Highlighted Year: Jay Feely, 2001

Placekicker, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 25

3^rd season in pro football, 1^st in NFL & with Falcons

College: Michigan

Height: 5’10” Weight: 206

Prelude:

Feely was Michigan’s regular placekicker as a senior in 1998 and was successful on 16 of 20 field goal attempts and 34 of 35 PATs for a total of 82 points. Undrafted by the NFL out of college, Feely spent two seasons playing arena football, with the Florida Bobcats in 1999 and Tampa Bay Storm in 2000. He joined the Falcons in 2001 and beat out Jake Arians for the placekicking job previously held by Morten Andersen.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 29 [4, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 4 vs. Buffalo 12/23

Field goal attempts – 37 [2]

Most field goal attempts, game – 4 vs. St. Louis 12/2, vs. Buffalo 12/23

Field goal percentage – 78.4 [18]

PATs – 28 [20, tied with Martin Gramatica]

PAT attempts – 28 [20, tied with Martin Gramatica & Todd Peterson]

Longest field goal – 55 yards at Arizona 9/30

Scoring

Field Goals – 29

PATs – 28

Points – 115 [6, tied with David Akers & Matt Stover]

Falcons went 7-9 to finish fourth in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Feely followed up with a bigger season in 2002, leading the NFL with 32 field goals out of 40 attempts and scoring a total of 138 points. He spent two more lesser seasons with the Falcons before moving on to the New York Giants in 2005, where he kicked a career-high 35 field goals out of 42 attempts and, a perfect 43-for-43 in extra points, also had his top scoring total with 148 points. Feely was with the Giants for another year in 2006, one with Miami in ‘07, two as a member of the New York Jets, and four in Arizona before finishing up with the Chicago Bears in 2014 at age 38. Consistent if not spectacular, Feely was successful on 332 of 402 field goal attempts (82.6 %) and, adding 449 PATs (with just three misses), scored a total of 1451 points. Of that, 98 field goals, 142 PATs, and 436 points came with Atlanta.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Percentage, Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2000: Struggling Falcons Rally to Edge Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons were in the midst of a five-game losing streak as they hosted the Carolina Panthers on October 29, 2000. Two years removed from a NFC Championship, the Falcons, coached by Dan Reeves, were coming off of a losing season in 1999 and at 2-6 thus far in 2000. QB Chris Chandler was struggling behind a poor line and RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), highly productive in 1998, was back after missing virtually all of ’99 with a knee injury but was slow in returning to form. The Falcons had beaten Carolina in a sloppy game in the season’s third week, putting them at 2-1, but had lost every game since. The Panthers, in their second year under Head Coach George Seifert, had a 3-4 record but were coming off of two wins in their last three games and were hoping to get into the playoff hunt.

There were 46,178 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers had the first possession and put together a long series that covered 75 yards in 16 plays, helped along by a 26-yard pass interference penalty that converted a third-and-13 play. QB Steve Beuerlein completed four passes, two of them to WR Donald Hayes, and the longest to FB William Floyd for 15 yards. The drive finally stalled at the Atlanta 17 and Joe Nedney kicked a 35-yard field goal. The Falcons responded with a long series of their own as Jamal Anderson ran effectively and Chris Chandler also hit on four throws. Morten Andersen tied the score with a 35-yard field goal.

Following a Carolina punt early in the second quarter, Chandler had a pass picked off by DT Sean Gilbert to give the Panthers the ball again at the Atlanta 39. Helped along by a Beuerlein (pictured at right) throw to WR Muhsin Muhammad for seven yards to convert a fourth down, the visitors drove to another Nedney field goal, this time from 48 yards to go up by 6-3. The Falcons had another scoring opportunity later in the period, but Andersen missed a 46-yard field goal and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Following an exchange of punts to start the third quarter, Chandler again gave up an interception, this time to SS Mike Minter who returned it eight yards to the Carolina 42. Beuerlein completed five passes, most significantly to Hayes for 19 yards and, on a third-and-19 play, to RB Tim Biakabutuka for 25 yards to the Atlanta five. The Panthers failed to reach the end zone, but they came away with a third Nedney field goal from 25 yards to extend the lead to 9-3.

The next Carolina possession also resulted in three points as a roughing-the-passer penalty, a Beuerlein toss to TE Wesley Walls for 19 yards, and an unnecessary roughness infraction that wiped out a sack helped the Panthers along. Nedney’s 24-yard field goal put the visitors up by 12-3 with 12:40 to play and it appeared that the visitors had the game in hand.

The Falcons instead came back with a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Chandler hit on four straight passes and seven overall along the way. Three were to WR Terance Mathis, including a nine-yard gain that converted a third-and-three situation, and two were to WR Tim Dwight, with one for 13 yards on a third-and-six play to the Carolina 19. Jamal Anderson ran for the last two yards, Morten Andersen converted, and the score was narrowed to 12-10.

Atlanta got the ball right back when Beuerlein’s next pass was intercepted by CB Ray Buchanan, who returned it 13 yards to the Carolina seven. Two carries by Anderson netted a yard and Chandler was sacked by LB Hannibal Navies for a seven-yard loss, but Morten Andersen booted a 31-yard field goal and the Falcons were up by a point with the clock down to 2:57.

There was still time for the Panthers, but Beuerlein fumbled when sacked by DT Ed Jasper on a second down play and DT Travis Hall recovered for Atlanta at the Carolina 21. While a holding penalty wiped out a 17-yard run for a would-be touchdown by Jamal Anderson and Morten Andersen missed on a 42-yard field goal try that hit the upright, there were just 50 seconds to play when the Panthers got the ball back. Beuerlein threw two short passes to WR Isaac Byrd, but the game ended on a desperate long pass toward the end zone that Buchanan intercepted to clinch the 13-12 win for the Falcons.     

