Super Bowl 51: 5 reasons the Atlanta Falcons win

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
"Jan
"Jan /

1. Atlanta is a lethal combination of aggressive, yet disciplined

There is something different about the 2016 Falcons that people just don’t seem to realize: Dan Quinn might be the next great NFL head coach. He comes from two elite coaching trees: Pete Carroll’s and Nick Saban’s, an offshoot of Belichick’s.

Quinn has recreated Carroll’s one-of-a-kind energy as a player’s coach, but his team’s foundation resembles a Belichick/Saban team with ‘Do your job’ sentiment. The Falcons are aggressive on the field, but even-keeled off it. They are the instigators on the gridiron, but humble men off it. The only team like this is Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide teams and we all know who the dominate the SEC.

Locally they’ve been known as the Brotherhood/Brothership Falcons. These aren’t the flashy Dirty Birds of yesteryear. The players on this team have too much respect for one another go Eugene Robinson and sabotage the entire journey to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta is playing in Super Bowl LI with house money. The Falcons have been underdogs all year. They beat two really good teams to get to Houston: Quinn’s former employer in Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks and the Packers quarterbacked by the best talent in football in Aaron Rodgers.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: 30 Best QB of All-Time

While nobody outside of Atlanta believes in this team, everybody outside of the New England States is pulling for Quinn’s group. Though the Super Bowl is a different beast, don’t expect Atlanta to act like it hasn’t been in the end zone before. It has. All the time in 2016.