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NFL

Falcons took away 'easy completions,' but Patriots adjusted

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There still is much to digest from the New England Patriots’ 34-28 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, and podcasts/interviews featuring offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (The MMQB.com), defensive end Chris Long (ESPN Radio), defensive tackle Alan Branch (Sirius XM NFL Radio) and running back LeGarrette Blount (Rich Eisen Show) in recent days provide another layer of analysis.

Some pieces picked up from those:

1. McDaniels told Peter King that the Falcons played more man coverage than they had in the past, which was something the Patriots had to adjust to.

“They were trying to take away the easy completions, and in large part, they did a little bit of that in the first half,” McDaniels said. “Then we worked through some different things and tried a few different concepts, and our guys got open and caught the ball better.”

Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady adjusted their approach after the Falcons showed more man coverage than the Patriots expected in the first half. Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports

McDaniels also touched on how the Patriots had talked about how the Falcons’ defense had been on the field so much.

“We had played 20 minutes in the first half on offense. We were in the 40s on the play count. We knew there was a chance, in a Super Bowl, that one team can get gassed and maybe lose a little steam as the game goes on if they’re out there long enough,” he said.

Then, “once it got to 28-12, even though we had to settle for a field goal on that drive, we said, ‘Look, we’ve got to put together two championship drives.’”

And when it was pointed out that Brady is 39 years old, McDaniels laughed.

“It doesn’t look like we’re going to slow down,” he said.

2. Long described the pendulum of emotions for him.

“It went from the worst nightmare in the world to the best dream all within an hour. You go from the lowest point of your career to the highest point of your career, just like that. It was the most insane thing I’ve ever been a part of,” he said on the Russillo and Kanell program.

Long added that one “could make the claim this is the toughest team in Super Bowl history. It’s unprecedented, that type of comeback.”

He noted that when the Patriots won the overtime coin toss and took the ball, some defensive players looked at each other on the sideline and said, “We’re not going back out there.”

Long, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, plans to keep playing in 2017.

“I’m excited for the next step,” he said. “I didn’t know coming into this year that I could still play football at a high level. I feel like I can play just as well as I did before I started getting hurt [in 2014-2015]. I’m happy to be back.”

3. On linebacker Dont’a Hightower’s strip-sack in the fourth quarter that turned out to be a game-turning play, Branch recovered the ball with an assist from defensive end Rob Ninkovich.

“Honestly, I didn’t even see the sack happen,” Branch relayed on Sirius XM NFL radio. “I was getting double-teamed, and I saw a hand hit the ball out, and I saw the ball kind of floating in the air. My first initial reaction was to try to catch it. So I reached out, that wasn’t happening, and I didn’t know if it was an incomplete pass or a fumble. With the Patriots’ defense, they tell you it doesn’t matter and ‘fall on the ball and let the refs sort it out.’

“I just jumped on the ball, and when I jumped on the ball, it was kind of on my side where I couldn’t get my hand around it. So I was just kind of laying on it, trying to scoop it out, but I couldn’t move my arm. Rob Ninkovich had a smart play where he just started punching the ball to where it was inside my breadbasket. He punched it just enough where it was in my belly, and I was able to cover it up.”

Branch thought he might have recovered the fumble regardless — he was throwing some elbows — but felt Ninkovich’s assist made it a lot easier.

4. While the Patriots came out throwing early, Blount said that wasn’t the way the offense planned to attack throughout. “We didn’t go into the game thinking we’d have to throw 60 passes,” he said on the Rich Eisen Show.

Asked about his future with the Patriots, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent, Blount said, “I don’t know what the future holds. That’s something for them and my agent to discuss. I love being here, and they know I love being here. … I feel great. I’m 30 years old, not a lot of wear and tear on my body. I feel like I’ll be able to play for as long as I want.”

NFL

Why it makes sense for Jets to trade Sheldon Richardson

The New York Jets question of the week involves what figures to be a hot storyline this offseason.

@RichCimini: I think the Jets would love to trade defensive end Sheldon Richardson for a return package that includes a first-round pick, even if it means surrendering their second-rounder, but they’d be hard-pressed to find a taker.

I can tell you put some thought into this proposal, Dino, but it’s a little too Jets-friendly, using the points system from the trusty trade value chart — yes, even for the 25th pick. Richardson’s value isn’t what it once was.