In a game dominated by the defenses, Atlanta rolled up the most yards (281 to 209) while each team had 16 first downs. The Falcons did especially well on defense, holding the Panthers to just 30 rushing yards in 20 attempts and registering five sacks, to one by Carolina. The Panthers also turned the ball over four times, three in the fourth quarter, while Atlanta had three turnovers. Both teams were heavily penalized, with Carolina drawing 9 flags at a cost of 58 yards to 8 penalties for 98 yards on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler (pictured at left) completed 19 of 29 passes for 191 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jamal Anderson rushed for 90 yards on 25 carries that included the game’s only TD and also had 5 catches for 15 yards. Terance Mathis led Atlanta’s receivers with 7 pass receptions for 89 yards.

For the Panthers, Steve Beuerlein, who was heavily pressured throughout the contest, was successful on 21 of 41 throws for 202 yards and gave up three interceptions. Tim Biakabutuka led the receivers with 51 yards on four receptions as well as rushing with 23 yards on 14 attempts. Wesley Walls, who left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the third quarter, and Donald Hayes also had four catches apiece, for 47 and 41 yards, respectively. Joe Nedney was a perfect four-of-four on field goals.

“When you’re struggling like we are it seems like so many things happen and sometimes we are our own worst enemy,” said Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “We are glad to get the win.”

“That is about as brutal a loss as they come,” said George Seifert from the Carolina perspective. “I can’t imagine that it can get much tougher than this.”

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the struggles continued and they didn’t win again until the season finale. Chris Chandler continued to have difficulty in an injury-plagued season and while Jamal Anderson ended up rushing for 1024 yards, Atlanta was unable to control the ball effectively while dealing with injury problems on defense. Their 4-12 record put them in the NFC West’s basement. Carolina won the next week but remained an inconsistent team that placed third in the division at 7-9.

Highlighted Year: Rick Donnelly, 1985

Punter, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 23

1^st season in pro football

College: Wyoming

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 184

Prelude:

Donnelly was a placekicker and punter in college who averaged 47.5 yards on 63 punts as a senior in 1984 while also connecting on all 30 of his extra point attempts and three of six field goals. Undrafted by the NFL, Donnelly signed with the New England Patriots as a free agent in ’85 but, unable to unseat Rich Camarillo, was picked up by the Falcons. His rookie season ended prematurely due to a knee injury.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in 11 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 59

Most punts, game – 7 at Philadelphia 11/10

Yards – 2574

Average – 43.6 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 52.1 (on 7 punts) at Philadelphia 11/10

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 68 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 2

Yards – -5

Average gain – -2.5

TDs – 0

Falcons went 4-12 to finish fourth in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Donnelly spent three more seasons with the Falcons and led the NFL with a 44.0 average in the strike-interrupted 1987 season. His hang time improved in ’88, but a back injury cost him the entire 1989 season. While he returned with the Seattle Seahawks in 1990 and averaged 40.6 yards on 67punts, he was placed on injured reserve three games into the ’91 season and further back surgery ended his career. Overall, Donnelly averaged 42.1 yards on 376 punts, with 296 of those punts for a 42.6-yard average coming with the Falcons. He was twice a second-team All-NFC choice by UPI.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Scott Case, 1988

Cornerback, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football & with Falcons

College: Oklahoma

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 178

Prelude:

Case starred as a free safety at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M, which won a national junior college championship during his freshman year, and transferred to Oklahoma, where he was shifted to cornerback and intercepted eight passes as a senior in 1983. He was chosen by the Falcons in the second round of the ’84 NFL draft and moved into the starting lineup at strong safety in his second year, intercepting four passes and gaining credit for 95 tackles. Case moved to cornerback in 1986 with good results, displaying savvy and toughness if not great speed. After four seasons with the Falcons, he had intercepted nine passes and accumulated over 250 tackles.

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 10 [1]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Green Bay 11/6, vs. Tampa Bay 11/27

Int. return yards – 47

Most int. return yards, game – 13 (on 2 int.) vs. Tampa Bay 11/27

Int. TDs – 0

Sacks – 1

Fumble recoveries – 0

Tackles – 65

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-NFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Falcons went 5-11 to finish fourth in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Following a lesser season in 1989 due to nagging injuries, Case moved back to free safety in ’90 and continued to overachieve until diminishing skills, especially speed in pass coverage, cost him his starting job in 1994, his last year with Atlanta when he was used primarily as a nickel back. Case spent one last season with the Dallas Cowboys in ’95, ending his career with a Super Bowl appearance. Overall, he played in 178 games, starting 124 of them, and intercepted 30 passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Case also recovered seven fumbles and was credited with 7.5 sacks as well as over 900 tackles. 1988 remained the only season in which he received postseason honors.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1973: Falcons Deal Bob Berry to Minnesota for Bob Lee

On May 14, 1973 the Atlanta Falcons traded starting QB Bob Berry along with their 1974 first draft choice to the Minnesota Vikings for QB Bob Lee and LB Lonnie Warwick, two players who had played out their options.  

Berry was surprised at learning of the trade that sent him back to the Vikings, the club he had started out with in 1965. Collegiately, he had starred at Oregon, where he led the Ducks to three straight winning seasons (something they hadn’t done in 30 years) and passed for 4148 yards and 37 touchdowns.  Minnesota obtained his rights from the Philadelphia Eagles, who chose him as a future selection in the eleventh round of the ’64 NFL draft. He saw little action in his first three seasons in Minnesota but became the starting quarterback for the Falcons in 1968, where he was reunited with Norm Van Brocklin, the head coach when he joined the Vikings in ’65 who was now in Atlanta. Lacking ideal size (5’11”, 185) and with a weak arm, Berry compensated with mobility, passing accuracy, and good leadership qualities.

