Atlanta Falcons
Super Bowl LI: Madden 17 simulation
Atlanta Falcons

Super Bowl LI: Madden 17 simulation

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:23 p.m. ET

If this game is any indication of what is to come on Sunday, then we’ve got one of the great Super Bowls in history coming. 

I honestly don’t have a dog in the fight that is Super Bowl LI, the Falcons and Patriots gives me a chance to watch the game as a fan for the first time in a while. Now, who will I pick? Well, after trying to figure this out for the last week I’ve come up with my answer. I’m letting Madden 17 decided my pick.

This can only end terribly right? Well, here we go…. *fires up Xbox One*

1st Quarter

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-Patriots put together a solid first drive of the game but the Falcons force the Patriots to kick a short field goals after failing to get in the end zone. (Patriots 3-0)

Falcons get deep into New England territory after a solid run from Devonta Freeman and he ends up capping off the drive for the first TD of Super Bowl LI from one yard out. (Falcons 7-3)

Patriots having success with the run and pass in the first quarter, Blount is becoming a huge problem and Brady finished the first quarter converting 7-of-8 pass attempts for 70 yards. The first stanza of Super Bowl LI ends with the Patriots at the 1-yard line of the Atlanta Falcons.

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) runs toward Miami Dolphins cornerback Tony Lippett (36) during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

2nd Quarter

-Blount force trauma begins the second quarter a LeGarrette Blount adds to his already impressive first half with a touchdown to give New England the lead once again. (Patriots 10-7)

New England forces the first punt of Super Bowl LI after they almost pick off Matt Ryan’s pass attempt on 3rd and 8. New England struggles to capitalize on extending their lead after Atlanta stops them on 3rd and 2, forcing the Patriots to punt for the first time in the game.

-A big pass play from Matt Ryan to Muhammad Sanu is called back due to a hold on Atlanta, the first penalty (a big one too) of the Super Bowl. This penalty would lead to one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl LI because on the very next play, Matt Ryan launches a bomb to Julio Jones from 67 yards out for the score. (Falcons 14-10)

-Tom Brady has been fantastic so far, going 9-of-10 for 101 yards passing. On 4th and 1 with a little under five minutes remaining in the first half, the Patriots attempt a 49-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski but it is no good.

-Ryan and Jones hook up once again for a big gain but not for a score. However the Falcons do get some points on the board thanks to a Matt Bryant kick from 33 yards out. (Falcons 17-10)

The second quarter fireworks continue with a Dion Lewis kick return for 95 yards to give New England a golden opportunity to score from the one yard line but New England gets stoned at the goal line and is forced to kick another three points. A huge win for the Falcons, considering what happened just a few plays before (Falcons 17-13)

-The highlight to end the first half is Chris Long sacking Matt Ryan for the first real mistake by either quarterback in the game.

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Recording artist Lady Gaga performs the national anthem before Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Halftime Show and Stats 

Lady Gaga runs through a medley of her greatest hits and performs a duet with her friend and legendary crooner Tony Bennett. They perform the Jackie DeShannon classic, “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and then the lights go dark and then..

Boom! Migos comes out of nowhere to a shocked and surprised NRG Stadium crowd and they tear the house down as they all rock Deion Sanders  Atlanta Falcons throwbacks. The halftime show ends up being one of the most talked about halftime shows in a long time, but for good things.

(Look, it probably wont happen but I really, really, want it to. Let me have this dammit)

First Half Stats

Total Offense

New England-197

Atlanta-209

Rushing Yards

New England-Blount (18 Carries, 68 Yards, 1 TD), Lewis (4 Carries, 10 yards)

Atlanta-Freeman (13 Carries, 42 Yards, 1 TD), Coleman (5 Carries, 14 Yards)

Passing Yards

New England-Brady (10 of 13, 118 yards)

Atlanta-Ryan (9 of 10, 116 Yards, 1 TD)

First Downs

New England-10

Atlanta-9

3rd Down Conversions

New England-3/7 (42%)

Atlanta-1/3 (33%)

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots place kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) kicks a field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3rd Quarter

-The Falcons kick off the second half picking up where they left off in the first, another big pass play from Ryan to Jones on third down and they’d do it again with a 34-yard pass that put them inside the New England 5-yard line. That play would eventually lead to Matt Ryan’s 2nd TD of the game, this time to rookie Josh Perkins and extending the Falcons lead. (Falcons 24-13)

-New England is forced to attempt another long field goal from Gostkowski, this time from 54 yards out and he misses again, this time the ball hits the the upright adding a sting to an already painful night.

-Another big play the the Falcons is brought back thanks to another holding call, the Falcons can’t convert on 3rd and 15 and forced to punt.

-Atlanta’s defense comes up big again, after a long 10-plus play drive the Falcons stop the Patriots and force another field goal attempt. This time Gostkowski converts and New England is within one score of the Falcons with a little over a minute remaining in the third Quarter. (Falcons 24-16)

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) runs the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

4th Quarter

-Matt Bryant’s 55-yard field goal attempt goes wide left at the last minute keeping it a one score game with 14:52 remaining.

-The Patriots strike in a big way thanks to a Tom Brady swing pass to Dion Lewis goes for 55 yards for the touchdown. The Patriots attempt a two point conversion that would tie the game and they come up short. (Falcons 24-22)

-A turnover! Matt Ryan is intercepted by Dont’a Hightower and the Patriots have new life.

-And New England takes the lead thanks to a 34-yard pass from Brady to Edelman, the fifth lead change of the ballgame. Super Bowl LI is starting to get pretty crazy. (Patriots 29-24)

-Atlanta takes the lead back, sixth lead change of the game. Matt Ryan to Tevin Coleman from three yards out and they convert the two point play. We’ve got 7:33 left in the ballgame, a long way to go and we’ve passed the over/under for total points in the game. (Falcons 32-29)

-After forcing New England to punt, the Atlanta Falcons break Super Bowl LI open with a Devonta Freeman rushing touchdown from 76 yards out, making that the longest rushing TD in Super Bowl history. (Falcons 39-29)

-New England’s issues in the red zone continue, a false start pushes them back and another failure to convert on another third down forces the Patriots to kick another field goal. (Falcons 39-32)

-In a very interesting move, New England decided to kick off instead of going with an onside kick and put the pressure on it’s defense to make a big stop.

-New England struggles to contain Devonta Freeman and the Falcons end up running out the clock and capping off one of the more entertaining Super Bowls in a long time. Your final score, Atlanta defeats New England 39-32.

MVP: Devonta Freeman (26 Carries, 174 Yards, 2 TDs)

One of the biggest reasons Atlanta finished off New England, add in scoring the longest rushing TD in Super Bowl history to break the game wide open, yep Freeman deserves the MVP of Super Bowl LI.

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