Heartbreaking collapse, but a super future within reach for Falcons

ATLANTA — In the end, the inarguable (at this point) greatest quarterback in NFL history was the one who led his team to rise up when it mattered most.

Being the victims of the largest Super Bowl collapse in history, not to mention being the owners of the biggest 4th quarter collapse in NFL playoff history (New England was the first team in 94 tries to overcome a deficit of at least 19 points in the final quarter of a playoff game) will be a hard pill to swallow for a long time.

However, the Falcons put the rest of the league on notice that their future is bright.

Although the Falcons were the oldest team in the NFL (average age: 27.08 years at the start of the season), 24 of the players on the active roster are 25 years of age or younger.  They started seven players in their first or second seasons out of college.  That number includes Grady Jarrett, who introduced himself to the world by tying a Super Bowl record with three sacks; and a trio of rookies on defense, two of whom led the team in tackles (Deion Jones had 108, Keanu Neal had 106.  De'Vondre Campbell was the other rookie starter).

Atlanta has the league's most valuable player, who at 31 years old (Matt Ryan will turn 32 in May) is in the prime of his career. Its most dangerous weapon, Julio Jones, just turned 28 this month; and the two-headed monster in the backfield, Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman and the speedy, shifty Tevin Coleman are just finishing their 3rd and 2nd seasons in the league, respectively.

Robert Alford became a better player on one corner; so did Jalen Collins.  Head coach Dan Quinn prepared an undrafted rookie in Brian Poole to help a secondary that many people forget lost a Pro Bowler from last year in Desmond Trufant, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9.

Yet they made it all the way to a place where no one thought they would.  Sure, the sting of losing a 25-point lead in the Super Bowl will linger.  But judging from this team's leadership, so will its resolve.

The hard part is this: every team changes.

This 2016 NFC championship team will never be the same again.

The man who steered the 8th-highest scoring offense in NFL history, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, will leave to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Fifteen-year veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney is unsure of a return for a 16th season and there are numerous free agents that may or may not re-sign with the Falcons.

That's why sports are great.  It's also why it can hurt so much when there is an outcome such as this.

Even if the Falcons were bringing that Vince Lombardi Trophy back to Atlanta, the most important part of it all was the journey to reach the sport's biggest stage.  Hopefully every player and member of the organization will remember that.  Because their journey was also the fan base's.  And they gave this town one thrilling ride.

Cox Media Group