Berry was a Pro Bowl selection in 1969 and led the NFL by averaging 8.9 yards per attempt in 1971, when he also completed a NFC-high 60.2 percent of his passes. Overall in Atlanta, he threw for 8489 yards and 57 TDs, giving up 56 interceptions, with a completion percentage of 56.4. But typically his throws were short, often to his backs and TE Jim Mitchell, and Berry took many sacks. After achieving a 7-6-1 record in ‘71, the first over .500 in franchise history, the Falcons essentially held steady at 7-7 in 1972 and Van Brocklin became disenchanted.  

“His won-lost record was the yardstick,” explained Van Brocklin of the decision to deal Berry. “We need an improvement in our passing game other than in completion percentages. We needed more than a short yardage quarterback.”

The quarterback the Falcons got in return, Bob Lee (pictured above), was a 17^th round draft pick out of the College of the Pacific in 1969 and had been Minnesota’s punter as a rookie. He saw some action at quarterback in 1970 and ‘71, even starting a playoff game, but in 1972 Lee was stuck behind Fran Tarkenton, who was back in Minnesota following five years with the Giants, and threw just six passes.

The Falcons were intending to use QB Pat Sullivan, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Auburn who was drafted the previous year, but it was journeyman backup Dick Shiner starting the season with Lee, who was set back by an injury in training camp, in reserve. However, when Shiner went down with an injury in the fourth week, and with the team at 1-3, Lee took over the starting job and the Falcons responded with seven straight wins on the way to a 9-5 record, barely missing the postseason.

Lee wasn’t required to go to the air often, averaging 12 completions per game as he threw for 1786 yards and 10 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. He was helped by a sound running game led by HB Dave Hampton and a good offensive line, plus a defense that could keep games close. Placekicker Nick Mike-Mayer also had a career year, kicking 26 field goals.

The bubble burst in 1974, however, as Lee completed just 45.3 percent of his passes for 852 yards and three touchdowns while giving up 14 interceptions. Sullivan and Kim McQuilken took over the starting quarterback duties with equally disastrous results as the Falcons dropped to 3-11. Coach Van Brocklin was gone after eight games, replaced by Marion Campbell, and in the 1975 NFL draft Atlanta traded up to get California QB Steve Bartkowski in the first round. Lee, the subject of adulation the previous year, was released.

     

As for Bob Berry (pictured at right), he spent the remaining three years of his career backing up the durable Tarkenton in Minnesota. He threw all of 78 passes, completing 47 for 450 yards and six TDs. Ironically enough, Lee returned to the Vikings in 1975 and ended up replacing Berry as Tarkenton’s backup, spending four seasons with the club in his second stint before moving on to the Rams in 1979 and ’80. He went to two Super Bowls, one with each club, but only as a backup quarterback.  

With regard to other players involved in the 1973 deal, Lonnie Warwick had been with the Vikings for eight years and was the starting middle linebacker for most of them. He was 31 at the time of the trade and had struggled with injuries the previous two seasons. Warwick spent two years with Atlanta as a backup in a strong unit that included MLB Tommy Nobis and OLBs Greg Brezina and Don Hansen.

The first draft choice that the Vikings obtained from the Falcons was used to take LB Fred McNeill from UCLA with the seventeenth overall pick in 1974. McNeill spent twelve seasons with Minnesota, moving into the starting lineup at right outside linebacker in his fourth year and staying there until 1985.   

Highlighted Year: Ray Brown, 1974

Safety, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Falcons

College: West Texas A & M

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 202

Prelude:

Brown was chosen by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL draft and started nine games at free safety as a rookie, intercepting three passes. He became part of a secondary that led the NFC in pass defense twice in three years (1971 and ’73) and finished a close second in ’72, the year Brown moved over to strong safety. In 1973 he picked off six passes and also returned 40 punts for a 9.0-yard average.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 8 [3, tied with Thom Darden & Jake Scott, 1^st in NFC]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Chicago 10/13

Int. return yards – 164 [4]

Most int. return yards, game – 59 (on 1 int.) at NY Giants 10/6

Int. TDs – 1 [4, tied with many others]

Fumble recoveries – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 9

Yards – 96

Average per return – 10.7

TDs – 0

Longest return – 23 yards

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFC:  UPI

Falcons went 3-11 to finish fourth in the NFC West while leading the conference in fewest passing yards allowed (1572) – but also giving up the most rushing yards in the NFL (2564).

Aftermath:

Brown was shifted to free safety in 1975 and had another fine season while he intercepted four passes and returned one for a touchdown. He moved back to strong safety for the next two years and was dealt to New Orleans in 1978, where he continued to be a solid performer. Brown spent three years with the Saints before retiring in 1980. Overall, he appeared in 137 games over ten seasons and intercepted 38 passes, 31 of them with the Falcons, two of which were returned for TDs.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1999: Falcons Edge 49ers in Divisional Playoff Game

The NFC Divisional Playoff game in Atlanta on January 9, 1999 featured two NFC West teams. The upstart Atlanta Falcons had topped the division with a 14-2 record while the San Francisco 49ers finished second at 12-4 and were the top Wild Card entry.

The rise of the Falcons had been stunning in that they were coming off of two losing seasons, and five of the previous six had resulted in records under .500. Head Coach Dan Reeves, previously with the Broncos and Giants, was in his second year with the club but underwent heart surgery in December and was just returning to the sideline a month later to coach in the playoffs. The offense was ball control-oriented, keyed by RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), who rushed for 1846 yards on a record-setting 410 carries. QB Chris Chandler was unspectacular but efficient and a good leader. The defense featured a solid line plus Pro Bowlers in MLB Jessie Tuggle, CB Ray Buchanan, and FS Eugene Robinson.

San Francisco, coached by Steve Mariucci for the second year, was used to contending, having reached the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year in 1998 and 15^th time in 16 seasons, with a Super Bowl victory as recently as 1994. The team was aging but still strong with 37-year-old QB Steve Young and 36-year-old WR Jerry Rice leaders of an offense that benefited from the presence of RB Garrison Hearst (1570 rushing yards) and third-year WR Terrell Owens. The defensive line was missing injured DT Bryant Young, but DE Charles Haley came out of retirement to lend his pass-rushing expertise.

