Atlanta Falcons: Set to Avoid a “Super Bowl Hangover”
The Atlanta Falcons are a team built to succeed in the face of adversity, which means they can avoid the dreaded “Super Bowl Hangover”
I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. And neither does anybody else. How do you provide tangible proof in an argument against something as intangible as a psychological condition?
We’ve all heard it by now: “How are the Falcons going to recover from losing like that?” “How can they possibly recover from giving up the biggest lead ever in Super Bowl history?” “Look at what happened to the Carolina Panthers last year – 15 -1 to 6 – 10.”
So why will the Falcons be any different?
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Well, for one thing, I’d like to point out that recently Carolina has been more the exception than the rule. After the Seattle Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots (in pretty dramatic fashion, I might add) they came back to win their division. After the Denver Broncos got shellacked by Seattle they came back to win their division the next year and then win the Super Bowl the year after that. The year after the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Baltimore Ravens they made it back to the NFC Championship game. The three previous Super Bowl losers from there (Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Indianapolis Colts) all continued to be perennial playoff teams. So, really, the Carolina example just doesn’t hold water.
Let’s also direct your attention to the way the Falcons conducted themselves after their loss compared to the Panthers, as exemplified by their respective quarterbacks. Just look at the difference between Matt Ryan and Cam Newton in their postgame press conferences. When you’re led by somebody who stands up, looks you in the eye, answers you with complete sentences, and is respectful and polite – as opposed to somebody who puts and sulks and ultimately runs away from the situation – you stand a much better chance of continuing success.
Which leads me to “Rise Up” and “Brotherhood.” I’m sure anybody who isn’t a Falcons fan finds those mottoes corny. I think the team buys in to them wholeheartedly. When about half the roster attends a players-only passing camp at the request of (and at the expense of) the starting quarterback both last year and this year, you have a team.
When you take jetski vacations together in the offseason, you have a team. When your first official team-organized workouts after the Super Bowl are attended by a star with an injury and another guy rumored to be unhappy with his contract, you have a team.
Finally, I look to the coach. I think this team loves and respects Dan Quinn. I think his method of teaching and training and motivating are a perfect fit for this team. When you bring in a prize free agent for less money than other teams were offering because he liked the coach and the system, you’ve got something there. Quinn’s not afraid to get in there and get his hands dirty with the players.
More specific to the idea of avoiding the “Super Bowl hangover,” the bringing in of Navy SEALs to training camp last year was brilliant.
"“The… SEALs put Falcons players through a combination of physical training and classroom sessions, focused on developing some of the core tools of SEAL training: mental toughness and resilience, teamwork and stress management“"
Ask any SpecOps soldier, American or foreign, and I will guarantee you that to a man they will tell you mental toughness is more important than physical toughness for what they do. They will also tell you that the lone-wolf commando of Hollywood is pure BS, and that teamwork is absolutely key to success.
Must Read: 2017 NFL Schedule: Atlanta Falcons at Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football
The Falcons have history on their side. They have the leadership. They have the camaraderie. They have the training and the motivation. They have the physical and mental toughness.
I believe they will be back.