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NFL

Bar raised high, as success of Patriots' season defined by Super Bowl

HOUSTON — The New England Patriots’ season ended with a 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, as they charged back from a 25-point second-half deficit. Here is a look at the season and what’s next:

Grade: A+

Season summary: The bar has been raised high in New England under Bill Belichick, as seasons are defined by whether the team’s Super Bowl hopes were realized. Anything less than that and it falls short.

If this were just about the regular season, the 2016 campaign was one of the most impressive of Belichick’s 17 years as coach. The year began without quarterback Tom Brady, who served a four-game suspension as part of the NFL’s Deflategate penalties, and the Patriots came out of that with a 3-1 record. Having backup Jimmy Garoppolo ready to go was a strong reflection on Garoppolo and the coaching staff, and then when he injured his shoulder, winning in Week 3 with rookie Jacoby Brissett under center was a terrific accomplishment.

By season’s end, it’s hard to argue much with a 14-2 record, a team record for fewest interceptions in a season (two, smashing the previous mark of five), and a level of consistency that continues to impress as volatility prevails across most of the rest of the NFL landscape.

But in the end, this is always about the playoffs for the Patriots, and anything less than a Super Bowl ring is a disappointment. Talk about high-class living.

With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, it’s still Super Bowl or bust for the Patriots. AP Photo/Steven Senne

Biggest draft need: Tight end. With Rob Gronkowski coming off back surgery and Martellus Bennett no guarantee to return as a free agent, this is a position that figures to be high on the Patriots’ radar based on its general importance to the offense over Belichick’s 17-year tenure. Belichick has talked about how a true combination tight end who is effective in both the running and passing games can be hard to find.

Key offseason questions:

Are LB Dont’a Hightower or CB Malcolm Butler signed to extensions? When cornerback Darrelle Revis signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Jets in 2015, owner Robert Kraft pointed out how the team had some up-and-coming players due for extensions and that every decision the team made had a trickle-down effect. Two of those players Kraft referred to, Chandler Jones (Cardinals) and Jamie Collins (Browns), are now elsewhere and that leaves Hightower and Butler as the next in line. Hightower, who made some of the biggest defensive plays in Super Bowl LI, is an unrestricted free agent who could get the franchise tag if an extension isn’t reached. Butler is a restricted free agent.

What happens with QB Jimmy Garoppolo? This is one of the most fascinating storylines across the entire NFL, as Garoppolo has great value to the Patriots as the backup to the soon-to-be-40-year-old Brady, but if another team is willing to put together a can’t-refuse-it deal, do the Patriots take the plunge? Garoppolo is a free agent after the 2017 season and the Patriots could lose him after that anyway. How the team views the future of Brissett, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, figures to be part of the consideration as well.

What is a realistic expectation for Rob Gronkowski? The Patriots are in a good economic position to not have their hand forced with Gronkowski, who is coming off back surgery and due to earn $4.25 million in base salary in 2017. Gronkowski should be part of the team’s plans, but how much they can rely on him could have an impact on their team-building plans. If Gronkowski sustains another season-ending injury in 2017, what then? Gronkowski’s base salaries spike to $8 million in 2018 and $9 million in 2019, which is a lot more for the team to absorb if there are injury concerns. So Gronkowski’s return to health in 2017, and how that proceeds, will be watched closely.

NFL

Kyle Shanahan wraps up his Falcons tenure with questionable late playcalling

HOUSTON — Kyle Shanahan was asked the question in every which way, but really there was no good way to answer.

The Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator, who is set to become the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, faced his share of scrutiny after the Falcons’ 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLI. The game marked the biggest collapse in Super Bowl history, as the Falcons squandered a 28-3 lead with 8 minutes, 31 seconds left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter with the Falcons leading 28-20, the Falcons seem to be in prime position to withstand the Patriots’ charge by converting a field goal and pushing the lead to 11. Julio Jones made a breathtaking, tip-toe catch on the sideline to give the Falcons a first-and-10 from the Patriots’ 22-yard line. The Falcons ran the ball with Devonta Freeman on first down for a 1-yard loss. Fellow running back Tevin Coleman was out of the game with an ankle injury.

Trey Flowers’ sack of Matt Ryan pushed the Falcons out of field-goal range. Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports

Then on second-and-11 from the New England 22, Shanahan went with a dropback pass, where Matt Ryan was sacked by Trey Flowers for a 12-yard loss. The Patriots called timeout with 3:50 remaining. Then on third-and-23 from the Patriots’ 35-yard line, a Ryan pass to Mohamed Sanu for 9 yards was negated by holding penalty on tackle Jake Matthews, pushing the Falcons back to third-and-33 from the Patriots’ 45-yard line and pushing them out of field goal range.

So why not a run a little more on second down or even third to kill the clock?

“You always want to run the ball, if you can,” Shanahan said. “You’ve got to look at each situation when you’re given the ball with down and distance. Got a few big plays there in the pass game, missed a couple in the run game. Had a couple guys go down, a running back [Coleman] and a tackle [Ryan Schraeder]. Got behind the chains a little bit. We were trying to score there. Got into field goal range where we would have ended it, but again that sack and that holding call was tough.”

Shanahan was asked again why not run the ball while in field goal range with such little time left in the game.

“I think we did on first down,” Shanahan said, referring to the Freeman play. “I think we lost a yard. You think just run the ball and make your guy kick a 50-yard field goal. You want to try your hardest to give him a great chance to first sure to make it. Thought we could get some yards but ended up getting sacked. It’s really an option after that.”