The teams split their regular season meetings and the 49ers defeated Green Bay in the Wild Card round the previous week to advance to the Divisional game.   

There were 70,262 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. Things went badly for the 49ers on their first play from scrimmage when Garrison Hearst suffered a broken leg, which significantly affected their ability to run the ball for the rest of the game. The teams exchanged punts until, following a 36-yard return by WR Tim Dwight, the Falcons took possession at the San Francisco 38 and scored in six plays. Jamal Anderson ran for 14 yards on first down and Chris Chandler threw to WR Terance Mathis for 19 yards on a third down play to the three yard line. Two plays later, Anderson ran for a two-yard touchdown, Morten Andersen added the extra point, and Atlanta held a 7-0 lead.

The clubs returned to trading punts as the game headed into the second quarter. Starting from their 18 with 7:35 remaining in the first half, the Falcons advanced 82 yards in seven plays. Jamal Anderson rushed for 16 yards on his first two carries, Chandler (pictured below) again connected with Mathis for 19 yards, and then it was Anderson breaking away for a 34-yard TD. Morten Andersen again added the point after and the home team was up by 14-0.

The 49ers responded with an 80-yard possession of their own. A pass interference call was good for 16 yards and Steve Young completed passes to WR J.J. Stokes for 12 yards, but the advance was nearly derailed when RB Terry Kirby mishandled a lateral and, after DE Chuck Smith appeared to recover and ran for an apparent touchdown, it was ruled that Kirby had gained possession and was down by contact before the ball got away from him again. Making the most of the reprieve, Young then threw to RB Chuck Levy for 34 yards and TE Greg Clark for nine before hitting Jerry Rice for a 17-yard touchdown. Wade Richey narrowed the score to 14-7 with the successful conversion.

There was still 1:06 left before halftime as the Falcons regained possession, but after Chandler passed to WR Ronnie Harris for 22 yards, his next throw was deflected by Charles Haley and picked off by DT Junior Bryant. San Francisco now had the ball at the Atlanta 36 and Young threw to Stokes for 16 yards and ran once himself for seven to set up a 36-yard Richey field goal. Atlanta’s lead was 14-10 at the intermission and the Niners appeared to have the momentum.

The Falcons had the ball first and drove to the San Francisco 42, but attempting to convert a fourth-and-one situation, Anderson was stopped for no gain. Now it was the 49ers moving effectively as Young threw to Terrell Owens for 20 yards and to Rice for eight. But following a short gain on another completion to Owens, Young’s next pass was picked off at the Atlanta three by Eugene Robinson, who returned it 77 yards to the San Francisco 20. While the turnover didn’t lead to a touchdown, it did lead to a Morten Andersen field goal from 29 yards and, instead of the Niners potentially taking the lead, the Falcons were ahead by seven points at 17-10.

San Francisco had the ball heading into the fourth quarter and Young threw to Rice for a 38-yard gain to the Atlanta 44, but once again the Falcons came up with an interception. This time it was SS William White picking off Young’s pass intended for Clark and returning it 14 yards to the San Francisco 36. Chandler converted a third-and-eight situation with a toss to WR Tony Martin that picked up 16 yards and, while the drive bogged down inside the 20, Atlanta again came up with points on a 32-yard Andersen field goal.

With Young completing seven passes, the 49ers advanced 87 yards in 13 plays in response. Two were to Owens, one of which gained seven yards in a third-and-five situation, and two more were caught by Stokes, the longest for a 33-yard gain to the Atlanta 12. Young kept the ball himself on an eight-yard scramble for a touchdown carry and the Niners added an improvised two-point conversion when the holder for the placekick, QB Ty Detmer, had to leap for a high snap, rolled out, and connected with Clark. It was now a two-point contest with 3:57 to play.

The try for an onside kick failed and, with Anderson running on every play, the Falcons managed to hold onto the ball until punting with 49 seconds left on the clock. The 49ers had to start from their own four and, while Young was able to connect with Levy for a gain of 24 yards, the game ended with White intercepting one last Young pass to seal the 20-18 win for Atlanta.

The 49ers had more total yards (334 to 289), but without Garrison Hearst gained just 46 yards on the ground, to 136 for the Falcons, who had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). San Francisco also turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Atlanta, and the 49ers were penalized eight times, to six flags thrown on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler didn’t go to the air often, completing 13 of 19 passes for 169 yards and giving up an interception. Jamal Anderson rushed for 113 yards on 29 carries that included two touchdowns. Terance Mathis (pictured at right) topped the Atlanta receivers with 5 catches for 71 yards and Tony Martin was right behind with his 63 yards on four receptions.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 23 of 37 throws for 289 yards and a TD, but also gave up three interceptions. He also led the team with 28 yards on six rushes that included a score. Terrell Owens caught 8 passes for 73 yards and J.J. Stokes contributed 76 yards on his five receptions. Jerry Rice had three receptions for 63 yards and a TD and set a NFL record by catching a pass in 23 straight playoff games. 

“It’s unbelievable. The whole year has been incredible,” exclaimed Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “To get to this point is beyond our wildest dreams.”

The Falcons moved a level higher as they upset the Minnesota Vikings in overtime to win the NFC Championship. However, they lost decisively to Denver in the Super Bowl and returned to earth with a 5-11 record in 1999. The loss for the 49ers marked the end of a long and successful era as they dropped to 4-12 in ‘99. They next returned to the postseason in 2001.