But let’s use your trade proposal to tackle broader questions: Should the Jets trade Richardson and, if so, at what price?

I think some people in the organization might be second-guessing the decision not to trade him to the Cowboys in October before the deadline. The Jets reportedly demanded a first-round pick. I can’t swear to this, but I bet the deal would have been completed if the Jets had been willing to accept a second-rounder. Now I’d be surprised if they get that much.

Sheldon Richardson finished with only 1.5 sacks this season for the Jets. Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports

Richardson finished with only 1.5 sacks and did nothing to bury his reputation as an immature player with an oversized opinion of himself. He plays hard, I’ll give him that, but he doesn’t handle adversity well. He’s high-maintenance. He also has off-field issues — two league suspensions, including one for substance abuse. Oh, yes, he’s got a large salary, too — $8.1 million, the amount of his fifth-year option. By the way, it becomes fully guaranteed in early March.

Yes, I expect the Jets to shop him again. They have a surplus of defensive lineman and could do without his antics, especially with coach Todd Bowles trying to rebuild the locker room chemistry.

After talking to some people around the league, the sense I get is the Jets won’t be able to get more than a third-round pick for him. The Patriots traded Chandler Jones last offseason for what amounted to a second-round pick, and he was coming off a productive year.

Here’s where it gets tricky: If someone offers them a third-rounder for Richardson, do they make the deal? You argue that, for that price, they’d be better off keeping him for the final year of his contract. If they lose him as a free agent in 2018, they’d probably receive a third-round compensatory pick in 2019. That’s a long ways off.

Me? I’d trade him. The Jets need draft picks right now, not to mention the $8.1 million in cap room. It’s too bad Rex Ryan isn’t around anymore; he’d take him.

NFL

Yes, there's a chance Kirk Cousins will get paid more than Andrew Luck

It’s the decision and debate that won’t go away, now or anytime soon. What is Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins worth? That’s the current debate. Certainly, after he signs, the question will be “Is Cousins really worth that?” But his leverage will lead to him getting paid quite a bit of money — yes, possibly more than a guy drafted No. 1 overall in the same 2012 class.

John Keim: Yes, there’s a good chance he will get paid more than Andrew Luck, especially if the Redskins are intent on signing Cousins long term.

For background: Luck’s deal averages $24.594 million; he also received $87 million in guaranteed money. I don’t know that Cousins will receive that much in guaranteed money — it was $47 million fully guaranteed at the time of signing — but the average per year? If he signs a long-term deal, that number has to be in play for a couple of reasons.

Here’s the thing, as Joel Corry (former agent who now works for CBS Sports) told me this past week: Even if Cousins tops Luck, that doesn’t mean he’ll enter next season as the highest-paid quarterback. Actually, by then he could be fourth. There’s a chance Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr all get new deals. Each one would top Luck, too. Again, this isn’t about who’s better but rather about the position they play, a rising salary cap, timing and leverage.

If Cousins signs before those others, there’s no way he’ll end up as the highest-paid. If others sign before him, the price tag inches higher. You can make a strong case he shouldn’t be the highest-paid of this group no matter when he signs. But Cousins owns the leverage. The Redskins control whether or not he returns through the franchise tag.

Also, Cousins and his agent, Mike McCartney, are well aware of their leverage. They know if the Redskins don’t make a strong offer, Cousins will either be allowed to hit the open market or receive the franchise tag. The tag number is approximately $24 million. Any deal must average that amount to entice him to sign. Why? Because Cousins’ side also knows that if he’s tagged by the March 1 deadline, the 2018 tag would be $34.5 million, a figure no team would pay. So he’d be entering unrestricted free agency, where his deal could be a lot higher (assuming he plays well, of course).

At that point, if you’re Cousins, would you really re-sign with a team that tagged you twice? If they’re not sold, then that’s their right. But it’s why the price tag is a high one. And it’s why this decision won’t be an easy one for some in the organization. Yeah, that can lead to a little stress.

The Redskins can always tag Cousins, draft a quarterback high in the spring and develop him. Or hope that San Francisco, under new coach Kyle Shanahan, will make a strong trade offer. If Cousins hits the open market next month, he’d likely have multiple choices, starting with the 49ers. That, too, would drive the price.

