Name:   MartiniMan - Subject:   Super Bowl 51 Date:   2/6/2017 8:45:38 AM

So I got last minute tickets to the Super Bowl from a vendor and went with a friend from work.  Quite an experience although the results stunk.  I can tell you from being there that all Atlanta needed was one more score, a field goal, a safety, whatever and the Pats were done.  The game turned when the Falcons were sacked and had a holding penalty to put them out of field goal range.  That was probably the worst call in the entire game.  Speaking of calls, it seemed to those of us there that every time the Patriots needed a penalty on the Falcons they seemed to get one.  The screen at the game never showed a replay of any of the suspect calls.  I can think of four crucial plays where the Falcons got dinged and am curious if they were real.

Anyway, the change in momentum in the second half was palpable and it is a lesson to any NFL team that they need to stick with what was working and not go conservative, especially with a team that can put up the points like NE.  One other comment, NE used the hurry up against Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship to good effect but played slow the first half in this game.  It seemed to me when they went hurry up the Falcons were on their heels the entire time.  I almost feel like had they played the game that way from the beginning they would have crushed the Falcons.  Oh well, at least I can say I was there.