SPORTS

Patriots must prepare for new Falcons in Super Bowl rematch

Rich Garven
richard.garven@telegram.com
Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake sacks Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan during Miami's win on Sunday. [The Associated Press]

When the Patriots and Falcons meet Sunday night, it’ll be a rematch of the memory-filled game — awesome ones for New England, awful ones for Atlanta — the two staged eight months ago in Super Bowl LI.

Looking back isn’t what the Patriots do, but the coaching staff did review the film from a game that saw Tom Brady, Dont’a Hightower and friends rally from a 25-point, third-quarter deficit to post a 34-28 victory in overtime on Feb. 5 in Houston.

“I think you study a lot of games when you prepare for an opponent,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Tuesday in a conference call. “Some may go back to last year, and you certainly study all the ones you have this year to look at. That was the last game we played last season, so just to look at some of the things that took place in the game and really evaluate, self-scout, what happened for us.”

The Patriots have since turned their full attention to the five games the Falcons have played this season as they devise a game plan for this highly anticipated, highly hyped, nationally televised contest.

After all, there are plenty of new players for both teams to get to know.

The Patriots have 16 players on their 53-man roster (30.2 percent) who weren’t with the team last year. The Falcons have 15 newcomers, which accounts for 38.3 percent of their roster.

“That will be the most important part of it, those five games,” coach Bill Belichick said. “And, like I said, we have other information we can insert there, but we’ll start with what’s current.”

The Patriots are 4-2 and in first place in the AFC East, half a game ahead of the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

The Falcons are 3-2, tied for second place in the NFC South and, like the Patriots, have been inconsistent despite their winning record — most noticeably on offense.

They Falcons started the season with three wins in which they scored 23, 34 and 30 points. But they’ve since lost two straight, both at home after being held to 17 points.

The Bills left Atlanta with a 23-17 victory in Week 4. Then the Falcons, following their bye week, lost to the Dolphins, 20-17, after leading by 17 at halftime Sunday.

That the Falcons squandered another immense, double-digit lead naturally came up afterward. Coach Dan Quinn politely addressed the touchy topic, noting the past had nothing to do with the present.

“You can’t replay the game that was played in the Super Bowl, but what we can do is control what we have now,” Quinn said. “For that one, it was a historic game and one that we didn’t get done, but we don’t look back to that one on every opportunity when we’re ahead or when we’re behind in any of that way. Our focus is 100 percent on now and who we are.”

The Falcons have been outscored, 36-7, in the second half of their two losses. They’re averaging 24.2 points overall, good for 12th in the league and down from a league-leading 33.8 last season.

It starts — or, rather, stalls — with the passing game, which has tumbled to 31st after ranking third a year ago. Reigning NFL MVP Matt Ryan is on pace to toss 19 touchdowns and a career-high 19 interceptions after checking in with 38 and seven last season.

Ryan’s latest interception came at the Miami 6-yard line with less than a minute to play and the Falcons at least positioned to send the game to overtime.

“I think you have to look at some of those particular plays where the ball is either tipped or maybe necessarily not get caught clean or bounces a particular way,” defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said. “I think for us, we’re looking at those ones he’s completing — the big plays that he’s getting down the field.”

At least two of Ryan’s interceptions have come on tipped balls, one by his receiver and one by the opposition. But he’s also been guilty of forcing the ball into coverage or putting it up for grabs.

As for the big plays, the Falcons are tied for 24th in the league with 14 receptions of 20-plus yards. They were third with 69 a year ago.

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.