Analyzing what you've Read and Heard

With two weeks between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl the media is given an extra week to find all sorts of stories, connections, similarities and disparities between the teams.

Sometimes it can be too much time and the media over analyzes something of no significance while also finding some interesting tidbits of information that is actually worth noting.

Below is the best of what the internet and media had to offer, and whether or not it means anything [this post will be updated as new storylines emerge]

Kyle Shanahan's offense against Bill Belichick has scored 34 points in a win with the Texans and 27 points in a loss with the Redskins

The two games were quarterbacked by Matt Shaubb and Rex Grossman, which is impressive to think those mundane, mostly mediocre, quarterbacks scored as many points as they did.

But because the years were 2009 and 2011, meaning that most of the New England defense has been replaced since then - I thought it didn't mean much at first.

But then I read a piece from The Ringer on Shanahan's development as an offensive guru, and it had me not only a believer in his offense, but his ability to attack defenses with creativity and timing.

Summed up: Shanahan puts his offensive weapons in positions to sneak behind the defense, he calls plays to set up the next play and he's an instinctual play caller. In the article, former players rave that his offense works because of the confidence in every play's ability.

While Belichick will probably go down as the NFL's greatest game planner ever, Shanahan is on the brink of becoming the NFL's next great play caller with a win against the formerly mentioned game planner.

"Teams that have 14 wins & #1 Scoring Defense are 5-0 in Super Bowl" vs. "Last six Quarterbacks to have seven touchdowns and zero interceptions have won Super Bowl & Super Bowl MVP"

Something's gotta give, someone's gonna be the first in their category to lose. Because I debunked the Pats inflated top defensive scoring statistic below, you've gotta side with the hot hand at the quarterback position.

The Texans defense did a better job of flustering Brady into two interceptions better than any defense all season, because they collapsed the pocket getting around the edge and pushing the middle. New England will have it's hands full defending the Falcons pressure, because they can let the dogs off the leash and get after Brady - forcing turnovers.

Also, if you look at the group of recent quarterbacks who have thrown 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions - they're quarterbacks that defeated former Super Bowl champions. Flacco, Wilson, Rodgers and Brees were the catalyst behind their teams and the reasons they won which bodes well because in the NFL a traditional buzzsaw quarterback (who doesn't dab after first downs) usually beats the best defense.

Tom Brady's has more Super Bowl Experience than the entire Falcons roster, and more playoff wins than 26 NFL teams

Means absolutely nothing. Tom Brady lost a Super Bowl to Eli Manning in his first big game, and there might be goosebumps that most players have to fight off but after kickoff it won't happen.

Bray has already lost a big game trophy to a first time quarterback (Eli Manning) and in the last 20 Super Bowls, first time starting QBs are 4-5 against experienced QBs - making it a toss-up. These playoffs have proved that Ryan has finally fended off the demons that haunted him in previous playoffs. Sure there will be goosebumps, but with a formidable defense finally behind him and a truly balanced offense at his disposal, getting acclimated to the lights and the stage will be easier than most first year quarterbacks.

The Falcons tied for 8th in NFL points scored during a season with the 2000 "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams - a team the Patriots beat for their first Super Bowl. Coincidence?

Not really of much significance, it's a cool historical nugget but won't mean much come February 5th because Tom Brady is the only one on the roster from that game, and he's a completely different quarterback on completely different teams in a game that will have completely different rules.

The Patriots played the Rams earlier in that season, so game-planning against the offense that torched them late in the season was easier to prepare for than playing a team you haven't seen since 2012. Also, Belicheck sent Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law to maul Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce which hadn't been done much before that game. Belicheck also employed the nickel-defense a lot in that game, which at the time was unusual but now is common place for NFL defenses.

The Patriots also chipped, hit and disrupted Marshall Faulk every snap and the Rams abandoned the run way too early and it cost them the game. It won't mean much when facing the Falcons, but could be an interesting full-circle story should the Patriots win.

Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitrov were disciples of Bill Belicheck during his years in Cleveland and New England

This won't be significant in the game on the field, but it is very intriguing that the Belicheck tree spread it's branches to Atlanta. Dimitrov and Pioli learned an immense amount from Bill, both in Cleveland & New England, and installed the system and team structure in Atlanta.

There was one story that Belicheck advised Dimitrov to not trade up for Alabama standout wide receiver Julio Jones, which luckily he ignored and made it happen.

There's also another story floating around that Tom Brady inspired the Falcons to draft Matt Ryan:

“I remember we were flying West to San Francisco to work some players out, watching some video,” Dimitroff said Wednesday. “It was funny, it hadn’t quite dawned on me this way before, but I swear to God, I looked out the window and there was this amazing sunset shining through the clouds, and I looked down at the video I was watching. And I saw the ‘12’ on Matt’s back (Ryan wore 12 at BC), and I immediately started thinking about Tom Brady. And it was like, this is a no-brainer, this is what we have to do.

“You’re always looking for confirmation. That was a fun moment for me, like, what are we doing? We’re overthinking this. And [then-coach Mike Smith] and I talked about it and said no question, 100 percent, this is our guy.”

As for this connection, both considering your experience with a former employer and ignoring the sage advice of a colleague, worked out for the Falcons as both players are the focal points in the offense.

Eight of the last nine Super Bowl Champions wore white jerseys

Means absolutely nothing and should be of zero concern. Pure coincidence and nothing more than that.

Seven times in Super Bowl history the number one Scoring Offense faced the number one Scoring Defense, in which the highest scoring defense team is 6-1

This would be of some significance if the Patriots' top scoring defense wasn't the most inflated statistic in all of football this season. The Patriots had the easiest schedule in the NFL this season, facing some of the league's bottom of the barrel quarterbacks.

This defense is most reminiscent of the 2009 Colts. They were good enough to set up the offense and capitalized on turnovers, but there was nothing uniquely special about them or their ability. Oddly enough, the 2009 Super Bowl is the last time the top scoring offense won a Super Bowl.

The Patriots traded away both Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, their only premiere pass rushers off the edge. Those two players would've given the Falcons fits off the edge (even though Schraeder and Matthews are both very capable tackles) but without them, Matt Ryan should have as much time as he did in the Green Bay game to find targets streaking across the field.

The only thing that is worrisome about the New England defense is the man behind the game plan getting two weeks to prepare for this Falcons offense. Belicheck will have a unique plan to attack Atlanta that they haven't seen before - much like he did with St. Louis and other opponents - but Atlanta's offense is so diverse and balanced it could be too tall of a task.