Kyle Shanahan built the NFL's top-scoring offense in Atlanta this season, but says the Super Bowl will bring a challenge unlike the Falcons have seen.

The New England Patriots have the league's top scoring defense, giving up only 15.6 points per game.

"That blows my mind that people would be doing that,'' Shanahan said when asked about some of the criticism of the Patriots' unit. "It's the best defense that we've seen in the NFL this year. The numbers show it. And watch the film and you see exactly why their numbers are the way they are. They are extremely tough to score against. That's why their No. 1 in the NFL. I believe only one game this year someone scored 30 points.

"They have very good players all around: players that are interchangeable that can be pass-rushers, that can be linebackers, that can be corners, that can be safeties. And they have an extremely good scheme. So, it's by far the biggest challenge we've had this year."