If last week was HATEWEEK, this week is Hate Week. For Falcons fans older than 25 or so, at least.
Series history: A boot crushing a bird's face forever until Steve Young retired or thereabout. The Niners lead 44-28-1, having outscored Atlanta by almost 500 points.
The '80s and early '90s were the darkest ages in Falcons football history, with the team mustering only one playoff appearance between 1981 and 1994. During that same span, the 49ers missed only one non-strike playoff tournament -- and they still won ten games that year. San Fran set up what looks like three mini-dynasties strung together under football god Bill Walsh's presence and legacy, winning a literal handful of Super Bowl rings and fielding at least three of the greatest football teams ever in 1984, 1989, and 1994.
In case you've forgotten, we were also shoehorned into the Niners' division during all this. Not only did we have to fly cross-country to play Joe Montana and Jerry Rice every year, we got to watch them light us up at home as well.
It's on this point that we can sympathize with even Saints fans, as they were also dumped in the NFC West as Niner fodder.
But since we've been gone, the West has become the worst division in pro football. Yep, they produced three Super Bowl losers last decade, but other than that they're the NFL's ACC Atlantic. The Niners haven't had a winning season since their first year without us, back in 2002.
The Falcons have never lost to the Niners since leaving the NFC West, with a three-game win streak including ...
Last meeting: 45-10.
Lord I hate the 49ers.