When Dan Quinn found out his team was eliminated from playoff contention late Sunday night, a specific boxing story came to the front his mind.
The fight between Marvin Hagler and Vito Antuofermo in 1979 seemed fitting to the Falcons’ season when it pertains to controlling your own destiny. Entering Week 12, Atlanta held the sixth seed in the NFC playoff picture, but the home loss to Minnesota hindered the Falcons postseason chances.
Hagler’s fight against Antuofermo resembles the Falcons situation in that Hagler left the outcome to be decided by someone other than himself. Most viewers of the boxing match figured Hagler had defeated Antuofermo when referee Mills Lane congratulated Hagler and asked him to turn towards the television cameras.