In the sixteenth week of the regular season, which is also the penultimate week, the San Francisco 49ers will face the Atlanta Falcons at home.
This game is very, very special, not just because of the playoff berth at stake, but also because it may be the last home game at Candlestick Stadium.
In the last week of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers will go to the road to close out the season, making this week the last home game of the regular season. Because the team will be heading to a new stadium next season, this also means that this will be the last regular season game at Candlestick Stadium.
Furthermore, because the San Francisco 49ers are still ranked second in the National League West, and even if they enter the playoffs, they will still be in a wild card seat, so there is a high probability that they will not be able to return to home games in the playoffs. In other words, this This game is likely to be the farewell game at Candlestick Stadium.
Since 1960, Candlestick Stadium has accompanied the San Francisco 49ers through half a century. Those glorious peaks and those dark troughs are all recorded in the corners of this stadium, sending off a generation. Another generation of youth has also witnessed the ups and downs of this team in the league. Its history is even longer and longer than the Super Bowl, and now it has finally come to an end.
From the perspective of the team and the league, changing the stadium is a consideration of economics and interests. This is a decision to keep pace with the times; but from the perspective of the fans, this is also a change of times and generations, and those vivid and beautiful memories are all It will become a thing of the past, and may even be buried in the dust and soil, making people reluctant to leave it.
But after all, the professional league still needs to put interests first, and moving the stadium is inevitable. Even if the Nine people are reluctant to say goodbye, saying goodbye is inevitable after all.
Everything makes this game full of memorable significance, and the opponent in this game is also full of stories. The Atlanta Falcons were the opponents in the National League finals last season. Tonight, they will play against each other again to bring the final touch to Candlestick Stadium. A full stop.
Both the team and the league attach great importance to this game. This will be a Monday night game!
According to league records, this is the 36th Monday Night Game in the history of Candlestick Stadium, making it the stadium with the most Monday night games in the league. In this way, the league pays farewell to the San Francisco 49ers and Candlestick Stadium. Applause, which is also extra respect for the defending champion.
In the National League finals last season, the top seed in the National League faced off against the second seed. This game was also hailed as one of the peak offensive matchups last season. The two teams started the regular season with nine consecutive wins and continued throughout the season. It can be said that it was a bright moment, and finally came to the National League finals stage for a decisive battle at the top of the Forbidden City. In this Huashan sword showdown, the San Francisco 49ers continued their strong undefeated performance in the season, with a score of "35:27" Defeated the Atlanta Falcons and advanced to the Super Bowl.
It wasn't the most exciting game of the season, but it was a microcosm of the entire season for both teams.
Entering the 2013 season, the performance of the two teams has naturally attracted much attention. While retaining a relatively complete lineup of players, their records are worth looking forward to. This also makes the league combine the regular routines of the two teams when arranging the schedule. The matchup is scheduled for the Monday night game in the penultimate week. It is obviously expected that the two teams can burst out with strong energy in the decisive stage of the playoffs and provide the audience and fans with a wonderful matchup.
But unfortunately, after the opening of the season, both teams encountered severe tests.
It goes without saying that the San Francisco 49ers started the season with one win and three losses, and they did not have the style of a defending champion. They were even at the bottom of the National League West Division for a time. The Atlanta Falcons were also like brothers in the same boat, and their performance was particularly bad.
Like the San Francisco 49ers, the Atlanta Falcons, who reached the NFC finals last season, suffered serious injuries. The starting lineup became dilapidated, and even the substitute lineup was plagued by injuries. They faced four consecutive games in the preseason. The shadow of defeat even included losses to weak teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, which seemed to foretell the difficulty of the team's regular season.
The season started with one win and one loss. They lost to the New Orleans Saints in the opener and defeated the St. Louis Rams in the second game. This was not a bad start, but then suffered three consecutive losses, losing to the Miami Dolphins. , New England Patriots and New York Jets, entering the bye week with a dismal record of one win and four losses.
Fans were expecting the team to complete adjustments after returning from the bye week, but they were disappointed again.
After the bye week, the team defeated the also-difficult rivals in the division, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and won its second win of the season; and then ushered in an avalanche of five consecutive losses until they defeated Buffalo in overtime. Robiel barely managed to get his third victory of the season, and this performance was a nightmare from which he couldn't wake up.
