This is week 4 of the season long series of the 2010 Falcons opponents.

The 49ers lead the all time series, 44-30-1, that's including the 1998 divisional playoff in which the Falcons won, 20-18. The first game was in1966 in Atlanta, and a 44-7 blow out by the 'Niners. They played each other at least once a season thru 2001, when they were either in the Western Conference, Coastal Division, or the infamous NFC West. There have been a number of fine games and a lot of blow outs, and the snoozers. In the '80s and the '90s for the most part, the 'Niners had their way winning 26, losing 11, and 1 tie.

A vast majority of those were complete and total destruction jobs of the birds. All you have to do is look who was playing for the 'Niners and you'll see why. The talent and coaching of the Falcons was inferior to that of the 'Niners. Things have gotten better in recent years with the Falcons winning the last three. There has been some memorable games, such as the 1983 game in the ATL, when Big Ben struck again, with Billy "White Shoes" Johnson catching Bartkowski's deflected pass, and running it in the end zone with timeexpiring. Also, another Big Ben in 1991, with Billy Joe Tolliver (remember him?) throwing it up for grabs in the end zone when Michael Haynes came down with it. The 1980 ATL game, when the Falcons clinched the NFC West for the first time, 35-10. I don't remember off hand if the 1978 game at SF was a Big Ben or not, it was a 20-17 Falcons victory. And, also the 1998 playoff game.

There are a lot more in the series that were good to the birds,but we need not to go over these. Used to dread playing the 'Niners back in the days of  the '80s and '90s because it was going to be ugly. I expect the 'Niners to show up and ready to play on Sunday, the Falcons will be ready for the latest task.

Next week, the Browns.