If you lived in a city with a pro sports franchise that had gone the first 44 seasons of their existance without back-to-back winning seasons you'd understand. It was humiliating to realize even New Orleans had managed to string together back-to-back years with a winning record. No one else had come close to the futility of Atlanta....in fact, no pro team in the NFL, MLB, NBA, or NHL had ever went 44 years without back to back winning seasons.
Am I excited or happy that the Falcons didn't make the playoffs? HELL no! They were 4-1 early in the season; am very dissapointed Atlanta didn't finish 12-4 or 13-3; dissapointed they lost games to NY Giants, Carolina, and New Orleans they should have won.
Saying that, am I relieved that they finally proved they were capable of at least competing for a playoff slot more than once every 3 or 4 years? You betcha....relieved and looking forward to next season.