Playoffs

Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT)

• Complete coverage of epic comeback
• How the biggest plays went down
• Rank: This is best comeback ever

The field goal would have been more in the 40-yard range, which would have been right up Pro Bowler Matt Bryant’s alley.

There was another instance earlier in the quarter when Shanahan opted to have Ryan drop back to pass on third-and-1 from his own 36-yard line. The end result was a sack-fumble that the Patriots recovered. Then Tom Brady marched the Patriots on a five-play, 25-yard scoring drive capped by a touchdown pass to Danny Amedola and a two-point conversion.

Again, Shanahan was asked about not running the ball in the quarter and the balance between wanting to stay aggressive and shrewd clock management.

“It’s not really the run-pass ratio that I look at,” Shanahan said. “It’s you stay on the field, and you run your offense. When we went three-and-out two times, which was huge. I think we had second-and-1 on both of those. To not convert on second-and-1 and then third, it was tough. That’s why we let them get back into the game.”

Shanahan, one last time, was asked about the playcalling when the Falcons were in field goal range.

“The thought is to get as many yards as you can,” Shanahan said. “And we were right there on the fringe. It was by no means an easy field goal. From what I remember, we ran in on first-and-10 and lost yards. Got into second-and-11, so we try to get a pass to get us back into a manageable third down, closer to the field goal, and we took a sack.

“Taking a sack ? got us into a third-and-20, so we threw a quick pass trying to get back into field-goal range, which we did. But there was a holding call on the play. And when you get a holding call on third-and-20, it goes back that far. We were way out of field-goal range. We tried our best to get back in but couldn’t get it done.”

Dan Quinn offered his thoughts on the playcalling on the particular sequence after the Jones catch.

“It was a fantastic catch and so my initial thought, we’re getting closer here, but having a chance to go score, we knew how good the other side was, too, so we wanted to go attack at every opportunity,” Quinn said. “So when it didn’t work out, it’s easy to second guess on that.”

NFL

With Super Bowl LI complete, 2017 NFL draft order is set
12:08 AM ET

  • Kevin SeifertNFL Nation

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    • ESPN.com national NFL writer
    • ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013
    • Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008

The New England Patriots orchestrated a historic comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 and win Super Bowl LI on Sunday night in Houston. With the victory, we can now fill in the final two of 32 slots in the first round of the NFL’s draft order.

The Falcons will select No. 31 in the draft and the Patriots will have the No. 32 pick.

The first round of the draft, to be held in Philadelphia, will be on April 27 at 8 p.m. ET. For more information, including mock drafts, scouting profiles and more, check out ESPN’s full draft coverage.

NFL

How the Patriots converted both two-point tries

The New England Patriots’ pair of two-point conversion attempts in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI proved to be critical in their comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Let’s go back to the two play calls to draw up how each went down. From the direct snap to James White to the wide receiver screen to beat man coverage, here’s how the Patriots used creativity and smart game-planning to win their fifth Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night in Houston.

Inside “Duo” (Direct Snap)

New England trailed the Falcons 28-18 after Tom Brady’s touchdown pass to Danny Amendola on a classic Patriots concept (a flat route paired with an outside clear-out). This was when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels brought three-WR personnel onto the field and aligned the Patriots in an empty set before shifting White (H) into the backfield.

The play? It’s an inside “duo” run scheme. That’s a straight downhill run with the two double-teams against the Falcons’ four-man front. The right tackle, Marcus Cannon, blocks down on the strongside defensive tackle and doubles with the playside guard Shaq Mason. Move the defender off the ball. Big boy stuff.

With Martellus Bennett (Y) kicking out on defensive end Vic Beasley (E) and wide receiver Chris Hogan (Z) digging out the strongside linebacker, the Patriots can wash-out the strong side of the formation as the center, David Andrews, chips off the inside double-team to pick up linebacker Deion Jones (B).

However, McDaniels adds the wrinkle of the direct snap to White. For starters, it allows White to hit the line quicker, but this is where Brady also simulates the poor snap over his head. Why? To draw the eyes of the second-level defenders (linebacker and strong safety) before White drops his pads and follows the double-team block of Cannon and Mason. Get small in the hole and find some daylight as the strong safety, Keanu Neal, gets caught up in the mess of bodies.

Put the ball across the goal line and cut the lead to 28-20.

Wide receiver screen

This was a great call by McDaniels after White’s 1-yard touchdown run cut the Falcons’ lead to 28-26 late in the fourth quarter. Bring 10 or “Jet” personnel into the huddle (four wide receivers) and spread the field. Go empty versus the Falcons’ dime package (six defensive backs).

This is a classic man-coverage beater. And with the Falcons’ playing zero-man (no safety in the middle of the field), the Patriots can create some traffic at the point of attack.

With Amendola (No. 80) coming in motion to the core of the formation, and nickel back Brian Poole (N) giving ground — or gaining depth — to play for a possible pick route, both Julian Edelman (Z) and Hogan (W) block the two cornerbacks in coverage (C). This creates a clear lane for Brady to take one step and target Amendola (long hand-off) on the screen concept, called a “tunnel screen.”

Catch the ball and square the pads to the line of scrimmage, and with Poole stuck in the trash off the blocks from Edelman and Hogan, the Falcons defensive back can’t recover in time to keep Amendola out of the end zone. Even with the collision at the goal line, Amendola’s ability to immediately get up the field after the catch puts two points on the board.

That’s a great example of playing the defensive tendencies against four-WR personnel (zero-man) and calling a route scheme that beats the coverage based on the alignment of the defensive backs. This allowed the Patriots to tie the game 28-28 before winning another ring in overtime.

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