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The Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl

Don’t let the Falcons sitting at third in the division let you forget.

ATLANTA, GA:  Atlanta Falcons fans struggle to cope with the team they chose to support losing Super Bowl 51 to the New England Patriots in historic, unforgettable fashion.
ATLANTA, GA: Atlanta Falcons fans struggle to cope with the team they chose to support losing Super Bowl 51 to the New England Patriots in historic, unforgettable fashion.
Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

What more needs to be said?

It’s a giving season, and the rival Atlanta Falcons have given New Orleans Saints fans the greatest gift of all: a historic, unforgettable exercise in futility on the biggest stage in the world. Their monumental Super Bowl LI loss to the New England Patriots was one for the ages, so much so that we’re all still laughing about it nearly a year later.

Julian Edelman really caught that ball. Tom Brady seriously connected on all those passes. Kyle Shanahan, if you can believe it, dialed up a pass on third and one late in the game that turned into a Dont’a Hightower sack-fumble that turned into a vintage Brady drive that turned into a two-point conversion to make it a one-score game.

So wave your 28-3 scoreboard flags. Figure out all the clever 25-point jokes you can tweet into the ether. Act a fool and be as ignorant as you can. The Falcons, and by extension their fans, made this bed and now they’ve gotta lie in it.

As far as the here-and-now goes, the Saints are thriving. They’re extending their first-place lead in the NFC South and the Falcons are gasping for air in third place. Right now Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley are probably playing rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to erase Julio Jones. Keanu Neal is probably nervous to see what a great running back duo looks like after practicing against Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman all year. Sean Payton is looking to continue his 14-6 win-loss record over the Falcons. Thursday Night Football is usually a terrible product that everyone hates, but this week it should be fun.

Just don’t let that distract you from the fact that the Falcons choked a 25-point lead in just 17 minutes of regulation, giving up a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. Never forget.