Super Bowl LI: 5 Things the 49ers Can Learn from the Falcons and Patriots

Both the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots square off in Super Bowl LI, and the San Francisco 49ers can learn some valuable lessons from each team in Sunday’s bout.

Jan 31, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Patriots quarterback Tom Brady answers a question during the New England Patriots media session at the JW Marriott Galleria. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers are anything but close to another Super Bowl victory. But that doesn’t mean the process to get No. 6 can’t begin right now.

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A major part of that process will be learning lessons from both the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, who will be squaring off Sunday in Super Bowl LI from Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Hopeful steps along that process have already started. The Niners have already brought in John Lynch as general manager, and they’re set to officially hire Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan as head coach.

San Francisco also has a ton of cap space and owns the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

It’s a good start. But that’s it.

Looking at how both the Patriots and Falcons got here will be another crucial element for a team in a complete rebuild. The Niners won’t get to a Super Bowl overnight. But we know the parity of the NFL, and it’s not out of the question to envision the 49ers competing for an NFL championship three or four years down the road.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five key lessons San Francisco can learn from both New England and Atlanta.

No. 5: Turnarounds Can Be Quick

It’s not surprising to see New England in yet another Super Bowl. The Patriots are a dynasty and have been contenders since the early 2000s.

But the Falcons are another story.

In 2013 and 2014, Atlanta went 4-12 and 6-10, respectively, under former head coach Mike Smith. The Falcons were bad, although they certainly had more pieces in place than the 49ers do now.

Then former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn came in and changed things in 2015. Atlanta went 8-8 that year, and it wasn’t too hard to see the franchise was moving in the right direction.

Quinn ushered in a new culture — yes, Jed York, we heard you — and brought a championship-caliber mindset, likely from Quinn’s days in Seattle, that permeated throughout what was a scuffling Falcons team.

HIs second season? Well, Atlanta is in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco’s road may be a bit longer. But with Kyle Shanahan one game away from a Super Bowl ring of his own, the Niners may be that much closer to reaching a sixth Lombardi trophy.

Sep 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson (82) catches a pass as he is tackled by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Tank Carradine (95) and cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: Dominate the Division

Consider this — the Falcons went 5-1 in the NFC South (their only divisional loss coming in Week 1 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and the Patriots also went 5-1 in the AFC East (their only divisional loss coming in Week 4 to the Buffalo Bills).

Sure, teams can catch fire down the stretch and enter as a wild card, riding that momentum to a Super Bowl win. But winning, heck, dominating one’s own division is another crucial element.

One could make the argument a tougher division makes for a tougher champion, based on the competition alone. Iron sharpens iron, right?

This would have been the case for the 49ers a few years ago. But the NFC West is nothing like it used to be. The Los Angeles Rams aren’t in a much better situation than the Niners. The Seahawks don’t look anywhere near as invincible. And who knows what will happen with veterans Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald, as a downward-trending Arizona Cardinals team tries to regain momentum.

It could be a break for San Francisco moving forward. A road to a divisional championship might be a bit easier now, which should hopefully allow for a team needing to learn how to win.

Jan 15, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York poses for a photo in the locker room after a press conference for the introduction of Jim Tomsula (not pictured) as the head coach at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3: Good Ownership Counts

The Falcons have Arthur Blank as a principal owner, and he’s one of the more respected NFL executives in the league.

And the Patriots have Robert Kraft, who has allowed his franchise flourish in historic fashion.

Sure, Jed York is the 49ers CEO and not exactly an owner, even though he tried convincing the media he was in January. One can’t fire an owner, right?

No. “Owners” can’t be fired. But they can change and learn.

Just take a look at what David Steele of SportingNews.com wrote back in 2015:

The 49ers aren’t unlucky. They didn’t guess wrong on this player or that. Their young quarterback “regressing” isn’t the problem. Jed York let the franchise crumble.

And crumble it has. This has to be rock-bottom. It can’t get worse. If it is, then the NFL might need to find a hidden by-law, or vote one in, to shove York out.

York might have learned his lesson.

Gone is former general manager Trent Baalke. He was a part of the problem. A big one. And York is done with the quick fixes and odd moves that were little more than a bandage.

Instead, York might have actually gotten this offseason right — clearing house and bringing aboard the likes of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, and giving them six-year deals to ensure security. Fans won’t see another one-and-done in 2018.

Just remember, even former Niners owner Eddie DeBartolo had his growing pains when he first took over the franchise in the late 1970s.

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: The NFL Draft Is Important, Important, Important

Good teams aren’t build via free agency. They’re build through the NFL Draft and supplemented by free-agent pickups, even the big ones.

San Francisco has plenty of cap space this offseason, and John Lynch will be wise to use it… wisely.

But here are some stats for you.

Out of 53 players on both the Falcons and Patriots‘ rosters, respectively, the overwhelming majority of impact players were either drafted by New England or Atlanta or signed as undrafted free agents.

Yes, there are some free-agent acquisitions. But few of these are core players, although one could make the argument Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan has been a jewel of a find.

San Francisco has the No. 2 overall pick and as many as 11 selections in the upcoming NFL Draft. Top-five picks rarely come around, so this needs to be a home-run prospect landing in Santa Clara. But the slot is also important in subsequent rounds too.

In Round 2, there are likely to be a few projected-first rounders slipping to the 49ers at No. 34 overall. The same goes for subsequent rounds. And that helps.

So the pressure is on for John Lynch, but it’s certainly a doable process.

Dec 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) changes the play during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Falcons defeated the Panthers 33-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1: Having a Franchise Quarterback Helps

Well, that should go without saying.

The Falcons have quarterback Matt Ryan, who will likely wind up being the league’s MVP this season. And the Patriots have Tom Brady under center, who needs no introduction. He’s a Hall of Famer in the works, putting the finishing touches on his storied career.

Think about the conference championship-losing QBs too — Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. They’re likely Hall of Famers too.

Notice the trend?