Reviewing film of Super Bowl LI can’t be an enjoyable experience for Atlanta Falcons players, but they’ll have to watch plenty of it this week as they prepare for a rematch with the New England Patriots.
The Patriots, of course, rallied from 25 points down in the latest Super Bowl to stun the Falcons in overtime. Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn said his team will closely study that game before visiting Gillette Stadium this Sunday.
“It’s a big part (of the Falcons’ preparations),” Quinn said Wednesday in a conference call with New England reporters. “And here’s why: When you face a team for a second time in less than a year, it’s almost — I’m not going to call it a division game — but you have more familiarity than you would when you don’t. So you go back to look — how did they feature the players in their roles last year? — and then go back to look at some of the roles for this year.
“The players also have some familiarity with one another. ‘How do I guard this guy?’ ‘I’ve got to make sure leverage is right when I tackle this player.’ ‘When I’m in press coverage, this release worked; this one wasn’t as effective.’ ”
Though the Patriots will field several new faces this time around — including tight end Rob Gronkowski, who missed the Super Bowl after undergoing back surgery — many of the key Super Bowl players remain for New England, including Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, running back James White, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive end Trey Flowers.
“There’s definitely familiarity,” Quinn said. “We’ve definitely looked back at that game, but also the games from this year, too. That’s a pretty normal operating procedure when we’re playing a team. We may even go back a year or even two years (if) the coaching staff is the same to see if there will be some philosophical scheme and plays that they’re really comfortable with.”
The Patriots, meanwhile, are taking a different approach. Head coach Bill Belichick has shut down multiple attempts this week to compare last season’s Falcons team to the current one, saying what Atlanta has shown this season is all that matters.
The Falcons returned nearly every major contributor on both sides of the ball but did swap out both of their coordinators, with Steve Sarkisian replacing Kyle Shanahan on offense and Marquand Manuel taking over for Richard Smith on defense.
“We’re focused on the team that we’re playing this weekend,” Belichick said Wednesday morning. “I don’t really care about what some other coach did some other year. Like, right now, we’re getting ready for the Falcons, Coach Sarkisian’s offense, Coach Manuel’s defense and Coach (Keith) Armstrong’s special teams under the direction of Coach Quinn.
“That’s who we play this week. That’s what we’re getting ready for. What somebody else did some other year — it’s really not that relevant right now.”
Thumbnail photo via Eric Seals/USA TODAY Sports Images
