The Falcons made a lot of mistakes while blowing a 25-point lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday. They also caught a really bad break on New England's game-tying drive in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback Robert Alford tipped Tom Brady’s pass intended for Julian Edelman. The ball bounced high in the air and landed amid a tangle of arms belonging to Edelman and two Falcons defenders, plus one of Alford’s legs.
Somehow, the ball didn’t teetered on Alford’s foot and didn’t touch the ground. Edelman corralled it for a 23-yard catch to the Falcons’ 41-yard line. The Patriots went on to score a TD and two-point conversion to force overtime and won it in the extra period.
“I couldn’t believe that he caught it,” Alford said. “It was a nice bat by me. I hit the ground I was trying everything in my will to get back up and at least make a play on it. I thought that (Ricardo Allen) or one of my (other) brothers would get it. They was all battling for it but Edelman came down with it.”
Falcons coach Dan Quinn challenged the catch and, as replay official reviewed the play, Alford said he watched the replay on the stadium video board.
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“(The ball) was laying up on my foot and I was like, ‘Ah, I just wish I could have moved my foot or something like that,’ ” he said. “But God makes things happen for a reason.”
Alford had an 82-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter.
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