FALCONS WIN! FALCONS LOSE. FALCONS WIN!!!

Man, you guys are pretty good too… I assume Pete Carrol already knew that before heading into Sunday’s clash with the league’s only remaining number one seed. If he didn’t, he certainly does now. I truly wanted to write this blog yesterday, but it took me 24 hours to retrieve my stomach from somewhere south of Valdosta. The Falcons looked like a juggernaut…for one half and 31 seconds. Thankfully for the Rise Up Nation, Matty Ice showed back up for the last 31 seconds. Then with 13 seconds left, Matty Ice Jr split the uprights from 49 yards out to save this city from what would’ve been the worst loss in team history.

That bad, you may ask? Lord yes, I say. If Atlanta loses that game yesterday, they may have lost more than just a game. Smitty’s job certainly would’ve been in jeopardy. Atlanta would have had to endure another year of answering the dreaded playoff win question. Now that I think about it… I’d probably be writing my last blog of the season right now. But thanks to an Atlanta team that refused to quit, even when the entire country was thinking, “same old Falcons.”

But this isn’t a blog about a losing effort. Atlanta did what only they and true Falcon fans believed they could. They shut the Seagulls out in the first half. They rushed the ball efficiently and they shut down Marshawn Lynch. I thought Turner and Rodgers were the difference yesterday and Ryan was dialing up the run at opportune times. Rodgers particurly looked like the only beast I saw on the field yesterday. Atlanta’s O-line deserves accolades as well for outplaying the vaunted Seattle front seven.

So I imagine there are a boat load of pundits and media types pouring milk over their bowl of crow this morning. I’d personally like to spoon-feed Heath Evans with a big old bowl of shut-the-heck-up…but I digress. Nobody outside the state of Georgia gave the Dirty Birds a chance against a hot Seattle team and I’m 100% sure they’ll be picking the Niners next Sunday. The Falcons are already 3 point underdogs and that’s just fine with me. It’s our house. It’s our time. I personally can’t wait to find out what the Falcons “can’t do” leading up to the NFC Championship Game. In the eyes of the media anyway. I’m pretty sure we were underdogs against Minnesota in 1998 too.

Look, people are going to spin things however they want. The Falcons and the Rise Up Nation aren’t famous for the respect we receive. But the simple fact is that if San Fran wants to go to the Super Bowl, they’re gonna have to go through Atlanta first, both figuratively and literally. And regardless of what Heath Evans says, opposing teams don’t usually fare well in the Georgia Dome. It should be a classic battle and I can’t wait to see it. So enjoy it Falcon fans! Go talk as much smack as you can while the iron is still hot. I read on Twitter that #Riseup was mentioned over 100,000 times yesterday. That’s pretty awesome but we’re gonna need way more support this week to beat the Niners. What are your thoughts on the next big game? Do you think Atlanta can pull off the upset? I can’t wait to write my NFC Championship preview! Thanks for reading. Go Coons!!!