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5 reasons to appreciate the Atlanta Falcons, the Panthers’ Week 9 opponent

By Johnny Wakefield
Curtis Compton AP

Atlanta. Bleh.

The capital of Georgia has to be considered Charlotte’s biggest “rival,” if we have one at all. It’s the other “Capital of the New South,” the Southern city we’re all a little jealous of but still don’t want to become.

And of course, their football team is our arch-nemesis. We play them for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon.

Each week in the 2017 season, CharlotteFive will give you a quick preview of the Panthers’ upcoming opponent — sometimes love, sometimes hate, sometimes just things to know.

This week, we’re going to give ourselves a challenge and go with the love. There’s enough hate in the world already.

The four-win, three-loss Falcons come to Bank of America on Sunday afternoon needing a win to stay in striking distance of the Saints. The Panthers, at 5–3, are in the same position: A divisional win at home feels like a must, especially after the chaos of this week.

So let’s heap some love on them before the game and give you five reasons to appreciate them, mainly so they don’t feel as bad after Cam and his new-look offense pound them into the ground. All the love.

(Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Charlotte, and the game will be broadcast on FOX.)

(1) They lost the Super Bowl, 34-28

Last season, quarterback Matt Ryan led the Atlanta Falcons to Super Bowl 51 against the New England Patriots. I’m sure you missed the game (it was hardly a blip on the national sports scene), so I’ll give you a quick recap, dear reader.

The Falcons went 11–5 in 2016 and beat Seattle and Green Bay in the playoffs to make it to the big game, where they’d face the Patriots, who went 14–2 on the year. The two teams went scoreless in the first quarter, but Atlanta quickly went up in the second and scored 21 unanswered points, going into the half up 21–3.

Midway through the third quarter, Ryan’s second passing TD pushed the lead to 28–3.

28–3! The game was over, and Atlanta fans everywhere started celebrating.

Sadly for Falcons nation, the Patriots came back with 25 unanswered points to tie the game 28–28. Atlanta lost the overtime coin toss, and Tom Brady and company drove 75 yards to win the game on a James White run, 34–28.

It was so sad… so, so sad for them. They need our love. Give them love.

(2) They gave us the NFC South in 2014

In the last week of the 2014 regular season, the 6–8–1 Panthers and 6–9 Falcons met to decide who would represent the NFC South in the playoffs.

Cam Newton and Matt Ryan had faced off in mid-November at Bank of America Stadium: The Falcons won that one 19–17. So maybe they felt bad about it by Christmas?

For whatever reason, the Falcons gave us the rematch in Atlanta (and the division title) on Dec. 28 in a 34–3 rout. Cam threw a touchdown, and Ryan threw two… to the Panthers defense.

The Panthers win was the best Christmas present in the history of the rivalry, and it inspired the quintessential Ron Rivera gif, used to this day.

via GIPHY

Thanks, Falcons. Thumbs up.

(3) They gave us Vick vs. Peppers, for a while at least

Alright, time for some real gratitude. For Panthers fans who’ve been around for more than Cam Newton’s tenure in Black and Blue, few matchups compare to those between Michael Vick’s offense and the Panthers’ defensive line led by Julius Peppers in his first stint with Carolina.

Yes, the Panthers’ 2017 leader in sacks (with 7.5) was around back when FOX studio analyst Michael Vick was running all over the place, terrorizing the league and landing on Madden covers. From 2002–2006, those two games a year were a treat.

Vick left Atlanta in 2006… and Peppers left Carolina for awhile in 2009, but he’s back now. Here’s hoping Matt Ryan vs. Julius Peppers lives up to that standard on Sunday.

(4) They gave us a chance in the first half of the season

It’s fair to say that the Panthers have had their share of #MissedOpportunities so far in 2017. At 5–3, they could be sitting in the middle of the pack, several games behind a talented Falcons team.

Instead, the defending NFC Champions have let us stay ahead of them in the division, losing three in a row before rebounding last week with a water-logged win against the Jets.

They’re good, and we should watch out for them. Their offense is ranked fifth in the league, and their defense is ranked eleventh. Watch out for third-year defensive tackle Grady Jarrett on Sunday: He’s getting a lot of attention for his performance against the run.

Hopefully, the Falcons will continue the giving theme and send us some turnovers on Sunday: They’re -5 on the year. It’d be much appreciated.

(5) They gave us Superman

The 2011 NFL Draft was one for the record books. I’d forgotten about how great it was, how much pure talent landed in the first round. (J.J. Watt went 11th! Unreal.)

But with the first pick in that draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Cameron Jerrell Newton.

Cam, of course, is from Atlanta, Georgia.

Superman went to Westlake High School, west of downtown. In a ridiculous junior year, Cam passed for 2,500 yards and 23 touchdowns and ran for 638 yards and nine touchdowns for the Lions. That year alone earned him national attention. He turned down offers from all over the country (including Georgia), and after a few tumultuous years ended up winning the National Championship and Heisman Trophy at Auburn.

Thanks for Cam, Atlanta. He has already led the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance, and he’s not done yet.

So yeah, we have many gifts to be thankful for from our friends in Atlanta; we just had to show some appreciation. Here’s hoping Ron Rivera thanks them on behalf of all of us with a quiet trip back to Atlanta on Sunday evening. Keep Pounding.

Photo: Curtis Compton/AP

This story was originally published November 2, 2017 at 10:00 PM with the headline "5 reasons to appreciate the Atlanta Falcons, the Panthers’ Week 9 opponent."

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