Subsequently, they lost to the struggling Green Bay Packers by one point and narrowly defeated the Washington Redskins whose season had collapsed. Then the Atlanta Falcons' season record temporarily reached four wins and ten losses. This is really extraordinary. A very bad season that no words can redeem.
But in fact, at least six losses were all within one touchdown, which also means that the severe impact of injuries has caused the Atlanta Falcons to lose their ability to hold on at critical moments. It fell into the abyss before I even thought about it, and the season was ruined.
For the Atlanta Falcons, the season is over, and they are not even qualified to compete for the vice president seat, which also means that the team can now prepare for next season.
Things have changed, and the Atlanta Falcons are still the same team, but the players on the team are no longer the same group of people who were at their best last season; the San Francisco 49ers are still the same team, But similarly, the players have also changed more or less, and their physical and mental states are no longer the same. The National League finals ten months ago are still vivid in our minds, but the two teams have evolved into different faces. appearance.
This is the NFL. The ups and downs of a season can jump between peaks and troughs. Every team is trying their best to win the Super Bowl championship, but they did not expect that even the playoff seats will undergo earth-shaking changes.
When the schedule was being arranged, the league was looking forward to a wonderful and powerful matchup, but obviously things were no longer going to develop in the expected direction. The game will still take place as normal, but the Atlanta Falcons no longer have the ability to compete.
Facing the San Francisco 49ers, who are continuing to improve their condition, and it is also a farewell game at Candlestick Stadium, the league is generally not optimistic that the Atlanta Falcons have the motivation and strength to disrupt this farewell party.
Although the Atlanta Falcons still hope to make up for the regret of losing to the National League Finals last season and will definitely go all out, the San Francisco 49ers are not their mortal rivals in the same district after all. The spark and atmosphere are far behind, and there is no hope for the season. Next, it is difficult for the injury-ridden Atlanta Falcons to burst out with more energy. Lack of motivation and state. Everything made the off-field factors of this game exceed the game itself and attracted more attention.
On ESPN's "Inside the League" program, ten analysts and commentators unanimously believed that the San Francisco 49ers would win and confidently aim for a playoff spot.
The game is about to take place on Monday, December 23rd, but before the Monday Night Game officially kicks off on December 22nd, the 16th week of the regular season, there is one more important thing in the city of San Francisco. The event goes beyond the competition itself and the attention brought by holidays. It can even be said to be the most important event of the year:
Everyone is waiting devoutly and enthusiastically, waiting for "Santa Claus" to appear, create a miracle for this city and this land, and let everyone who still has an innocent heart believe that the dream is real. , miracles exist, and everyone can become a superhero.
The Monday night game can wait for a while. On Sunday, other major cities in the United States are ushering in the official NFL game day, and San Francisco is waiting for a Christmas miracle!
There are only three days left before the annual Christmas. The streets and alleys of San Francisco are filled with a cheerful festive atmosphere. Mistleberries and Christmas trees, red noses and golden bells are all around. The whole city is surrounded by flowers, even the air. Familiar Christmas melodies float throughout the city, reminding us that this is a day for family reunions.
Due to time constraints, there will be no Christmas game this year; and next week will be the last week of the regular season, and all games will be held on Sunday’s game day. This also makes the Monday Night Game on the 23rd the closest. A Christmas game, the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons was also given a more festive atmosphere. Even Candlestick Stadium was decorated with red walls and green tiles, presenting a Christmas scene.
Before the Monday night game, Candlestick Stadium prepared for the Christmas miracle early.
Lu Ke is no exception.
This should be the first time in my memory that I went to the stadium the day before a match day, but it was not to adapt to the venue or training. The mood was very special, a little strange, a little nervous, a little excited and a little expectant, even the people holding the steering wheel Both hands couldn't help but start beating the rhythm of the music.
Early in the morning, Lu Ke drove to the door of his parents' house. Considering today's special circumstances, the parking lot of Candlestick Park was bound to be very congested, so Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning decided to take Lu Ke's car and go there together to reduce traffic as much as possible. Blockage situation.
Then, Lu Ke saw his parents dressed up walking out of the house, as if they were preparing to attend his high school graduation ceremony. This made him laugh and asked in a loud voice, "Didn't you say it was Halloween style?" ?Why did you change your mind temporarily?" Fupin Chinese