Highlighted Year: Bob Berry, 1971

Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons

Age:  29

7^th season in pro football, 4^th with Falcons

College: Oregon

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190

Prelude:

Berry passed for 4148 yards and 37 touchdowns in college and led Oregon to three consecutive winnings seasons and a Sun Bowl victory. He was a future draft pick of the NFL Eagles (11^th round) and AFL Broncos (26^th round) in 1964. The Minnesota Vikings traded for his rights and Berry joined them as a backup in 1965. He saw limited action behind Fran Tarkenton, Ron VanderKelen, and later Joe Kapp, over the course of three seasons. Berry threw a total of 46 passes and started one game in 1966 before being obtained by Atlanta in ‘68, where he was reunited with ex-Vikings Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin and given an opportunity to start in competition with Randy Johnson. Very competitive and a good leader, Berry was also undersized and prone to being sacked. He was an accurate passer at short range, typically rolling out and throwing to his backs and tight ends, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1969.

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 11 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 226 [17]

Most attempts, game – 27 vs. St. Louis 10/10, at New Orleans 12/19

Completions – 136 [14, tied with Greg Landry]

Most completions, game – 18 at New Orleans 12/19

Yards – 2005 [12]

Most yards, game – 309 at Detroit 10/3

Completion percentage – 60.2 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Yards per attempt – 8.9 [1]

TD passes – 11 [13, tied with Pete Liske, Fran Tarkenton & Dennis Shaw]

Most TD passes, game – 3 at Detroit 10/3

Interceptions – 16 [9, tied with Jim Plunkett & Daryle Lamonica]

Most interceptions, game – 4 vs. St. Louis 10/10

Passer rating – 75.9 [6]

300-yard passing games – 2

200-yard passing games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 19

Most attempts, game – 5 (for 4 yds.) vs. Green Bay 11/22

Yards – 31

Most yards, game – 19 yards (on 3 carries) vs. St. Louis 10/10

Yards per attempt – 1.6

TDs – 0

Falcons went 7-6-1, the first winning record in franchise history, to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Berry passed for a career-high 2158 yards in 1972 but, deemed too limited to continue to start, was dealt back to Minnesota. He spent the last three seasons of his career as a backup to Fran Tarkenton. Overall, Berry completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 9197 yards and 64 touchdowns, with an equal number of interceptions. 8489 yards and 57 TDs came with the Falcons.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2002: Falcons Prevail Over Saints in Back-and-Forth Game

The Atlanta Falcons, with a 3-3 record, traveled to New Orleans to take on their rivals, the Saints, on October 27, 2002. Coached by Dan Reeves, the Falcons featured flashy second-year QB Michael Vick directing the offense. RB Warrick Dunn (pictured at right), formerly of the Buccaneers, was off to a slow start but WR Brian Finneran was having a breakout year. Moreover, after getting off to a 1-3 start, the team was coming off of two wins, including a 30-0 thrashing of the Panthers the previous week.

The Saints were coached by Jim Haslett and had started off impressively at 6-1. The offense was especially productive with QB Aaron Brooks, who also happened to be Vick’s cousin, behind center. RB Deuce McAllister was an outstanding runner and the receiving corps, led by WR Joe Horn, was a good one.

There were 67,883 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome. Following a punt by the Falcons, the Saints had the ball at the Atlanta 43 to begin their first series and, with Aaron Brooks running for 19 yards and Deuce McAllister picking up another 15 on two carries, they scored first on a 40-yard John Carney field goal.

Once again the Falcons were forced to punt, thanks to back-to-back sacks, and New Orleans advanced 65 yards in nine plays. McAllister started the series off with a 28-yard run to the Atlanta 37 and a roughing-the-passer penalty on a third down play kept the drive alive. McAllister finished it off with a one-yard touchdown carry and Carney added the extra point to extend the home team’s lead to 10-0.

The Falcons were helped along on their next possession by a 32-yard pass interference penalty in a second-and-14 situation and, on the first play of the second quarter, Vick ran for 27 yards to the New Orleans 24 on a second-and-25 play. Three carries by Warrick Dunn picked up 18 yards and, after another defensive penalty, Vick gained the last three yards for a TD. Jay Feely’s point after narrowed the score to 10-7.

The Saints responded with a drive that featured completions by Brooks to Joe Horn for 16 and  25 yards, but McAllister fumbled at the end of a nine-yard run and LB Sam Rogers recovered at the Atlanta 30. Vick completed a pass to TE Alge Crumpler for 33 yards and, following two runs by Dunn that picked up nine yards, converted on third-and-one with a two yard carry. Two plays later, Vick connected with WR Willie Jackson for 18 yards and on the next play Dunn ran for a three-yard touchdown. Feely converted and the visitors were ahead by 14-10.

Atlanta got the ball back when LB Chris Draft intercepted a Brooks pass at midfield and returned it nine yards, but after reaching the New Orleans 17, Dunn fumbled after making a catch and the Saints recovered at their five. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Saints had the ball first in the third quarter but a Brooks throw was picked off by FS Keion Carpenter to give the Falcons excellent field position at the New Orleans 31. This time they did not fail to cash in as Vick (pictured at left) threw to Brian Finneran for 28 yards and FB Bob Christian ran for an eight-yard touchdown. Feely’s point after put the visitors ahead by 11 points at 21-10.

WR Michael Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards and the Saints moved quickly to score. McAllister ran for six yards after which Brooks threw to Horn for 17 and had another 15 yards tacked on thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty. Brooks threw to McAllister for a 19-yard TD and then to TE Boo Williams for a two-point conversion and the Atlanta lead was trimmed to 21-18.

CB Allen Rossum gave the Falcons a good kickoff return of 41 yards and Vick threw four straight passes, three of them complete. The third, to Finneran, was good for 14 yards to convert a third-and-seven situation and runs by Dunn and Christian got the ball to the New Orleans 13. Feely kicked a 31-yard field goal and the visitors were up by 24-18.

Lewis responded with a 65-yard kickoff return to the Atlanta 38 and Brooks immediately threw to McAllister for a 16-yard gain. Three more running plays set up a Brooks completion to Horn for a six-yard touchdown and, with Carney adding the extra point, the Saints were on top by 25-24.

