Super Bowl 51: 5 reasons the Atlanta Falcons win
By John Buhler
4. Kyle Shanahan has one last game before being an NFL head coach
All but one NFL head coaching vacancy this offseason has been filled. It’s understood that Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will leave a great situation in Atlanta to become the next head coach of the dysfunctional San Francisco 49ers.
Perhaps the financial incentives of being a head coach and getting carte blanche in rebuilding the worst roster in football is too enticing for Shanahan to pass up? That being said, he will have one last game coaching the historically dominant Falcons offense. He is largely responsible for the play design and strategy of this vaunted Atlanta offense.
Shanahan projects as a strong head coach, but he may never strike gold with an offense this explosive in his coaching career again. The last time the Belichick Patriots have faced an offense this potent in a game of this magnitude was in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams in New Orleans. New England won its first Super Bowl over the Rams 20-17 on a game-winning 48-yard field goal off the leg of Adam Vinatieri as time expired.
The Greatest Show on Turf met its maker, but Atlanta is going to score more than 17 points in Super Bowl LI in Houston. Atlanta averaged 33.8 points per game during the regular season and 40.0 points per game in the playoffs.
Shanahan and the Atlanta offense hasn’t cared about the prowess of opposing defenses. They’ve put up points at will. In the final game of his career where he will care exclusively about offensive play calling, look for Shanahan to everything in his arsenal to beat New England. Odds are Shanahan won’t coach an offense this talented again. New England won’t stop this offense. The Patriots can only hope to slow it down.