Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan walks back to the locker room after the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game loss to the New England Patriots in overtime Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots won 34-28. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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)HOUSTON – The Atlanta Falcons headed home Monday, still in a bit of shock after blowing a 25-point lead in the Super Bowl.
While the future looks bright for a team with MVP quarterback Matt Ryan and a promising young defense, the psychological impact of what happened in Houston could take a while to get over.
The Falcons were ready to celebrate the first championship in their 51-year history when they built a 28-3 lead on the New England Patriots. Alas, Tom Brady led the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history – and, really, nothing else comes close – to pull out a 34-28 overtime victory .
“I was thinking what anyone would be thinking – we had the game,” Atlanta receiver Taylor Gabriel said after the first overtime game in Super Bowl history. “At the same time, it’s Tom Brady. If you give him chances to come back and win the game, he’s going to do that.”
No one seemed to take it harder than running back Devonta Freeman, who fought back tears and could barely speak above a whisper.