In 2017, the Atlanta Falcons blew the biggest lead in Super Bowl history and started the Atlanta Sports Curse. And of the week of October 6th-October 13th, the sports world of Atlanta had to relive the Atlanta Sports Curse once again. As this team of the year comes, sports fans have to live through this phenomenon once again. When people complain about how bad their season has been, or their luck has been, they can also say their not Atlanta, or if something terrible were to happen to an Atlanta team, the expression is "it can only happen in Atlanta".
1. The Chop Is Dead
Its Game 5 of the NLDS, the Atlanta Braves have built up a young core, made up of stars like Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, along with others. The Braves came within 1 inch of winning Game 4 and moving onto the NLCS, but with the home crowd, and young star pitcher Mike Foltynewicz on the mound the Braves looked to be in good shape, or so we thought. After one top half of the inning, it was 10-0 St. Louis, yes, that's not a typo, the Braves set an MLB playoff record 10 runs in the first inning.
Finally, after the massacre was over, the Braves lost 13-1, one of the worst losses in MLB win or go home game history. To the casual fan, it was easy to pick on Braves fans, but for fans of Atlanta sports, this is just what they have come to expect on a yearly basis. Not only, did the Braves get killed in Game 5, but they also came so close to winning Game 4, and not putting themselves in a situation where this could've happened again.
2. This Dawg Bite Doesn't Hurt
After the University of Georgia Bulldogs hired Kirby Smart as the new head football coach, there was hope that the 'Dawgs could win their first national championship since 1985. In 2017, in the national championship, the Bulldogs pulled out to a 20-7 lead of the Alabama Crimson Tide by halftime, as the second half came along, the Tide clawed back, and on a 2nd and 26, freshman backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a game-winning touchdown. Then the next season, in the SEC Championship Game, after Tagovailoa was injured, and former starter, now backup, Jalen Hurts came in a brought the Tide down from a 28-7 deficit, and won the SEC Championship, but nothing comes as close as what happened Saturday, October 12th.
The Georgia Bulldogs were a 21 point favorite over SEC East rival South Carolina Gamecocks, as the game went on, the Gamecocks were able to hang around, and take the game into overtime. As the first overtime, the Gamecocks were able to match what Georgia did, and the game into double-overtime. After South Carolina kicked a field goal, then Georgia got the ball, but couldn't get a first down, but it was known that electric kicker Rodrigo Blakenship, who hadn't missed all season would send the game into a third overtime, but Blakenship was wide left, and South Carolina upset #3 Georgia, in Georgia.
3. These Dirty Birds Needs A Cleaning
Oh boy, where to start. How about Super Bowl LI, the Atlanta Falcons, who had an entire nation (except for Patriots fans) support, and were destroying the Patriots, a pick 6 on THE Tom Brady. The Falcons would go deep into the 3rd quarter with a 28-3 lead, but you all know the story, the Falcons would proceed, by luck, the magic of Tom Brady, and bad play calling blow the lead and become an internet meme for the end of time, and every time a team blows a lead, it will always be compared to what the Falcons did.
This Sunday, the Falcons traveled to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ to take on the Arizona Cardinals, who had the first overall pick in 2019, which means in 2018 they had the worst record in football. As the game went on, Arizona was led by Kyler Murray, but in the second half the Falcons were led by former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, and they were able to score a game-tying touchdown, well we thought was a game-tying touchdown. Then kicker Matt Bryant, one of the best and most respected kickers in the game missed the extra point, and the Falcons would lose the game 34-33.
