I (Pats fan) have rewatched the like 20 min highlight package of this >15 times and it still feels physically impossible every time, even knowing the ending. The Julio catch was the single most impressive moment, but the Donta sack to take them out of FG range feels the most situationally unlikely every time. Also, mic'd up Edelman talking to defenders about how he caught the ball as they all watch replays on the big screen is a hilarious little human moment within the game (feels very Ultimate discussion).
I watched this game with 4 total people- my gf at the time (football agnostic, so mild Pats fan for me), me (grew up on Cape Cod, Pats fan)... and a couple we were newly friends with, from Atlanta, who invited us over to their house. I basically didn't celebrate the entire second half as their world collapsed, politely chatted about the dip, and then went outside and up a fire escape to scream-call my best friend from High School/College after the game
This is amazing and makes me glad I'm not the only one weirdly obsessed with this game. It's a wild thing to revisit, with so much to engage with no matter your background or which team you were rooting for. I've probably watched the Julio catch 50 times just to bask in the athleticism of it.
While this grab and the Alford Pick six were amazing plays negated by bad luck/decisions later, what's truly crazy is to revisit how many OTHER later moments the Falcons had to win it and still couldn't. Case in point: If you rewatch the Dont'a Hightower strip sack of you'll notice Devonta Freeman miss a basic blocking assignment to stop or atleast chip Hightower. Freeman wasn't even supposed to be on that play but had to fill in for Tevin Coleman who got injured just beforehand. Who knows what happens if Coleman hadn't injured his ankle or if Freeman just slowed down Hightower enough to get the ball downfield to Aldrick Robinson, who had torched Malcom Butler in single man since the Patriots D was too concerned with double teaming (guess who) Julio Jones on the left side.
The Falcons also got a crazy holding penalty in the fourth quarter that negated a catch by Sanu that would have given them a field goal and likely the win. What's crazy about this game is itemizing just how many things had to go right for the Patriots and wrong for the Falcons for the result to end up how it did. Games like this are the reason I love/hate sports so much.
If you haven't seen the SB Nation series on the Falcons I'd highly recommend watching it. It's free on Youtube and some of the best sports data/journalism I've ever seen-- as entertaining as it is educational.
I (Pats fan) have rewatched the like 20 min highlight package of this >15 times and it still feels physically impossible every time, even knowing the ending. The Julio catch was the single most impressive moment, but the Donta sack to take them out of FG range feels the most situationally unlikely every time. Also, mic'd up Edelman talking to defenders about how he caught the ball as they all watch replays on the big screen is a hilarious little human moment within the game (feels very Ultimate discussion).
I watched this game with 4 total people- my gf at the time (football agnostic, so mild Pats fan for me), me (grew up on Cape Cod, Pats fan)... and a couple we were newly friends with, from Atlanta, who invited us over to their house. I basically didn't celebrate the entire second half as their world collapsed, politely chatted about the dip, and then went outside and up a fire escape to scream-call my best friend from High School/College after the game
This is amazing and makes me glad I'm not the only one weirdly obsessed with this game. It's a wild thing to revisit, with so much to engage with no matter your background or which team you were rooting for. I've probably watched the Julio catch 50 times just to bask in the athleticism of it.
While this grab and the Alford Pick six were amazing plays negated by bad luck/decisions later, what's truly crazy is to revisit how many OTHER later moments the Falcons had to win it and still couldn't. Case in point: If you rewatch the Dont'a Hightower strip sack of you'll notice Devonta Freeman miss a basic blocking assignment to stop or atleast chip Hightower. Freeman wasn't even supposed to be on that play but had to fill in for Tevin Coleman who got injured just beforehand. Who knows what happens if Coleman hadn't injured his ankle or if Freeman just slowed down Hightower enough to get the ball downfield to Aldrick Robinson, who had torched Malcom Butler in single man since the Patriots D was too concerned with double teaming (guess who) Julio Jones on the left side.
The Falcons also got a crazy holding penalty in the fourth quarter that negated a catch by Sanu that would have given them a field goal and likely the win. What's crazy about this game is itemizing just how many things had to go right for the Patriots and wrong for the Falcons for the result to end up how it did. Games like this are the reason I love/hate sports so much.
If you haven't seen the SB Nation series on the Falcons I'd highly recommend watching it. It's free on Youtube and some of the best sports data/journalism I've ever seen-- as entertaining as it is educational.
I loved reading your comment. Thanks for reading!