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Associated Press

Well, Atlanta, there’s nothing left to say.
The city once known as “Loserville” was cruising towards its first Super Bowl championship, leading Tom Brady and the mighty New England Patriots by 25 points. TWENTY-FIVE!
Back in Atlanta, the city was all ready to bust loose in a celebration like no other, seemingly assured of finally putting to rest its history of sports flops.
Then, it happened. The greatest flop of them all. This one will take a long, long time to get over.

Brady engineered a stunning comeback, guiding the Patriots to a pair of touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions that sent the Super Bowl to overtime for the first time.
At that point, it was a mere formality. The Patriots won the coin toss. Of course. The Patriots drove right down the field for the championship-winning touchdown. Of course.
The final score: New England 34, Atlanta 28. This one will go down as one of the greatest title games in NFL history. That’s little consolation to Atlanta.
Heroic Tom Brady leads New England Patriots to thrilling Super Bowl win after record comeback
In the A-T-L, this will join the Braves blowing a 6-0 lead in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series, the Hawks squandering a chance to eliminate Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in the 1988 NBA play-offs, Danny White leading the Dallas Cowboys back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Falcons in a 1981 play-off game.

But, really, nothing comes close to this level of sporting disappointment.
The Falcons spent two and a half quarters playing with the swagger and confidence of a team that wasn’t the least bit concerned about their city’s history.
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Even in the closing minutes, after the Patriots made a game of it, Atlanta were in position to put the victory away when Julio Jones made a stunning catch along the sideline, going to rip the ball away from a defender and somehow getting both feet down before tumbling out of bounds at the New England 22.
With under five minutes remaining and the Falcons still up 28-20, all they needed to do was run three more plays and set up for a field goal by Pro Bowl kicker Matt Bryant that would finally put the Patriots away.

Devonta Freeman was thrown for a one-yard loss, but that was OK. But then, instead of another run, Ryan dropped back to pass.
He was thrown for a 12-yard loss and, just like that, the Falcons were on the fringe of Bryant’s range.
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Any hope for a field goal was lost when Jake Matthews was called for a holding penalty that set Atlanta back another 10 yards.
Ryan followed with an incomplete pass, and the Falcons were forced to punt it back to Brady and a Patriots team that was suddenly brimming with bravado.

It wasn’t the least bit shocking when they marched right down the field, 91 yards, for James White’s short touchdown run.
It wasn’t the least bit shocking when Brady hooked up with Danny Amendola on a two-point pass that tied the game with 57 seconds remaining.
It wasn’t the least bit shocking when the Falcons, without any timeouts, failed to muster anything on their final offensive possession.
It wasn’t the least bit shocking when the Patriots won the toss and drove down the field one more time, 75 yards in just eight plays, and finished off the Falcons with a two-yard touchdown run.
The city of Atlanta had seen it all before.


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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan walks off the field after losing the Super Bowl. Photo: AFP

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) leaves the field at the end of the game as the Atlanta Falcons meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Patriots beat the Falcons in overtime 34-28. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)

Atlanta Falcons fan CJ Scott hangs his head in his hands at Taco Mac restaurant in Atlanta after watching on television the New England Patriots beat Atlanta in the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game being played in Houston, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. The Patriots won 34-28 in overtime. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the post-game ceremony for Super Bowl LI after the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/TNS)

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 05: James White #28 of the New England Patriots scores the game winning touchdown in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Heroic Tom Brady leads New England Patriots to thrilling Super Bowl win after record comeback

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Julian Edelman celebrate their Super Bowl 51 win over Atlanta Falcons. Photo: USA Today

New England Patriots' Tom Brady calls for a two-point conversion during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

New England Patriots' Duron Harmon makes a catch over New England Patriots' Kyle Van Noy, during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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City once known as “Loserville” cruising towards its first NFL championship before Tom Brady engineers stunning comeback in Houston
