During the dog days of May, when the biggest story is whether or not the undrafted free agent quarterback from Minnesota State University Moorhead will crack the 53-man roster, all 18 weeks feel like must-see TV for NFL fans. The anticipation of seeing football again after months without it gives the first few regular-season games an entertainment boost that is hardly felt anywhere else.
However, once we get down to it and get through the first few months of the NFL regular season, there are bound
to be a few times when you turn on the television, promptly at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, and dread what the next three hours of your life may entail.
Especially if you’re an Atlanta Falcons fan over the past eight years.
However, The Athletic compiled a guide for all 32 teams to pinpoint one must-watch game for each fanbase. For the Falcons, since they aren’t necessarily in the playoff race, we have to search for narratives and storylines to keep us entertained. And, to most NFL fans, there’s no better narrative surrounding the Kevin Stefanski-led Falcons than his return to Cleveland to face his old team in week 14.
It’ll be interesting to see how Browns fans welcome former coach Kevin Stefanski back to Cleveland. Though he was twice named the NFL Coach of the Year, he was 45-56 in six seasons there. That’s not great, but it’s basically the same winning percentage Bill Belichick had in five seasons with the Browns. (You have to grade on a curve with Cleveland.) It’ll likely be an emotional trip for Stefanski, whether he hears boos or cheers from the Dawg Pound.
– Josh Kendall
Shoutout to The Athletic’s Josh Kendall, but we all know that Stefanski is getting nothing but boos.
The tumultuous exit surrounding him and the most talked-about fifth-round quarterback in recent history, Shedeur Sanders, and a radioactive relationship that former Falcons great and father of Shedeur, Deion Sanders, has no problem fanning the flames of whenever he gets the chance. This matchup has a chance to grab headlines regardless of how either team’s season is going up to that point.
Outside of the Shedeur of it all, the Falcons have had some real struggles against the Browns on the field. In fact, when it comes to win percentage, the Falcons have fared the worst among active franchises against the Browns, losing 12 of 16 of their matchups, including six of eight in Cleveland.
The last time Atlanta took down Cleveland in Cleveland, Matt Ryan and company found a way to get past a slow start against the Browns and certified Madden legend Peyton Hillis 20-10 on October 10th, 2010.
Let’s hope that Matty Ice can bring some of that same energy to Cleveland again for a mid-December matchup that’s bound to have as cold a welcome for Stefanski as the single-digit wind chills.
