Falcons star Ryan on Super Bowl loss: 'Nothing you can say'

HOUSTON -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan admitted his team were struggling to come to terms with their shattering Super Bowl loss on Sunday after the New England Patriots' remarkable comeback victory.

The Falcons appeared to be surging to their first Super Bowl win after leading 28-3, only to see New England roar back to triumph, 34-28, in overtime.

"There's nothing you can really say," said a dejected Ryan. "That's a tough loss.

"Obviously very disappointed, very close to getting done what we wanted to get done, but it's hard to find words tonight."

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn summed up the mood: "For sure hurts like hell."


It was the second time in two years Quinn has tasted an agonizing Super Bowl defeat to the Patriots. He was an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks when the Patriots snatched a dramatic late win in 2015.

Quinn admitted the Falcons would struggle to deal with Sunday's loss.

"No doubt that was a tough one for us," Quinn said. "That's a hard one in the locker room. No one place to put that mentally for us.

"But I'm proud of the fight that these guys have," added Quinn, admitting that his team "ran out of gas some" in the second half.

"I think at the end, when we go back and watch it tomorrow, for sure, there were things that we could have done different or played differently.

"I was impressed with how hard the guys fought and battled for it. That's why we're hurting so bad right now."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Calm before the Super Bowl storm for Patriots, Falcons

HOUSTON -- The New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons enjoyed an easy day ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl, paying separate visits to NRG Stadium on Saturday to get acclimated with the site of the title game.

Both teams wrapped up their final on-field practices on Friday in good health and optimistic about their chances of lifting the Lombardi Trophy as National Football League champions.

The Patriots held a final 90-minute session at the University of Houston, running drills at half-speed without shells or shoulder pads under their jerseys.

"We're ready to go," declared Patriots coach Bill Belichick, according to the pool report. "We've covered everything. We'll finish off our meetings and stuff, but we're done on the field."

The Patriots planned to walk around the NRG Stadium field to get used to the surroundings and take a team picture.

Belichick said the Patriots hoped to put a stop to the high-scoring Atlanta Falcons' streak of touchdowns on their first possession in eight successive games.

"They are a fast-starting team, offensively," Belichick said. "So we've got to do a good job of making sure we know what we're doing."

Quarterback Tom Brady had a typically sharp week of preparation, the coach said.

"He's been in these games and big games before. Each week is different, every defense is different, our plays are different, based on what the defenses are. He had a good week," said Belichick.

Brady, going after a record fifth crown among quarterbacks just as Belichick can register a record fifth title as a coach, has been emotional this week talking about his family as news emerged that his mother, Galynn, has battled an illness over the last 18 months.

Asked if his mother will be able to attend the game as initially planned, Brady said on Thursday: "I'm still hopeful. I'm not sure, but yeah, hopeful. That's a good word."

The Falcons, meanwhile, got a splendid red-zone performance from quarterback Matt Ryan in their chilly, breezy practice at Rice University, according to the pool report.

In some 20 minutes worth of plays from the 20-yard line and closer against a scout team defense, Ryan was perfect. Not one pass of his hit the ground.

"That's Matt," coach Dan Quinn said after the 80-minute practice. "I am so pumped for him, the way he has worked. It is not surprising the offense feels so good about the plan and has practiced so clean."

Red zone efficiency is near the top of Atlanta's to-do list as the Patriots have been especially stingy from inside the 20, leading the NFL in fewest points allowed.

Players nursing injuries, including center Alex Mack, star receiver Julio Jones and pass-rusher Dwight Freeney all practiced on a limited basis and were expected to play on Sunday.

The Falcons planned to tour the NRG Stadium field and locker room before returning to Rice for a final walk-through session.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Texans rip Raiders to advance in playoff opener

WASHINGTON -- Brock Osweiler threw for one touchdown and ran for another Saturday to spark the Houston Texans over the Oakland Raiders 27-14 in the opening game of the NFL playoffs.

Houston advanced to a second-round American Conference matchup next weekend at either New England or Kansas City, the exact opponent and date to be determined by the result of Sunday's Pittsburgh-Miami game.

The Detroit Lions were set to face the Seahawks in Seattle in a National Conference first-round playoff game later Saturday, the winner to meet either Dallas or Atlanta next weekend.

The Raiders, who managed their first winning campaign since 2002, were in their first playoff game since losing to Tampa Bay in that season's Super Bowl.


Oakland rookie Connor Cook became the first quarterback to make his first NFL start in a playoff game, forced into the role after star Derek Carr suffered a broken leg and replacement Matt McGloin suffered a shoulder injury.

The Texans, who hadn't won a playoff game in four years, had the fewest total season points of any playoff team since 2005, but their top-rated defensive unit was good enough to put them in the playoffs and provided an early spark after Houston's Nick Novak kicked a 50-yard field goal to open the scoring.

On Oakland's next possession, Houston's Jadeveon Clowney made his first NFL interception, tipping the ball twice before finally picking off a Cook pass and setting up the Texans at the Raiders 4-yard line.

On the next play, Lamar Miller ran around left end for a touchdown and Houston seized a 10-0 lead just 8:42 into the game.

The Raiders, who beat Houston 27-20 in a regular-season meeting, answered on a 2-yard touchdown run by Latavius Murray but Novak added a 38-yard field goal to put the Texans ahead 13-7.

- Solid second half -

Osweiler, who had been demoted but returned last week when replacement quarterback Tom Savage suffered a concussion, connected with DeAndre Hopkins on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 80 seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Texans a 20-7 half-time lead.

Houston entered the game 18-0 over the past three seasons when leading at half-time, 5-0 in the 2016 campaign, and stayed perfect with a solid second half.

What would have been a punt return touchdown for Houston late in the third quarter was wiped out by a penalty for running into the kicker against the Texans' Whitney Mercilus.

But Houston eventually did take possession near midfield and drive into the end zone, a 17-yard pass interference penalty against Oakland cornerback David Amerson setting up Osweiler's 1-yard touchdown run around right end.

The Raiders, who went 0-for-10 on third down conversion attempts over the first three quarters, responded with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown march, with Cook flipping an 8-yard scoring pass to Andre Holmes and Oakland pulling within 27-14 with 8:10 remaining.

The Raiders had the ball twice more but each possession ended with Cook throwing an interception, pickoffs by Corey Moore and A.J. Bouye ending Oakland's final hope and keeping Houston in contention to become the first team to play a Super Bowl in their own home stadium.

source: news.abs-cbn.com