Atlanta is a product of a down year... The better team won.

[seahawksny]

As much as I hate everything about New England, and the amount of support, love, and admiration, I have for Atlanta and Dan Quinn specifically... It's hard for me to say this, but Atlanta is just not that good and it sucks. Atlanta had no business losing this game, everything went their way early, they had a huge lead in the 4th quarter, and in the final game of their season, they played like they have all regular season.

This is a team that struggled to put away the Saints, Packers, Raiders, Buccaneers, and Chiefs, in games they probably should have won by double digits. It's easy to get caught up in the moment and overreact to the dominance Atlanta displayed against Seattle and Greenbay, but both Seattle and Greenbay limped into those games and ran into a relatively healthy Atlanta team that was fresh and rearing with home field advantage. The mystic of Atlanta wore off in the second half of the Superbowl and as the late Denny Green once said: "They are who we thought they were" and he's right. Atlanta's inconsistent overly agressive playcalling from the regular season showed up and cost them dearly when it matter.

I hate to say it... but this Atlanta team looks more like an aberration than the next young dynasty.

I disagree. This wasn't the same team that struggled against the Raiders Bucs and Chiefs just like the Seahawks were not the same team at the end of the season as the team that beat the Pats earlier

 

[seahawksny]

In a playoff system the better team always wins.

Not necessarily when it's only a one-game playoff. This is proven year-in and year-out by the NCAA tournament and the NFL. The Giants were not better than New England either time that they beat them in the Super bowl.  Nor were they a better team than buffalo in 1990.  They were just better on those days that they played them.

Other sports like baseball or basketball when you have a seven-game series yes the better team usually wins because they have more attempts to prove that

When it's one game? I'm not convinced the better team always wins

 

[seahawksny]

Did you watch the game?

The coaches gave it away. Up 8 with 4 mins left in FG range they screwed up. All you need is 3 and it is basically game over

This is how I will always feel about XLIX. It should never have come down to that one play call.

It didnt.... most people think this yet forget to stress the fact the we gave up 10 points in the 4th.
as difficult as it was that game was not decided on one play. Not defending Pete or bevell, but the opening play is just as important as the last

 

[BostonBlackie]

Tom Brady, Super Bowl 4th Quarter & OT


vs. Seahawks: QB Rating: 140.1, points: 14
vs. Falcons: QB Rating: 115.2, points: 25