HOUSTON—Wearing a sharp suit and colorful tie, Kyle Shanahan got his most difficult head coach audition, yet.
As the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator, Shanahan’s unit was half responsible for the worst collapse in Super Bowl history, blowing a 28-3, third quarter lead in losing to the New England Patriots, 34-28, in overtime, here Sunday night at NRG Stadium.
Shanahan was caught in play-calling purgatory. No one ever complains about a 28-3 lead, but it does put an offensive play caller in the contradictory roles of time management but staying aggressive so his team can keep the ball, and therefore eat up time.
“There’s always a fine line with it,’’ Shanahan said. “I thought we got a little bit stale a little bit. We got a couple three-and-outs. We got a couple second-and-1s on those three-and-outs.’’
Lose a game like that and there will be second guessing until the history books are lost in the archives.
“That’s every game,’’ Shanahan said. “You look at everything. Look at what happened, look at what you could have done different. Wish we could have ran more plays, but … you give the ball back to Tom Brady too much, that’s usually what happens.’’
Over and over, Shanahan kept referring to the sack and holding call on back-to-back plays late in the fourth quarter that turned a makeable field goal try and certain victory into a punt that gave Brady another chance to become a hero as the New England quarterback.
Give Shanahan credit. He remained composed and straightforward while never expressing agitation as he was forced to relive his team’s second-half nightmare.
It was also his final moment with the Falcons. Shanahan will leave to become the San Francisco 49ers’ new head coach, as soon as Monday night.
The disappointment of blowing a 25-point lead will be his final, and most lasting feeling with Atlanta.
“I don’t know, it’s the first time I’ve had this feeling,’’ Shanahan said. “I think it’s tough for everybody. It’s as tough as it gets. It’s not just me, it’s everybody in our organization.’’
