As Super Bowl week rolls on, NFL.com's reporters get you up to speed with the hottest news and notes about the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots as they get set to do battle in Houston, including:
» Julio Jones thinks back to a big decision.
» What the Falcons learned from NBA teams.
But first, a veteran defender faces an old foe yet again ...
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HOUSTON -- Dwight Freeney left the AFC, but he can't escape the Patriots. The organization that often stood in his way from reaching the Super Bowl as a member of the Indianapolis Colts now stands in the way of a storybook coda to his career.
"Yeah, it's funny," Freeney said with a laugh about facing yet another Patriots team, this time as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. "It's like I keep seeing you guys and you're not going away. Leave me alone. It's been a great journey to this point. And they have been a thorn in my side for the majority of it."
Super Bowl week often turns into Legacy Week. With the hot Cratosslot takes largely centering around the greatest coach and greatest quarterback of all time, Freeney's incredible journey has been lost in the shuffle. But he's possibly the best pass rusher of his generation, making plays with a rare combination of speed and power since teammates like Julio Jones were just kids.
"That spin move, you can't forget it," Jones said of watching Freeney's early career on television.
At 36 years old, Freeney was the best pass rusher on the field during the NFC Championship Game. It shouldn't be such a surprise, because he was even better late last season with Arizona. But Freeney's impact goes beyond the three QB hits and six QB hurries he's produced in two playoff games. He says he feels a "responsibility" to help younger Falcons like Vic Beasley Jr. follow his career path. Beasley was 9 years old when Freeney was selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
"Oh, I remember watching him play and taking out quarterbacks all the time," Beasley said. "He's been in a Super Bowl before. He's won it. ... He always tells us enjoy this moment but don't make it bigger than what it is."
Freeney follows his own advice. He won't entertain the possibility of a Michael Strahan-like ending to his career, cementing a Hall of Fame jacket by retiring with another Super Bowl title. Freeney knows the pain of losing the Super Bowl, too, and he knows better than any Falcons player how difficult it is to take down the Patriots.
"Year 15, and I'm still seeing these guys here," Freeney said. "I still have to worry about Tom Brady. It's kind of like ... haven't we had enough battles over the years?"
-- Gregg Rosenthal
"I didn't know where I was going," Jones insisted Wednesday. "I woke that morning. I was like (sigh) 'OK.' I had my five envelopes, just moving them around. I was like, I don't know where I'm going to go. But then I just thought, why not stay in Alabama? People that were supporting me over the years, if I go somewhere too far, they aren't going to be able to see me play. ... I was going to go to Auburn, but I just didn't like Auburn. They left a bad taste in my mouth."
A lot of college football fans couldn't believe Jones' claim, especially because his recruiting was built up with months of anticipation. But perhaps Julio shares with me a lifelong appreciation for procrastination. Some of the very best decisions in life are made at the very last minute.
-- Gregg Rosenthal
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How the Falcons got their rookie defenders ready. One of the biggest points of discussion entering Super Bowl LI has been the Falcons' four rookies on defense: starting safety Keanu Neal, starting linebackers Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell and key rotational corner Brian Poole. Any concerns should be tempered by the fact that Atlanta is in the Super Bowl in large part because of the caliber of play of this quartet.
General manager Thomas Dimitroff shared some insight with me on not only why Neal, Jones, Campbell and Poole are where they are, but how they got there.
First, upon being hired two years ago, Falcons coach Dan Quinn told Dimitroff and staffers that players will earn playing roles, and if they're rookies, so be it. Quinn said Wednesday that these rookies "earned" their jobs.
Dimitroff also said that he, Quinn and other staffers had conversations with San Antonio Spurs GM R.C. Buford and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr about player development. Those highly successful leaders of NBA champions shared some thoughts, especially how to incorporate young players with veterans and to train them to compete, Dimitroff said.
That carried to the field. From Day 1, the team's younger players stayed at least 15 to 20 minutes after every practice with their position coaches, Dimitroff said. Linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich and secondary coach Marquand Manuel pushed players to be ready.
"It was about understanding technique so we could play faster," Jones said. "It helped us get a better grasp on the defense, to help us understand."
While this was taking place, those assistants and Quinn were also working on the players' confidence. Dimitroff said Quinn got the young defenders believing in themselves to the point where there is no fear with regard to anything they do, which team they are facing or which players they are confronting.
"These guys walk around with so much confidence," Dimitroff said. "You see that shows up on the field."
Think about where Quinn came from, the Seattle Seahawks, and the confidence the players there show on and off the field. While Quinn said the Falcons are developing their identity, the attitude adjusting could be similar.
-- Steve Wyche
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