Atlanta Falcons head to Super Bowl after dismantling Green Bay Packers
By John Follett
The Atlanta Falcons made yet another statement in blowing out the Green Bay Packers. They will now head back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1998.
The Atlanta Falcons rose up today, in brotherhood, and beat the Green Bay Packers into submission. It was a very vindicating win for the city of Atlanta and the Falcons fan base. Defending the 2016 Falcons and Matt Ryan has been mentally exhausting.
In the end we were all right. We now get to strut into work and school on Monday with plenty of “I told you so” to pass around.
There was little doubt the Falcons were going to win the NFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl LI. Green Bay came into Atlanta late and with a roster full of battered players. The Falcons meanwhile, have only played stronger with each week. Atlanta lined up against the best of the best this season and overcame nearly every obstacle. The payoff comes on the biggest stage in American professional sports two weeks from today.
Undisputed NFC Champions
Any argument against Matt Ryan as this season’s MVP is gone. Ryan threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran in a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers put up some points late, but was completely shut out through the first half. Rodgers will always command high regard as an NFL quarterback, but this wasn’t his year.
The Falcons defense did exactly what was needed in making key stops early and giving the ball back to Ryan as much as possible. Jordy Nelson caught many off-guard by suiting up, but for a majority of the game it was Jared Cook that really moved the ball for the Packers. Dan Quinn’s defense gave up some points late, but as was the case against Seattle, the damage had already been done.
If Matt Ryan was today’s “1st star” then Julio Jones was the 2nd. Jones was fired up and let his coaches know that the Green Bay secondary was no match. He caught nine passes for 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Perhaps the play of the game was Jones’s 73-yard catch and run that put the Falcons up 37-7. It was a play that felt like the final nail in Green Bay’s coffin.
Next: The Georgia Dome's greatest moments
The Atlanta Falcons will now head to Houston to play the Steelers or Patriots in Super Bowl LI. We’ll do our best to capture every detail and cover each moment that occurs along the road to Super Bowl Sunday. For now, Falcons Nation parties into the night and gives thanks to the many great years of Atlanta football played inside the Georgia Dome.