Atlanta Falcons Need To Win for the Sake of the City

Only once before in the Atlanta Falcons' sordid history has the team been where it is now---the top of the NFC in the playoffs. Only six times in its 45 years of existence has it even won a playoff game. One measly time have the Birds been in the Super Bowl, and few outside of Atlanta or Denver remember that.

While the future of the franchise under the leadership of Arthur Blank and Thomas Dimitroff certainly looks strong, make no mistake about it---the Falcons have to win Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers, or the fickle fans of Atlanta might just give up.

That's because Atlanta fans are tired of being teased. This is a city that had to endure 15 years of excellent regular-season Braves teams to only see one championship. That act grew tired.

This is a city that had Dominique Wilkens, only to have to watch his Hawks lose year after year to better teams with Larry Bird or Michael Jordan. The current Hawks have as well-rounded a starting five in the NBA, but will never break the elite because of better talent and management to knock them out in the playoffs.

And the Thrashers? One playoff appearance, and they were swept out.

The city wants a winner. It doesn't show it, but it does. The Falcons are its best hope, but even this team hasn't caught the imagination of the city the way the mediocre Michael Vick-led teams of the last decade did.

A championship run would change that.

The 1980 Falcons---the only prior team to capture the No. 1 seed in the NFC---were one and done, losers to the Dallas Cowboys in heartbreaking fashion at old Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Then management dismantled the team and the 1980s blurred by without much more winning. This management team at least won't let that part happen should the Falcons lose Saturday in the Georgia Dome, but a lockout or a sub-par season next year would sure erase any good will the 2010 Falcons have built.

Then there were the 1998 Falcons, which slowly throughout the season took the city's attention away from Greg Maddux and the Braves. The "Dirty Birds" and Jamal Anderson became beloved, went 14-2 and beat the Vikings in one of the best NFC title games ever.

But the Falcons' first and only Super Bowl was a disaster. Eugene Robinson and John Elway made sure of that. The 1999 and 2000 seasons were unmitigated disaster, and the fans left.

The Falcons drafted Vick. He won after a couple of years, even beating Brett Favre and the Packers at Lambeau in the playoffs (previously unheard of). He was the son of the city, an electrifying black athlete the city went crazy for. Vick won a division for the team in 2004, but we all know how his career and the Falcons' fortunes spiraled soon after.

The town is still healing. Actually, Vick still has a lot of fans around the area. There might be more Michael Vick jerseys being worn around town than Matt Ryan and Roddy White combined. Maybe even a few ex-Falcons fans are now Eagles fans because of No. 7.

Which brings us to this weekend. Ryan has now made two playoff appearances in his three NFL seasons, and all signs are assuredly pointing up for a franchise with over 100 more losses than wins all-time. Surely, the Falcons will be fine even if they lose to the visiting Packers Saturday and have to look forward to next year.

But if the team is to truly capture the heart of the city, if this surprising 13-3 NFC South champion is to make its mark, it needs to do what few others in the city's history have done---catch lightning in a bottle and finish the job.

The Falcons have made the playoffs. Been there, done that. Now it's time to use this home-field advantage and keep the fans coming back. The best way---the only way, as far as Atlanta fans are concerned---is to win. Then win again, then win the Lombardi Trophy for the first time ever.

That would give the Falcons as many championships as the Braves have won in Atlanta. They'd have the Hawks and Thrashers beat. Georgia and Georgia Tech haven't gotten the job done, either.

They'd be one of the premier franchises in the country, giving Atlanta a sense of pride not felt since 1996 when the Olympics were in town and the Braves were still fresh champions.

The Falcons would be Atlanta's team, and Atlanta would be proud again.

But a loss would prevent that, and not even with smart people in charge, a likable coach and a franchise quarterback is a trip back to the top of the NFC a guarantee.

The Falcons are three wins away from cementing its place in NFL and Atlanta history.