Birds will fly again. Let’s just hope the Coaching Staff can remember how to run.

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