Matty "Iced" isn't a winner, he clearly isn't. He had his best year ... and it ended even worse than Carson Palmers Best year. Yes, Palmer played worse in the NFC Championship game, but we now know he was injured so yeah, he had an excuse, even if excuses are worthless sometimes. Both QB need a great Team around them to win it all. The difference that I see between thoose two is, CP is somehow more eager to win, you saw him fighting even in the NFC Championship game, he fought till the end, I didn't see that fire in Matt Ryan.
Oh and 19 Minutes on O ... the D was gassed in the 4th Qrt. You saw how they needed more time to get air, and what did Shanahan call ... pass plays. It really was Ariansesque playcalling, but without the cojones to go for it on 4th down or trying something "risky" on O or D just plain and stupid playcalling. Why outside routes, when consuming playtime is the best thing you can do? I didn't see anyone asking why on the 35 yard line he starts to call 3 routes to the outside, when the middle was open and would have been the better decision because of time management, yes you can pass but short screens, short safty dumbs for 4-6 yards to get your first down, because you want to fool the D that thinks you run it, but with empty backfield, that calls for mayham and desaster.
Yes no riskit no buiscuit, but you have to finish the game, you have to seal the deal. On the 35 yard a FG away of closing it out, normally you run it 3 times, make the FG and try to stop them at least once. If you want to risk it, to get that all ending First down, you throw short to intermidiate routes over the middle or screens, but not to the outside or long developing routes.
But yes, this was one of the greatest chokes in Spots history.
The good for the rest of the NFC, the Atlanta Falcons will if history is telling the truth, not playing well next season and probably even longer.
