Well folks, this was going to be an angry rant on how I am just sick of hearing about the lost to the Green Bay Packers at home during the divisional playoffs this past post season. Because yet again I was reading another article about the upcoming season and yet again I can’t get to end of it without the writer of said article bringing it up…yet again.

After calming down of course I started thinking about it and came to several conclusions: 1) That’s just the way this game goes and until the Falcons do something great we are not going to hear the end of this little hiccup in our history and 2) This cannot be the only time in history that this has happened to great teams…so I did a little research and what I found was well, kind of surprising. So here is a little trip down past games forgotten because really, in 5 years the only people who will remember the GB/ATL game are GB and ATL fans…everyone else will just remember that GB won the Super bowl.

1972-73 Dallas Cowboys:

Lost to Washington @ RFK in NFC Championship Game: Washington: 26 – Dallas: 3 (23 point diff)

Dallas regular season: 10-4

Notes: Dallas had beaten Washington 34-24 in the Regular Season. This was also just after winning SB VI and in the mists of 4 SB appearances: VI, X, XII and XIII. So their Dynasty had already started (and yes, this was a Dynasty even though they were 2-2 in those 4 SB’s).

1973-74 Dallas Cowboys:

Lost to Minnesota @ Home in NFC Championship Game: Minnesota: 27 – Dallas: 10 (17 point diff)

Dallas regular season: 10-4

Notes: The only take away from this season was Dallas had an amazing run differential for a 14 game season: 179 (382 points scored to 203 points allowed). No need to state the SB history again as this was back to back.

1976-77 Pittsburg Steelers:

Lost to Oakland @ OAK in AFC Championship Game: Oakland: 24 – Pittsburg: 7 (17 point diff)

Pittsburg regular season: 10-4

Notes: This Pittsburg defense produced 5 shutouts during the regular season and held 8 teams to 6 points or less, just amazing! (I didn’t calculate the run diff but it was probably better than Dallas’ above) They only had the misfortune of playing Oakland who apparently had their number as Oakland also beat them in the regular season as well. Their Dynasty had begun, they had already won 2 of 4 SB’s during this teams era of dominance.

1986-87 San Francisco 49er’s:

Lost to NY Giants @ NY in Divisional Game: Giants: 49 – 49er’s: 3 (46 point diff)

49er’s regular season: 10-5-1 (that tie was with Atlanta)

Notes: Joe Montana had hurt his back during the regular season and Jeff Kemp produce a 4-3-1 record in his absence. Also, Montana was knocked out of this playoff game by halftime never to return to the game (but still, a 46 point loss). This teams Dynasty had started as they already had 2 of 5 SB wins under their belt during this era of 49er dominance.

I for one am putting this game in my rear view (as best I can anyway), the Falcons will overcome that 48-21 loss to GB and this team will be great, I truly believe that. Will they be as great as the Dynasties above? Well, one can only hope. I am not worried that this team or the management is “vapor Locked” on that one playoff game from last season (even though some of us are, even me I guess since I bothered to write this article). I am looking forward to an amazing year and what I hope will be an amazing ending.

Well, thanks for reading and comment as you like…