Back in 1999, the Falcons were coming off their first Super Bowl appearance.
But after bell-cow running back Jamal Anderson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against Dallas, the season went sideways.
After losing to Green Bay 30-16 at Lambeau Field on Monday, the Falcons are off to a 0-4 start for the first-time since the JAM-less Dirty Birds started 0-4. The '99 Falcons won their fifth game, a victory over the Saints, and went on to finish 5-11.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers put on a passing clinic against a bewildered, confused and injured Falcons' secondary as the Packers improved to 4-0.
Rodgers completed 27 of 33 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 147.5.
The Falcons stood up the Packers early with a goal-line stand. After the stop, Matt Ryan, cobbled together a 20-play drive in the first and second quarters, but the drive ended in a field goal.
With Julio Jones not playing in the second half, Olamide Zaccheaus was the Falcons' top receiver. He finished with eight catches for 86 yards.
Ryan completed 28 of 39 passes for 285 yards and no touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating on 92.4.
Here are the five things we learned from the game.
1. Defense shredded. Rodgers and the Packers, down their top two wide receivers, still had too much firepower for the Falcons.
The Falcons secondary, which lost free safety Damontae Kazee to an Achilles injury and strong safety Jaylinn Hawkins to a concussion, was shredded in the first half.
On the Packers first touchdown, running back Aaron Jones was left wide open, while two players covered the tight end.
The Packers were playing without their top two receivers in Davante Adams (hamstring) and Allen Lazard (core surgery). Packers coach Matt LaFleur got creative an used three running backs and confused the Falcons with motions and mis-direction plays.
The Falcons gave up plays of 20-yards or more on three of the Packers' first nine plays from scrimmage.
Entering the game, the Falcons gave up 18 plays of 20-plus yards in the previous three games. They gave up seven against the Bears, seven against Dallas and four against Seattle.
On Green Bay's first possession, Rodgers tossed a 27-yard pass play to tight end Robert Tonyan on the second play of the game. Jones got loose for 23 yard and running back Jamal Williams caught a pass for a 29-yard gain.
2. Jones sets mark, before leaving. On the third possession in the first quarter, Julio Jones' 8-yard reception was his 809th as a Falcon _ one more than the previous record held by Roddy White. White, a four-time Pro Bowler, played from 2005-15.
Jones had four receptions for 32 yards in the first half. He didn't come out of the locker room in the second half. Jones missed last week's game with a hamstring injury.
Ridley had three targets in the first half, but did not have any catches.
3. Regorganized at halftime. With Kazee and Hawkins out, the Falcons told ESPN that they had to re-organized the secondary at halftime.
Jamal Carter, who was promoted from the practice squad on game day, ended up playing most of the second half. Sharrod Neasman took over at free safety.
Cornerback Kendall Sheffield, who was making his debut of the season, followed around Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Blidi Wreh-Wilson played nickel back and Isaiah Oliver moved around the field also.
In addition to losing Kazee and Hawkins, the Falcons were already without strong safety Keanu Neal (hamstring), free safety Ricardo Allen (elbow), cornerback Darqueze Dennard (injured reserve/hamstring) and cornerback A.J. Terrell (reserve/COVID-19 list).
Sheffield did a credible job of Valdes-Scantling, who finished with four catches for 45 yards. He was targeted seven times.
Tight end Robert Tonyan gave the Falcons' fits. He finished with six catches for 98 yards and three touchdowns.
4. Gurley rushed for two touchdowns. Falcons running back Todd Gurley had two rushing touchdowns. He picked up a nice block from Ryan on this 3-yard touchdown run around left end in the third quarter.
5. Next 5 games. The Falcons next five opponents are not daunting, if the Falcons can get healthy.
They are set to play five straight game against teams with a combined record 7-13.
The string will start when the Falcons host the Panthers on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Then they'll face the Vikings, Lions, Panthers (again) and Broncos before going into their bye week.
