Super Bowl fallout
As is expected after the biggest sporting event in this country, there still are ramifications and reactions to the epic comeback that left the Patriots with a historic 34-28 win over the Falcons.
In his next-day news conference, Bill Belichick said the most Bill Belichick thing ever. "We are five weeks behind the other teams for the 2017 season." (Somewhere Nick Saban just smacked his forehead and thought, "Why didn't I say that.") There's more on the Patriots' side to ponder of course. Monday, we discussed Tom Brady and his monster addition to the resume and Canton plague.
Now look around and wonder, how many can the Patriots win?
The coaching staff appears to be in tact for another run. The offense figures to be every bit as good next year if not better with the expected return of stud tight end Rob Gronkowski. The two major free agents on that side are Martellus Bennett, who likely will move on with another tea over paying, and LaGarrette Blount, who may not even be part of the Patriots' plan.
Yes, the time in which Brady can continue to be Brady is a question not even the most successful organization in pro sports can answer, but according to ESPN NFL ace John Clayton, Brady is telling folks close to him and within the organization that he'd like to play three more years. (That would make a lot of sense, because three more years would put a lot of the all-time stat marks within reach.)
Defensively, here's betting the Patriots make big offers to linebacker Dont'a Hightower and corner Malcolm Butler. (The only other starters for the Patriots that are eligible for free agency are defensive linemen Chris Long and Alan Branch and cornerback Logan Ryan.)
Now know the Patriots have more than $60 million in cap space set aside to address those holes.
Atlanta Falcons' Grady Jarrett sacks New England Patriots' Tom Brady during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)The flip side
Man, as rosy as the Patriots look right now with five Super Bowl titles and six consecutive AFC title game appearances under Brady and Belichick, the word for the Falcons future has to be questions.
Look around.
These Atlanta Falcons are left to wonder so many things.
On the positive, they can look at a collection of starters that will be almost entirely intact next year. Only three starters - guard Chris Chester, fullback Patrick DiMarco and defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux - will be free agents in the coming months. The Falcons were arguably the healthiest team in the league and a lot of the team's depth - especially in the defensive front seven and at tight end - are eligible to become free agents.
Also of note, the defense will be noticeably better in 2017, something that bodes well for a team returning bulk of the difference makers on one of the 10 or 12 most productive regular-season offenses of all-time.
That defense will be flush with athletic defensive backs - remember top corner Desmond Trufant missed most of the year with an injury - and in a pass-first, pass-next, pass-always league looking to maximize mismatches in the slot, that's a huge edge. (This four-round mock draft from USA Today has the Falcons addressing the depth in the front seven in a big way, taking Michigan defensive lineman Taco Charlton in round one and Florida defensive lineman Caleb Brantley in round two. We love the draft. You know this.)
But not all those questions are positive. The Falcons - starting from the top down with head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Matt Ryan since each of those guys have fourth-quarter moments that will linger for quite a while - will have to address some mental issues moving forward.
Why? What happened? When can they get back? Will they ever be in a better position? Who will return and who will not?
It's an ever painful place to be sure, and one that very few can appreciate because of the magnitude and completeness of the Falcons' collapse.
Those are the mental pieces that no depth chart can answer, and one of the big reasons why there has been no Super Bowl loser get back to the Super Bowl the next year since the Bills lost four in a row.
NBA highlight
NBA regular-season games are not normally a talking point around here.
There are so many, and in truth the march to the postseason is as much about rest and health than it is about wins and losses for the teams with a real chance to win it all. That said, Monday's Cavs-Wizards game was highly entertaining for a multitude if reasons.
First, LeBron was involved, and yes, we're kind of a LeBron fan.
Second, the Washington Wizards are better than most people know. John Wall and Brandon Beal give them one of the five best backcourts in the NBA, and that ranking will only rise.
Third, the trade rumors floating that LeBron wants the Cavs to pursue trading for Carmelo Anthony, even if it means parting with Kevin Love are quite juicy. (The Cavs have quashed that rumor - repeatedly - as it involves Love. That said, here's betting that the Cavs try to assemble enough pieces for a poo-poo platter of Kyle Korver, Iman Shumpert, a first-rounder and some dough for James' BFF Anthony some time in the near future. Will the Knicks take it to break up with Anthony, who is doing a nice job of devaluing himself to where a poo-poo platter may all the Knicks can deal him for?)
As for the game, well, it lived up to every bit of hope and more. James hit a banked 3 with less than a second left to force OT. James fouled out in the extra session and the Cavs rallied to win 140-135 in a game that revealed a few things about the East.
First, Washington may be the biggest threat to the Cavs in the East. The Wizards are the current fourth seed in the East at 30-21, but have a high ceiling, especially with Wall and Beal.
Second, this side of Kevin Durant's 40-points-on-16-shots game earlier this year, there may not have been a more efficient performance in the NBA this season than what Love did Monday. He had 39 points on 11-of-17 shooting (he also made all 11 of his free throws) with 12 rebounds.
LeBron had 32 points and was 6-of-8 from 3. When James is shooting 75 percent from 3 he is almost impossible to guard, and still the Cavs needed overtime - and all three of the Cavs big three of Love, James and Kyrie Irving played more than 40 minutes last night - to beat Washington.
It was a great game, and in some ways, shows how vulnerable the current Cavs are considering they needed OT despite some near perfect performances by Love and James.
This and that
- A major write-up on former UTC assistant and current Austin Peay head coach Will Healy by Travis Haney on CBSsports.com. And if you are a Press Row regular, you know that Wells Guthrie and that big-mouthed Greeson fellow have been singing the praises of Jeremiah Oatsvall, the BA star quarterback who picked Peay over late flirtations from Northwestern, Georgia Tech and others.
- How good a recruiting job did Healy and Co. do this year? Well, according to the 247sports composite rankings, Austin Peay had the No. 128 class in the country, which ranked third among FCS teams (Coastal Carolina and Harvard were higher, and CCU is transitioning to FBS and the Sun Belt). Now remember AP has a 1-45 record since 2012.
- Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty has said he will not go to the Trump White House when New England is invited. So there's that. (FYI, here's today's A2 column on why should the Falcons fans protest since they don't like the outcome of the Super Bowl. Thoughts?
- OK, soliciting a prostitute is bad. Doing it when you are employed by the football program at Baylor University - the place with more skeletons in their closet than a Halloween strike shop - is downright dumb. Here are the details of the BU strength coach who was arrested over the weekend and fired Monday night by new coach Matt Ruhle.
Today's questions
Hey, a true or false Tuesday. We're in.
True or false, the Patriots and Brady will win at least one more Super Bowl before he retires.
True of false, if the Patriots and Brady win at least one more Super Bowl, Stewwie will still call him Brady* and say he's merely the greatest 'postseason' quarterback of all-time.
True or false, the Falcons will get to the NFC title game next year.
True or false, Matt Ryan will win a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback.
True or false, Carmelo Anthony will be a Cavaliers player before the season is over.
(Remember, answer the ones you like and leave some more for the group if the mood suits you.)
Go and remember the day.