The New Exchange / Can We Get a Close Super Bowl? Please?

**Posted by Goose** 1/24/2017 11:19 am

Can We Get a Close Super Bowl? Please?

With the comfortable 19- and 23-point margins of victory in the conference championship games on Sunday, the playoffs so far have underwhelmed viewers hoping for exciting finishes. Is it too much to ask for a competitive Super Bowl LI?

With 10 playoff games in the books, the average winning margin is 15.7 points, up from 11.3 last season and the largest in 14 years.Yes, there have been two close divisional-round games, the Packers’ thriller over the Cowboys and the Steelers’ field-goal fest over the Chiefs. But those were the exceptions to a grim parade of uncompetitive contests. And neither the Packers nor the Steelers wound up putting up much of a fight in their conference championship games anyway.

Need some extra time for family events, snow shoveling or Candy Crushing? You could have just watched the first halves. In every playoff game, even the two close ones, the team ahead at the half won the game, capped by Sunday’s N.F.C. championship, when the Falcons raced to a 24-0 halftime lead.The 15.7 average margin of victory was last exceeded in 2002-3, when games leading to the Super Bowl had an average margin of 16.1. But that figure was skewed by a 41-0 blowout of the Colts by the Jets (it really was a long time ago). Three games that season were decided by 3 or fewer points.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/23/sports/football/nfl-playoffs-leave-fans-hungering-for-a-close-super-bowl.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0

Last edited by Goose (1/24/2017 11:19 am)

**Posted by TheLagerLad** 1/24/2017 2:43 pm

I'll have the 4th quarter of Bama-Clemson teed up on the DVR if the game gets out of hand.

I really think it will be a competitive game.

**Posted by Goose** 2/03/2017 9:05 pm

[img]https://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_371w/Boston/2011-2020/2017/02/03/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/SamAdams%20(3).jpg[/img]

**Posted by Brady Bunch** 2/05/2017 5:30 pm

I would love to see the Falcons win.

However, I think it will be the Pats with a 31-24 victory. Belichick is just too good and I don't think the Falcons can get to Brady with only rushing 4 players, which has traditionally been the key to beating the Pats

**Posted by flowergirl** 2/05/2017 7:42 pm

Eight minutes left in the 2nd quarter--game stinks!

**Posted by Goose** 2/05/2017 10:26 pm

Last edited by Goose (2/05/2017 10:28 pm)

**Posted by tennyson** 2/05/2017 10:35 pm

What a GAME !

I was emotionally rooting for Atlanta since none of the teams I follow were in it, but despite my sorrow for Atlanta, NEITHER team has to hang their head on this one !

Certainly one of the more exciting Super Bowls !!

**Posted by Brady Bunch** 2/05/2017 10:39 pm

I'm sure the Falcons are hanging their heads, while the Pats played well in the second half if the Falcons didn't make only one of numerous mistakes they would have won.

The offense blew that game for them. Two drives in the second half where they were in FG range but got penalties and sacks that knocked them out of FG range and made them punt, plus Freeman missed the block that lead to the sack and fumble. Defense just got too tired

**Posted by Tarnation** 2/05/2017 10:44 pm

Gotta wonder about how scripted it seemed.

First half; Falcons dominate, NE has anemic offense and non-existent defense.

Second half, total flip.

At what point in the game to the bookies stop taking wagers?

**Posted by Common Sense** 2/05/2017 11:05 pm

WOW! A truly remarkable come back win. The first overtime for a Super Bowl and the biggest come from behind! But you have to feel sorry for the Falcons. At half time it looked like they had it.