If you expected the Falcons to be a playoff-caliber team this year, their uneven effort against the Seahawks probably frustrated you. If you expected them to be lousy this year, their uneven effort against the Seahawks...well, it probably still frustrated you. It’s hard not to get deeply invested in spite of your expectations, either way.
The frustration was legitimate at times, given the ways Atlanta found to allow Seattle to march down the field repeatedly and let Seattle hang around. But that frustration wound up blossoming into something else: A spot of joy and a dollop of relief that the Falcons not only earned their first win, but held on to do so, coming up with a critical stop that preserved a fun day from the offense.