The Greatest Choke In Super Bowl History

New England has their fifth Super Bowl, and did so in dramatic fashion by pulling off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.  It was a game that didn't have to be that dramatic.  The Falcons got a 28-3 lead, and then were outscored 31-0 for the rest of the game.  The Houston Oilers blew a bigger lead 24 years ago against Buffalo, but that was a Wild Card game.  This one was for all the marbles.  I want to take a closer look at comeback of the Patriots.  You could have a good argument about how much of it was a great comeback by the Patriots, and how much of it was just a choke by Atlanta.  My feeling is that it was more a choke job by the Falcons.  Part of it his human nature.  You get a big lead, and stop playing with the same intensity.  You let up, or you're just playing to run the clock out.  In recent Super Bowl history only the Seattle Seahawks got a blowout win.  The Super Bowl used to be known as a game that would end in a blowout.  This was especially true during the NFC's 13 year win streak.  In the last 14 Super Bowls Seattle, in Super Bowl XLVIII, was the only team to win the game by more than 14 points.  All of the other 13 games were 1 possession games at some point in the 4th quarter.  When Atlanta went up by 25, you should've known they weren't going to win it by that much.  You had Tom Brady on the other side, and the Patriots had moved the ball throughout the game, even if they didn't get the points.  Atlanta still should've been expected to win the game.  New England got a touchdown to get the score to 28-9, but that was a long drive.  A field goal got them within 16, but the Pats had to be disappointed they didn't get a touchdown.  Now they would need 2 touchdowns, 2 two point conversions to tie the game, and that's if the Falcons didn't score anymore points.  Then came one of the biggest plays in the game.  It was 3 and 1 for the Falcons, though it was a long 1 yard as they say.  Most people seem to be bothered with the fact that they didn't run the ball, but I wasn't bothered by that as much as I was by the formation.  Devonte Freeman was close to the line of scrimmage in a way that made it obvious that this was going to be a passing play.  I noticed that before the play started.  This allowed the Patriots to pin their ears back, and rush Matt Ryan, which they had done a good job of throughout the game.  The play resulted in sack/fumble, which set the Patriots next touchdown, and then their two point conversion that made the score 28-20.  Up by the 8, it seemed like the Falcons got their edge back.  They got a big screen pass to Freeman, and Julio Jones made an incredible catch.  Honestly it was one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history, as he somehow got his second foot down in bounds, while maintaining possession of the ball.  Atlanta had a first and 10 at the New England 22, and preceded to fuck it up, with what can accurately be described as a massive choke job.  Freeman lost a yard on first down, but at this point the Falcons are still well within field goal range.  Then on the second down play Matt Ryan is in the Shotgun formation for some stupid reason.  He then backed up to the 35 yard line, and got sacked.  Why did Matt go that far behind the line of scrimmage?  Why would Kyle Shanahan call that play when you are in field goal range, and a field goal would make it a two possession game?  After those two awful plays the Falcons are still within Matt Bryant's field goal range.  Bryant has made 26 of 42 field goal attempts of 50+ yards in his career.  The 3rd down call should be simple.  A quick screen pass, or something of the like, to get you closer for the field goal.  The Falcons call a short pass, but the fuck up on this play is an obvious hold, in which Jake Matthews had Chris Long in what looked like half a sleeper hold.  It was an unnecessary hold, as the play was just a quick pass, and Matt Ryan didn't need that much time. The next play was an incomplete pass, and Atlanta punted it after that. So Atlanta had a first and ten at the New England 22, with a 28-20, and preceded to lose 23 yards, almost handing New England the opportunity to tie the game.  Atlanta's defense didn't stand a chance.  The Patriots got their touchdown, and two point conversion to tie the game at 28, and then won the coin toss, and scored a touchdown on the first, and only drive overtime to win the game.  It was a game that shouldn't even have reached that point.