The Falcons had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter. Dunn had a 56-yard run to the New Orleans 18 and, while the visitors couldn’t reach the end zone, Feely booted a 32-yard field goal to re-take the lead at 27-25.

The Saints punted on their next series and Atlanta used 10 plays to drive 92 yards. Dunn started things off with an 18-yard run and Vick had a 10-yard carry on a third-and-nine play. A roughing-the-passer call moved the Falcons past midfield and Vick completed a pass to Finneran for 10 yards. It was the nimble quarterback running the final 32 yards for a touchdown and, adding Feely’s PAT, Atlanta was now ahead by 34-25 with 5:57 remaining in regulation.

New Orleans fought back with a series that nearly ended with an apparent interception that was overturned on replay review. With that reprieve, Brooks threw to WR Jake Reed for 15 yards and to McAllister for 15, but an offensive pass interference penalty blunted the drive and Carney kicked a 40-yard field goal to at least narrow the score to 34-28 with the clock now down to 3:38.

Disaster struck for the Falcons on their next play from scrimmage when Dunn fumbled when hit by FS Jay Bellamy at the end of an eight-yard run and CB Fred Thomas recovered at the Atlanta 28. Carries by McAllister and Brooks gained six yards apiece and, following an incomplete pass, McAllister ran off tackle for a 16-yard TD. Carney’s extra point again put the home team back on top by 35-34.

There was 2:12 to play as the Falcons started their next series at their own 11 after an offensive holding penalty on the kickoff return moved them back. Vick fired off passes to TE Brian Kozlowski for 11 yards, Dunn for 12, and Crumpler for five yards to reach the 39. Vick took off on an eight-yard run, threw to WR Shawn Jefferson for 14 yards, and ran for six yards to the New Orleans 33. A defensive holding penalty added four more yards but the Falcons could advance no further as a run by Dunn gained nothing and a pass was incomplete. Finally, Feely came on to kick a 47-yard field goal on the game’s last play and Atlanta won in dramatic fashion by a final score of 37-35.

The Falcons had the edge in total yards (446 to 351) and first downs (28 to 22). They gained 260 of their yards on the ground, to 159 for New Orleans. The Saints turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Atlanta, and both clubs were heavily penalized, with the Falcons getting flagged 10 times at a cost of 95 yards and New Orleans 9 times for 96 yards. The teams combined for just three punts, two by Atlanta.

Michael Vick, who became ill on the climactic drive and had to remove himself from the game, completed 16 of 24 passes for 195 yards and, while there were no touchdowns he also gave up no interceptions. Vick also rushed for 91 yards on 10 carries and scored two TDs. Warrick Dunn gained 142 yards on 23 rushing attempts that included a touchdown and also caught five passes for 28 more yards. Alge Crumpler and Brian Finneran each gained 62 receiving yards on an identical four pass receptions.

For the Saints, Aaron Brooks was successful on 16 of 35 throws for 192 yards and two TDs while giving up two interceptions. Deuce McAllister (pictured above) ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and had five catches for 56 yards and another TD. Joe Horn also had five receptions, for a team-leading 61 yards and a score. Michael Lewis averaged 33.5 yards on six kickoff returns.

The Falcons followed up on their dramatic win by going 4-0-1 over the next five weeks, which included another victory over New Orleans at home, and while they lost three of their last four games, they finished at 9-6-1 to place second in the NFC South and secure a Wild Card playoff spot. Atlanta stunned the Packers in Green Bay in the first round before falling to the Eagles at the Divisional level. The Saints won the following week but only twice more after that as they faltered down the stretch. They ended up third in the division with a 9-7 record and out of the postseason.      

1991: Opportunistic Falcons Outlast 49ers for Wild Win

The Atlanta Falcons were off to a 2-3 start as they traveled to San Francisco to take on the 49ers on October 13, 1991. Coached by Jerry Glanville, the Falcons were coming off of eight consecutive losing seasons and had lost in their last five meetings with the 49ers. The club employed a run-and-shoot offense directed by talented but injury-prone QB Chris Miller (pictured at right) with WR Andre Rison as the leading receiver. The defense featured an outstanding cornerback tandem in Deion Sanders, who was also excellent at returning kicks, and Tim McKyer, a sixth-year veteran who started out with the 49ers.

San Francisco had been to the playoffs in each of the previous eight years under, first, Bill Walsh and now George Seifert, and that included three Super Bowl victories, most recently in 1988 and ’89. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship game in 1990 but were in a transition year. Most notably, the team lost 35-year-old star QB Joe Montana, who was out for the season with a torn elbow tendon in his throwing arm. Backup QB Steve Young was getting his chance, but the results had been uneven thus far and the Niners were also at 2-3.

There were 57,343 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park on a sunny afternoon. The Falcons had the ball first and quickly went 73 yards in four plays. Chris Miller started off with a completion to Andre Rison for 39 yards to the San Francisco 34 and, following two carries by RB Erric Pegram, Miller fired long for WR Michael Haynes in the end zone and it was good for a 27-yard touchdown. Norm Johnson added the extra point.

Steve Young (pictured at left) threw to Jerry Rice for a 15-yard pickup on the Niners’ first play from scrimmage, but RB Dexter Carter fumbled on the next one and SS Brian Jordan recovered for the Falcons at the San Francisco 49. Miller rolled out and threw to Haynes for a gain of 41 yards on first down and, three plays later, it was Miller to Rison for a seven-yard TD. Johnson’s point after put the visitors ahead by 14-0.

The teams traded punts before FS Scott Case intercepted a Young pass at the San Francisco 38. The Falcons made their way to the San Francisco 12 as the opening period came to an end and, two plays into the second quarter, Johnson kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it a 17-0 contest.

