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NFL Week 8 kicks off tonight with what on paper is a lackluster NFC South matchup between the 1-6 Atlanta Falcons and the 3-4 Carolina Panthers.
No real impact on the rest of the league with this one.
But it’s only lackluster until you realize that this Falcons team is the worst must-see TV team that we have seen in quite some time.
This Falcons team is special.
This Falcons team is so good at being so bad.
This Falcons team is … not good at winning games, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
Looking for a reason to watch this blah matchup besides gambling issues and fantasy football impacts? Well just pull up a seat and let’s see what amazing way this Falcons team can find a way to lose a game.
So far this season they’ve been incredible at doing just that. According to ESPN Stats & Info, three times this year the Falcons have had win probabilities of 98.7% only to lose in stunning fashion. That’s the most by any NFL team in 20 years, too.
So these are some historic kind of failures we’re witnessing! I told you they were special.
The last one came just a few days ago when they might found the most unbelievable way to lose a game. Todd Gurley scored a TD in the final minutes, instead of falling down at the 1 yard line where they could have kicked a field goal and won the the game. After the TD the Lions had just enough time to march down the field and win the game with a TD in the finals seconds.
What made that Gurley TD even more incredible is that in this new video, QB Matt Ryan was heard telling Gurley and everyone else in the huddle TO NOT SCORE A TD.
It’s not often you see scoring a TD being a bad thing for a team or leading to a win for the other team, but these Falcons aren’t afraid to do the unthinkable!
This all started in Week 2 when they blew a 19-point lead to the Cowboys when they could have won the game if they just fell on an onside kick. Instead, they stood around and watched the ball roll along the ground until Dallas recovered it and then kicked a game-winning FG.
The very next week they blew a 16-point, fourth-quarter lead to Nick Foles and the Chicago Bears.
There hasn’t been much to laugh at in 2020 but this Falcons team is now filling that role and tonight’s game could be another fun one.
Well, unless you’re rooting for the Falcons.
Quick hits: Jazz sell for wild amount of money… Machado’s ill-advised bet with a fan… Stars’ sweet new jerseys… And more!
– Mike Sykes isn’t the only one surprised that the Utah Jazz were sold for $1.6 billion yesterday. The Utah Jazz!
– The Dodgers’ World Series title had fans roasting Manny Machado over his ill-advised bet with a Dodgers fan during a game last year.
– These new Dallas Stars jerseys are pretty awesome.
– Charles Curtis has his Week 8 fantasy football studs, duds, and sleepers.
– Henry McKenna’s latest NFL Power rankings have the Cardinals climbing and the Patriots free falling.