Super Bowl LI | 02.05.17 | Houston | Patriots @ Falcons | 6:30 PM ET | FOX

[Otis Driftwood]

I've been in Atlanta 13 years and honestly ALL of the teams have EPIC failures on the big stage from UGA, Hawks, Falcons, Braves, etc. But most lifelong fans have trained themselves to be pessimistic in an "I'll believe it when I see it" sort of way. When I texted a couple friends to congragulate them when up 28-3 they told me that it would be nice if they "held on" since there have been a lot of disappointments in their lifetime but they weren't convinced they should be anywhere near celebrating yet. To be brutally honest it's why many people who here don't become die hard fans and why playoff games don't sell out, etc. It's a self preservation move tp protect against heartbreak like Sunday.

I live in GA as well and what you said here is 100% true. Atlanta doesn't have a die hard fanbase due to teams choking on the big stage or the management being a complete joke when it comes to the Falcons & Hawks. Now I can't lie I am laughing due to a lot of ATL-iens down here bashing my Niners but at the same time feel very bad for them because you can tell by the vibe of the city leading up to the SB that they really wanted to win so badly. Last time the Falcons were in the SB before Sunday was 1998, yikes.

Hello fellow Niners fan . You think we can pry Romo away from Dallas with a couple draft picks?

We should talk...

[bluejerseyjinx]

I live in GA as well and what you said here is 100% true. Atlanta doesn't have a die hard fanbase due to teams choking on the big stage or the management being a complete joke when it comes to the Falcons & Hawks. Now I can't lie I am laughing due to a lot of ATL-iens down here bashing my Niners but at the same time feel very bad for them because you can tell by the vibe of the city leading up to the SB that they really wanted to win so badly. Last time the Falcons were in the SB before Sunday was 1998, yikes.

Hello fellow Niners fan . You think we can pry Romo away from Dallas with a couple draft picks?

We should talk...

Immediately. No question. Set up the appointment. Lets do it. I have a feeling you guys will draft Watson anyway.

[chrismikayla]

Hello fellow Niners fan . You think we can pry Romo away from Dallas with a couple draft picks?

We should talk...

Immediately. No question. Set up the appointment. Lets do it. I have a feeling you guys will draft Watson anyway.

LOL now I'm nervous since you guys agreed to it so easily. What do you know that I don't?

[bluejerseyjinx]

Dak is our QB and future. You guys need a QB and we need draft picks or D-lineman.

[dr3am]

I've been in Atlanta 13 years and honestly ALL of the teams have EPIC failures on the big stage from UGA, Hawks, Falcons, Braves, etc. But most lifelong fans have trained themselves to be pessimistic in an "I'll believe it when I see it" sort of way. When I texted a couple friends to congragulate them when up 28-3 they told me that it would be nice if they "held on" since there have been a lot of disappointments in their lifetime but they weren't convinced they should be anywhere near celebrating yet. To be brutally honest it's why many people who here don't become die hard fans and why playoff games don't sell out, etc. It's a self preservation move tp protect against heartbreak like Sunday.

I live in GA as well and what you said here is 100% true. Atlanta doesn't have a die hard fanbase due to teams choking on the big stage or the management being a complete joke when it comes to the Falcons & Hawks. Now I can't lie I am laughing due to a lot of ATL-iens down here bashing my Niners but at the same time feel very bad for them because you can tell by the vibe of the city leading up to the SB that they really wanted to win so badly. Last time the Falcons were in the SB before Sunday was 1998, yikes.

Hello fellow Niners fan . You think we can pry Romo away from Dallas with a couple draft picks?

Hopefully, I don't want Romo or Kirk Cousins smh.

[Ballerhogger]

Watching the Rams and Patriots superbowl classic. Bill has full head hair and madden is broadcasting. Forever ago.

[soxfan2003]

Atlanta definitely deserved to lose the game, but has nobody discussed the penalties?

Officiating needs to be overhauled anyways, but if you are going to have the penalties at 9 to 4 - 225% more for one team - there better not be a slew of penalties against the other team that went uncalled.

And there were....CBS Sports has an article on two that were missed aside from the facemask.

Patriots won the game and the Falcons lost it, but if you level out those penalties the Falcons may have pulled out the game.

I missed in real time but the blocked extra point was a bad call by most neutral observers since the Patriots player didn't jump over the center. BB was upset with that call. Edelman got pushed out of bounds which was a 15 yard penalty the refs arguably missed. There were a couple more not calls on Atlanta besides those two that ESPN said were bad calls.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18626326/grading-controversial-calls-super-bowl-li

I am biased as a Patriots fan but I thought the refs called a very fair game overall. Atlanta was the more aggressive team in trying to get away with holds probably because of the matchups/defense they were playing dictated this. Patriots got away with some penalties that weren't called as well. That part evened itself out.

But of all of the penalties called, the only one I thought was a bad call was the point after. Both teams certainly had legit complaints about non calls. Compared to most games, the refs did a good job.