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Everybody still remembers when these two teams met just a little less than five years ago in one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history, right? The Falcons were dominating, enjoying a 28-3 lead, before the Pats woke up and took over the game, orchestrating the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, tying the game late in the fourth quarter to force the first overtime in Super Bowl history, and then winning it to complete a truly epic comeback. Some people feel that it was the greatest Super Bowl in history.
Maybe.
But it sure took a toll on the Falcons, who have yet to really recover. They made the playoffs and even reached the divisional round the following season, but have basically been subpar since.
New England, meanwhile, reached the Super Bowl the next two seasons, and won it again two years later. They too sank a bit, but for only one season. Now, they have been coming on strong again.
The thing is, this is not a rematch. Not really. Bill Belichick is still the head coach in New England, but Daniel Quinn is long gone from Atlanta. Matt Ryan is still the starting quarterback for the Falcons, but Tom Brady is long gone from the Pats, and now plays for the Bucs, which means that Ryan sees him twice a year these days. Oh, and he had to watch Brady win yet another Super Bowl last year, this time with division rival Tampa Bay.
So even though the memory of that game remains a prominent part of the legacy for both teams involved in this contest, it hardly qualifies as a rematch.
Atlanta has struggled this season. They are inconsistent, and you never know which version of the team you are going to get. For example, they bounced back from a disappointing home loss to the Panthers as they beat the Saints on the road two weeks ago. Yet they then got just absolutely crushed in Dallas last Sunday. Sometimes, their defense can step up and play well. Other times, they can have a total lapse and allow their opponents to walk all over them, as they did against the Eagles, the Bucs, and the Cowboys. So you never know which version of the Falcons will show up for a given game. That might be extra true given that this is a short week.
The Patriots, meanwhile, also seemed inconsistent for a while this season. But they are on a tear right now, having won their last four games. They seem to be getting better with each game, and Mac Jones really appears to be coming into his own, and ahead of schedule at that. Also, the Patriots are undefeated on the road, which should bode well for this game.
Right now, the Patriots just appear to be soaring. They looked to inconsistent to be a serious playoff contender earlier in the year, but now appear to be peaking and coming back into solid form. If they keep going at this rate, they might even come back to elite form. Head coach Bill Belichick certainly seems to have the team rolling, and in the right direction. They head into this game with a head full of steam, and thus they are my pick to win their fifth straight game in Atlanta tomorrow.
My pick: New England
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