The 49ers responded by driving 72 yards in six plays. Young completed two passes to TE Jamie Williams for 16 and 15 yards and a long throw to WR Mike Sherrard picked up 31 yards to the Atlanta 10. FB Tom Rathman gained four yards up the middle and then Young, rolling to his left, ran for a six-yard touchdown. Mike Cofer converted to narrow Atlanta’s lead to 17-7.

The Falcons reached midfield on their next series before punting and the 49ers had to punt from their own 25 in turn, with Joe Prokop’s deflected kick traveling only 17 yards to give the visitors good field position at the San Francisco 41. They reached the 23 at the two-minute warning and Johnson kicked a 43-yard field goal to put the Falcons up by 20-7.

There was still time for the 49ers following Carter’s 34-yard kickoff return, and they advanced 66 yards in five plays. The big one was a long pass by Young that WR John Taylor caught for a 54-yard touchdown. Cofer’s extra point narrowed the Atlanta lead to 20-14 at halftime.

San Francisco had the first possession of the third quarter and traveled 70 yards in five plays. Young ran twice for 14 yards and, while an apparent 20-yard completion to Taylor was called back due to an illegal motion penalty, a Young throw to Rice was good for a 57-yard TD. Atlanta’s Jordan blocked Cofer’s extra point attempt, but the game was now tied at 20-20.

It didn’t stay tied for long when Deion Sanders gathered in the ensuing kickoff and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Johnson’s conversion put the Falcons back in front by seven points. The 49ers came back with a nine-play, 69-yard drive. Young completed four passes, most notably to Rice for 22 yards in a third-and-six situation and to Williams for 15 yards to the Atlanta 10. Two passes into the end zone fell incomplete but, following a defensive holding penalty, RB Harry Sydney swept around end to a five-yard TD. Cofer made the point after and the score was knotted once more at 27-27.

The Falcons drove 80 yards in 10 plays in response. Miller had four completions along the way, connecting with WR Mike Pritchard for 15 yards and Rison and Haynes for 10 yards apiece. RB Steve Broussard ran for 10 yards on a draw play and an end run picked up 23 yards to set up a one-yard Miller to Rison touchdown pass. The extra point attempt failed when holder/punter Scott Fulhage fumbled the snap, but the visitors were again in the lead by 33-27.

Carter returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the San Francisco 49 and the Niners had the ball heading into the fourth quarter, putting together a 51-yard drive in eight plays. Young threw to Taylor for 20 yards and scrambled to a seven-yard touchdown, leaping into the end zone at the end. Cofer kicked the extra point and the 49ers had a one-point lead at 34-33 with 12 minutes to play.

Once more the Falcons fought back, advancing 48 yards in six plays that resulted in a 44-yard Johnson field goal and a regained lead of 36-34. The 49ers methodically drove into Atlanta territory, but after reaching the 20 thanks to an 11-yard completion to Rice, Sydney lost nine yards when attempting to reverse field on a failed running play, an intentional grounding penalty moved the Niners back another 10 yards, and a third-and-29 pass by Young was intercepted by Tim McKyer (pictured above), the ex-49er. McKyer returned it 24 yards, cutting to the middle of the field, and then tossed a lateral to Sanders, who picked up another 13 yards to the San Francisco 35.

Broussard, following a short gain, ran for 23 yards and while the Falcons couldn’t reach the end zone, they added a 30-yard field goal by Johnson to pad their lead to five points with 1:45 left on the clock. It was the icing on the cake. Young completed passes to Rice for 14 yards and WR Sanjay Beach for 20, but a desperate fourth down pass from his own 39 was intercepted by McKyer, his second of the fourth quarter, to seal the 39-34 win for Atlanta.  

The 49ers, playing catchup throughout the game, led in total yards (437 to 368) and first downs (24 to 19). However, San Francisco also turned the ball over four times, to none by the Falcons. Atlanta was also very effective running the ball, gaining 160 yards on the ground to San Francisco’s 94.

Chris Miller completed 16 of 28 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Andre Rison had 6 catches for 69 yards and two TDs and Michael Haynes gained 94 yards on his five receptions that included a score. Steve Broussard rushed for 104 yards on just 10 attempts.

For the 49ers, Steve Young was successful on 22 of 38 throws for 348 yards and two TDs, but also gave up three interceptions, and led the club in rushing with 68 yards on 11 carries that included two more touchdowns. Jerry Rice caught 7 passes for 138 yards and a TD and John Taylor contributed 80 yards on his three catches that also included a score.

“There was one bad play and boom-boom, there were two more bad plays and we were out of it,” said San Francisco’s Coach Seifert. “There are a number of disappointing things happening. I’m obviously devastated.”

The Falcons lost to Phoenix the next week but then won seven of eight games, including the rematch with the 49ers, on the way to a 10-6 record. San Francisco won two, lost two, and was at 4-6 before putting together a six-game winning streak to finish the season also at 10-6. However, the sweep of the season series by Atlanta made the difference in which team went to the postseason. As a result, the Falcons attained second place in the NFC West and grabbed a Wild Card slot, beating New Orleans in the first round before succumbing to the Redskins at the Divisional level. The 49ers ended up in third place and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Chris Miller passed for 3103 yards and a career-high 26 touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Andre Rison also received Pro Bowl honors as he caught 81 passes for 976 yards (12.0 avg.) and 12 TDs and Michael Haynes led the NFL by averaging 22.4 yards-per-catch on his 50 receptions for 1122 yards that included 11 scores. Deion Sanders (pictured at left) intercepted 6 passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and averaged 22.2 yards on 26 kickoff returns, with his return against the 49ers the lone TD, and 8.1 yards on 21 punt returns. He was chosen to the first of eight Pro Bowls in this, his third pro season.

Things would get better for Steve Young, who led the league with a 101.8 passer rating, although he also missed time due to a knee injury. Jerry Rice had a typically outstanding year, catching 80 passes for 1207 yards and a NFL-leading 14 touchdowns.  

