Coaches have to put their players in a position to succeed. Trent Dilfer had some great analysis on this last night, saying how the saying "Be aggressive" is en vogue. Well, being aggressive in the later part of the fourth quarter cost Atlanta a Super Bowl championship. Instead of being aggressive, Atlanta should have played situational football.
3rd and 1? Run it. If you don't make it, a punt doesn't hurt. Okay, you call a pass. Fine. Call a quick out, slant, hitch, bubble screen...something that only requires Matt Ryan to take a short three step drop and get the ball out of his hands quickly. Again, if it's an incomplete pass, a punt doesn't hurt you and forces New England to use time. Instead Matt Ryan takes a deep drop on a passing play that takes too long to develop and Dont'a Hightower gets to him for the strip sack, and the Patriots have the ball on Atlanta's side of the field.
Next possession, Julio Jones makes an incredible catch to get Atlanta into field goal range. Again, situational football. Three runs will force NE to take their timeouts. A FG puts the Falcon up by two possessions with three minutes and change left...vastly different from an eight point, one possession game with the same time.
It's crazy how in the last two NE Super Bowl victories, the Patriots benefited from bad play calling by the opposing teams's offensive coordinator.