Falcons vs. Cardinals: a brief look at the series history

The Falcons don’t have to win tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals. But if they don’t, well, it won’t be pretty. First, they’ll have to contend with an ornery fan base. Second, team morale, which is already in a fragile place, will undoubtedly take a big hit. And third, notwithstanding his public support of his head coach, it may be more than Arthur Blank can stomach, forcing him to move on from the Dan Quinn era.

But tomorrow’s game between these two teams isn’t the first time they’ve played. Let’s take a look at the series history.

Falcons-Cardinals dates back to 1966, the Falcons’ first year in the National Football League. The Falcons won that game by a score of 16-10. The Cardinals learned their lesson and rattled off wins in their next 5 games against the Falcons, which takes us through 1978. These two teams have played 25 games since then, and the Cardinals have the overall series lead at 16-15.

The Falcons have played the Cardinals 7 times since Matt Ryan was drafted. The Cardinals lost 5 of those 7 games, including the last 3. Let’s hope Ryan continues to have their number tomorrow.

The Falcons and the Cardinals last played 9 days before Christmas 2018. The Falcons decimated the Cardinals, winning by a final score of 40-14. Ryan threw for 2 touchdowns and Tevin Coleman paced the Falcons on the ground, racking up 145 rushing yards (including a 43-yard touchdown run). Deion Jones had a pick 6 early in that game which set the tone for the Falcons victory. Much like this year, that was a game between two bad football teams.

All in all, these two teams have a lengthy history that spans 6 decades. The Falcons have a chance to tie up the series tomorrow if they do what they’re supposed to and come away with the win.

Your thoughts, Falcoholics?