Re-read everything I ever wrote about the NFL manipulating games. Jesus that was something else. Ref watching Sanu getting a double facemask - dude had his mask and a hand inside the back of his helmet, no flag, side judge was literally less than 10 feet away. Flag after flag after flag against the Falcons, every single one a call that is made some of the time, and missed some of the time, and nothing on New England, when the penalties are obvious - face masks, chop blocks, etc. Falcons DBs getting called for every re-direct grab or hand check, almost as if the refs were trying to get the team getting blown out back into the game. GEE I WONDER WHY THEY'D DO THAT?
I think casual fans, which are like, 95% of fans, have no concept of how improbably rare a 25 point comeback in 23 minutes is. It doesn't happen in 1 of every 100 games, or even 1 in every 500. If you don't think the NFL uses really ambiguously worded, subjective rules to control scoring in order to make games closer and more watchable (read: because money) then you have to believe in the supernatural. Because **** just doesn't randomly shake out like that. Couple years ago Baltimore was beating the brakes off San Fran, and all of a sudden some magical chicanery happens. Amazing.