Super Bowl LI - fair ending?

Joe, as you know, if the Pats had only scored a field goal, the Falcons would have gotten their chance.  In the old days, when a team could win an overtime game on the first possession with a 45-yard field goal, that didn't seem fair, so they changed the rule.  I see your point, but overtime should be short and sweet in my opinion, and after all, on any given drive from one's own 25, a touchdown is a rarity in the normal course of a game.  Defense counts.

In any case, I find the overtime procedure in college football to be much worse--tedious, and utterly unlike the real game of (American) football.

The Falcons should have been given a chance. How is it fair that they didn't even get a possession? The NFL spent 2 weeks building up to the big game, and all of a sudden they're in a hurry to get finished...

BB

I was rooting for the Falcons but they had many chances to score since halftime and they folded like a one egg pudding.   The Patriots won and deserved to win.

The overtime rules are what they are.  It is smart to receive if you win the toss.

As a life-long college and NFL football fan I'm finding the game the past 5-10 years becoming excessively long and increasingly difficult to sit through. All the commercials for one. Rule changes are tilted towards the offense to promote scoring. High scoring games inherently allow for more commercial breaks. A vicious cycle. A three hour game is fun. Four hours gets tedious and has me thinking there are better ways to spend my time than seeing the same cell phone ad played over and over. A replay decision that is obvious to determine in ten seconds nonetheless takes 4-5 minutes in real time. The sound and graphics are over the top as well. Football has become a purely entertainment industry and I don't question the economic "whys" of that. Just that it had greater appeal to me decades ago when the game was a simpler event.

aht posted:

after all, on any given drive from one's own 25, a touchdown is a rarity in the normal course of a game.  Defense counts.

I'd say all the more reason to have given the Falcons the football and see how the Pats defense would respond. If the Pats shut them down, game over, no question remains. If the Falcons were able to respond with a TD, they'd have the option of going for a do-or-die two point conversion or simply tie the game with a kick. If tied, the game goes on and next score wins. No questions asked.

That said I'm fine with current OT rules for the regular season, but there should be a reciprocal-possession caveat for the post season.

Across the pond, I don't profess to have even a rudimentary understanding of the rules of the American Football game. But I do know that was the most exciting Superbowl I can recall. I'm now beginning to understand the game's growing popularity over here. My son has already been to Wembley to see games a couple of times.  

Love this!   The old OT rules, a team could win with a FG.  The recent OT rules are fair.  It's up to the defense to get at stop.  Atlanta choked for an entire HALF!  Lol, let's not blame the OT rules.  

As a Patriots fan since 1984 I nearly switched off after the Patriots first drive in the third quarter stalled. So glad I didn't.  Patriots Superbowl games always seem to come down to the last two minutes, and now OT. Nerve wracking but so entertaining. 

And definitely agree, American football is taking way too long.  I can knock out a slew of Prem matches in the same time.  Instant replay in English Football would be a disaster, just like it is with Baseball.  The imperfect calls are a wonderful part of the sport.  Sometimes you're on the wining side and sometimes on the losing side.  It's works itself out.  HOWEVER. I did wince at Sanchez's hand ball earlier today (5:30am PST) .  Personally, I saw his hand knock the ball in....had his hand not been up the ball would have went behind him (away from the goal). Fundamentally changed the match.  Part of the beautiful game!

interesting to hear The Brits talk U.S. football.   If we can bring back supersonic flights, London can have the Jags!  Take them, please!!!   The London Jaguars has a lovely ring to it!   

Can we just use the flights to come across and watch games please?  My playing and coaching days are behind me and watching is still fun, even with the replays and adverts, but the Jaguars??  Is it a take it or leave it deal or will you negotiate?

Jaguars in London would seem to have a ready made commercial endorser. Might have to change their helmet emblem though, sans the 'S'  ....

The Bills playing in Toronto seems more logistically likely, but probably not happening. With concussion concerns and recent moves to LA, I think the NFL has probably reached its apex in popularity. For the life of me, I can't figure out why folks spend hundreds of dollars to shiver in a stadium as opposed to watching in the comfort of their home. Guess I'm getting old and cantankerous.

joerand posted:

Did a coin toss determine the outcome? Granted, the OT rules were written going in, but seems to me the Falcons should have at least had a possession.

The Pat's offense had their shot against the Falcon's defense in OT. Shouldn't the Falcon's O had a final shot against the Pat's D?

Great ending! My team won

Atlanta had the chance to put the game beyond the Patriots in regulation time but Ryan elected not to take the field goal and ended up getting sacked on that drive and the chance was lost.

After that the tide turned and there was only going to be one winner.