They figured to give the Broncos a much better game, especially considering running back Terrell Davis was playing with a sore groin muscle and tight end Shannon Sharpe tore a knee ligament early on and did not return. The Falcons could not have asked for a better situation.

But something happened. The team that became one of the best stories in the league, a team that had shown the cool, killer instincts of a champion against the San Francisco 49ers and the Vikings in the playoffs, did not have its mental edge against Denver. The Falcons got inside Denver's 30-yard line seven times, but managed only two field goals and a touchdown. During the regular season, Atlanta scored 27 touchdowns and 14 field goals in 46 chances inside the red zone. Of the five missed chances, four were the Falcon quarterback taking a knee to end the game.

Many of Atlanta's problems had to do with the Broncos, of course. Coach Mike Shanahan threw things at the Falcons they were not expecting, and quarterback John Elway was a dazzling 18 of 29 for 336 yards. Denver's defense sacked Chandler twice and intercepted him three times. No doubt, the Broncos were better.

But were they more than two touchdowns better? The Falcons say no, and privately they pointed to several distractions in addition to Robinson's arrest.

Falcon players interviewed said the fact that families were allowed to travel and stay with the team -- something few teams allow -- was a novel idea, but proved to be a major distraction in some cases. Some Falcons were inundated with requests from family members for things like tickets and hotel rooms. By comparison, families were not allowed to stay with Bronco players.

''Your family is going to become really important,'' Robinson said before the game. ''Everybody in your family is going to want your time. They're going to bug you for everything, and you have to realize the distraction and make sure you get your work in.''

Robinson bluntly said after the game, ''Having families in the hotel became a hassle to some guys.''