Brady, Patriots advance to Ryan, Falcons

Tom Brady and The New England Patriots will advance to Superbowl 51 playing Matt Ryan and The Atlanta Falcons. Talk about a Sunday evening beatdown.

The two best teams from each conference have moved on. There is no doubt in my mind The Patriots are the best team in the American Football Conference. Was there any doubt? Yes Pittsburgh looked decent. Yet have the ever won in Gillette Stadium during the playoffs? The last time The Steelers beat The Patriots was 1998. 

The Patriots did what they do. Score points, not make mistakes, took what the defense gave them, and forced Pittsburgh to beat them with guys not named Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell. Bell went down in the second quarter with a strained groin. Brown never got going. He ran into Patriot double teams early and often. If he wasn't double covered in his route, he was chipped at the line. He almost never got a free release, forcing Ben Roethlisberger to rely on guys like Jesse James, Eli Rogers and others. James came up half a yard short of the goal line. Rogers lost a key fumble putting the Patriots a mere 30 yards away from the end zone. This is classic Bill Belichick football. It's a winning formula. 

On the other side of the ball The Patriots offense looked as versatile as it's ever been. If Dion Lewis wasn't catching passes out of the backfield, it LaGarrett Blount was running the ball right down Pittsburgh's throat. If it wasn't Chirs Hogan (9 Receptions, 180 yards, 2 TD's) it was Julian Edelman (8 Receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD). Brady was rarely pressured and was able to keep the pressure on Pittsburgh by converting 11/17 third down's. Simply going for 17 third downs depicts how well New England was able to move the ball. The video below is emblematic of the team effort put in by The Patriots. 

The Patriots had everything going. Brady had time, the running game worked when they needed it, and guys stepped up making key catches all over the place. The Patriots often caught Pittsburgh subbing personnel in and out, utilizing Lewis and Blount to create mismatches in the secondary. When the Pats are getting plays like this, you know you're in for a bad day. 

The craziest part about the Patriots offense is there are more dimensions lying in wait. Putting Lewis and James White in the backfield. Blount and Lewis in the backfield. Edelman and Lewis in the backfield. End around's with Martellus Bennett. Josh McDaniel's deserves credit for calling a great game; he'll never get it with Brady making plays and Belichick's shadow looming large as ever.

James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

As far as coaches on the other side, Pittsburgh looked ready to play initially. They stopped the Pats, scrapped their way to a field goal, and were down one possession going into half time and they were receiving the ball coming out of half. Pittsburgh was getting some plays from guys like Owens and James. But what they really needed was Brown to break the game open. Or Bell to rip of a 20 yard run. It's a shame Bell was injured. I've been critical of Mike Tomlin before but I thought the Steelers looked as good as can be expected. I think New England is simply on another level. It's tough to win in Foxborough, especially when Brady looked as sharp as he ever has in his illustrious career. 

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Brady made the game entertaining but as a fan of football I was hoping for more. After the Falcons stomped Green Bay I was hoping this would be a classic AFC shoot-out barn burner, whoever has the ball last wins the game. Vegas guessed this New England Pittsburgh game would be decided by a touchdown or less. I wish that was the case. Oh well, I've picked every post season game correctly this year. At least there's that. 

NFL

AFC East

New England Patriots

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Written by

John Bernardo

Sports Writer

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