You might think it’s crazy that Cousins could be paid more than Luck, the first pick in the 2012 draft, the same year Cousins went in the fourth round. But it’s not far-fetched.

NFL

Expect Falcons' defense to reflect Marquand Manuel's no-nonsense approach

Don’t mess with Marquand Manuel during pregame warm-ups. You’re liable to catch some heat.

On any given game day, you’ll see the 37-year-old with his headphones on, drowning out the noise as he bobs his head to the beat. He’ll run a few laps around the stadium with a menacing stare on his face, like an assassin fixated on his next victim.

Folks unfamiliar with the Atlanta Falcons likely would mistake Manuel for a player. His players view him as a guy who will cuss anybody out, make no mistake about it. That’s part of the reason why Manuel commands respect as he makes the leap from secondary coach to defensive coordinator, a move made official Friday.

“M, he’s a perfectionist,” free safety Ricardo Allen said of Manuel. “He knows the ins and outs of every player. He does the studying. He has the passion to lead. He’s a natural leader. And people are willing to follow him.”

Falcons coach Dan Quinn promoted longtime colleague Marquand Manuel, right, to defensive coordinator. Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire

Manuel is a coach willing to put on cleats, line up opposite his defensive backs and get physical with them off the line. His hands-on approach and aggressive style just might be the added push the Falcons need to elevate an improving defense to yet another level.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn relieved former defensive coordinator Richard Smith of his duties earlier in the week, with Smith now reportedly interviewing to be linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Quinn took over playcalling duties from Smith late in the regular season, during a Dec. 4 game against Kansas City. It was about that time Atlanta’s defense started to show remarkable improvement, surrendering 21.4 points per game over the final seven, including the playoffs, after allowing 27.6 over the first 12.

Manuel had a hand in the improvement, too. According to multiple sources, Manuel was involved in playcalling involving nickel situations. Maybe it was an audition. Maybe it was just a matter of getting a different coaching perspective. Whatever the case, there’s confidence in Manuel’s ability to make the defensive calls, even if Quinn, the former defensive coordinator in Seattle, has a heavy hand in it moving forward.

Quinn no doubt will refer to it as a collaborative effort, but Manuel will get ample opportunity to run the defensive show despite no prior coordinating experience. He knows the defense thoroughly, having previously served as the assistant defensive-backs coach under Quinn in Seattle.

Allen wisely declined to discuss anything related to playcalling, but he certainly backed Manuel as his defensive coordinator.

“The players are going to be pushed by him daily, and he’s going to push us to another level to be great,” Allen said. “I think he’s a good person for the job because he’ll put the work in.”

Manuel will have to deal with scrutiny, of course, but expect him to be unfazed. Folks will bring up the story of him asking then-draft prospect Eli Apple, now with New York Giants, if he liked men during an interview at the NFL combine. Manuel was publicly reprimanded by the organization and required to go through sensitivity training; he apologized for the embarrassment he caused.

If Manuel’s defense falters in matchups against Drew Brees, Jameis Winston and Cam Newton next season, he’ll certainly hear criticism. But again, it’s not his personality to be rattled, no matter the situation.

As with the rest of the Falcons, Manuel will enter the 2017 season with a bad taste in his mouth from the Super Bowl LI implosion in which Atlanta blew a 28-3 lead in a crushing, 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots. But at least Manuel knows he’ll have a talented group around him that in 2016 featured NFL sacks leader Vic Beasley Jr., emerging nose tackle Grady Jarrett, rookie standouts Deion Jones and Keanu Neal and Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant, who will return after missing the season’s second half following pectoral surgery. The improved speed on defense, coupled with the presence of Trufant as a shutdown corner, will allow the Falcons to continue the trend of playing more man-to-man defense, as they did successfully later in the season.

Manuel’s ability to get the best out of his players was evident in the way cornerback Jalen Collins made a dramatic leap in his second season as a replacement for Trufant; in the way cornerback Robert Alford shook off problems with penalties to become a playmaker; in the way Brian Poole went from being undrafted to evolving into a reliable nickelback; and in the way Neal and Allen were able to work in unison at the safety spots.

Again, Manuel is all about an aggressive, attacking style. It’s in his nature as a former NFL strong safety. That’s the mentality and approach you see from him every day in practice. And that’s the look you’ll see in his eyes every game day.

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