1981: Falcons Erupt in 4th Quarter, Overcome 17-Point Deficit to Defeat Packers

The Green Bay Packers hosted the Atlanta Falcons in the second week of the 1981 NFL season on September 13. Both teams had won in the first week against division rivals, with Green Bay defeating the Bears by a 16-9 tally and the Falcons shutting out New Orleans 27-0.

Expectations were greater for the visiting Falcons, who topped the AFC West in ’80 with a 12-4 record before losing a close NFC Divisional-round playoff game to the Cowboys. Coming into their fifth season under Head Coach Leeman Bennett, Atlanta had a productive offense guided by QB Steve Bartkowski (pictured above) and also featuring all-purpose FB William Andrews, wide receivers Alfred Jenkins and Wallace Francis, and TE Junior Miller. The defense was particularly strong at linebacker, including Al Richardson and Buddy Curry, who both received Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1980.

Green Bay, coached by Bart Starr, was a disappointing 5-10-1 the previous year. QB Lynn Dickey was an able passer when healthy and had an excellent receiver available in WR James Lofton. TE Paul Coffman was also noteworthy and FB Gerry Ellis was an effective runner and receiver. The defense had been riddled by injuries in 1980 and improvement was anticipated, with the biggest concerns regarding the defensive backfield.

There were 55,382 fans in attendance at Lambeau Field and for the first three quarters, they saw their team control the game. In the first quarter, OT Karl Swanke, lined up as an eligible receiver, caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Lynn Dickey. Jan Stenerud added the extra point. Dickey tossed another scoring pass in the second quarter, this time to Gerry Ellis from 11 yards out, and Stenerud again converted.

With time running out in the first half, Ellis ran 10 yards to the Atlanta six and the field goal unit quickly took the field. However, Stenerud’s 32-yard kick was nullified because Swanke was not yet properly set on the line at the snap. Still, the home team took a 14-0 lead into halftime. Lynn Dickey had completed 16 of 20 passes for 208 yards and two TDs, and the Packers outgained the Falcons by 288 yards to 173 and appeared to be very much in command. In addition, Steve Bartkowski was playing with a painful rib injury after a hard hit by DE Mike Butler in the first quarter.

The Packers turned conservative in the third quarter. The only scoring came late in the period when Stenerud kicked a 44-yard field goal to add to Green Bay’s lead. The Falcons finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter when Mick Luckhurst kicked a 32-yard field goal, but it hardly seemed of concern to the home fans.

The Packers had to punt on their next series and Ray Stachowitz kicked a line drive that traveled 43 yards and was returned by WR Reggie Smith, who raced past three defenders, picked up blockers as he reached the right sideline, and gained 53 yards to the Green Bay two. William Andrews plunged through the line for a touchdown on the next play and, with Luckhurst adding the point after, it was a 17-10 game with 10:35 to play.

The ferocious blitzing of the Falcons again kept the Packers in check on a three-and-out series and, getting the ball back, it took Atlanta just two plays to advance 52 yards. Bartkowski threw to Alfred Jenkins twice, first for 22 yards and then for a 30-yard TD, and Luckhurst’s conversion tied the game at 17-17.

The time remaining was eight minutes as the reeling Packers regained possession, and Dickey, under heavy pressure, attempted a short and poorly-thrown pass that was intercepted by LB Fulton Kuykendall (pictured at left), who returned it 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Luckhurst added the point after and, in a span of 4:24, the Falcons had scored 24 points to take a seven-point lead.

Green Bay still had a shot at tying the game, but after a Dickey throw to WR James Lofton picked up 27 yards, RB Terdell Middleton fumbled after catching a short pass and LB Joel Williams picked up the loose ball and ran 57 yards for the clinching touchdown. Luckhurst’s PAT capped the stunning Atlanta rally which resulted in a total of 31 fourth quarter points to win by a final tally of 31-17.

The Packers had the edge in total yards (396 to 335) and first downs (22 to 19), but crucially, they netted only seven rushing yards in the second half. Green Bay also turned the ball over five times, with two leading directly to touchdowns in the final period, while the Falcons suffered four turnovers. Atlanta recorded five sacks, to three by the Packers.

Steve Bartkowski completed 16 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, although he was intercepted four times. William Andrews rushed for 87 yards on 19 carries that included a TD. Alfred Jenkins had five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown and WR Wallace Francis also pulled in five passes, for 88 yards.

For the Packers, Lynn Dickey was successful on 30 of 44 throws for 342 yards and two TDs, but was picked off three times. Gerry Ellis (pictured below) gained 59 yards on 9 rushing attempts and also caught 8 passes for 47 yards and a score. James Lofton gained 179 yards on his 8 pass receptions. LB Rich Wingo had 13 tackles as part of a defensive effort that stymied the Falcons for three quarters.

“It all starts with Reggie’s return,” said Steve Bartkowski, referencing the long punt return by Reggie Smith that led to Atlanta’s first touchdown. “When you’re 17 points down, one big play is not going to win for you. But that got us started.”

“We simply came apart at the seams there for a few minutes,” said Green Bay’s Coach Starr. “It’s one thing to have points scored against you. It’s another thing to have them scored like they did after that long punt return, that interception and that long pass (to Jenkins).”

“The tide of a game is going to turn sometimes,” summed up Lynn Dickey. “What happened to us today was a tidal wave.”

The Falcons won again the next week to reach 3-0 before dropping four of their next five contests on the way to a disappointing 7-9 record that placed them a distant second to the 49ers in the AFC West. Green Bay continued to struggle and was 2-6 at the season’s halfway point before breaking out with six wins in the remaining eight games to break even at 8-8.

Steve Bartkowski had another Pro Bowl year, throwing for 3829 yards and 30 touchdowns, which made him the first NFL quarterback since Y.A. Tittle in 1962-63 to reach 30 TD passes in consecutive seasons. However, he also gave up 23 interceptions and was sacked 37 times. Alfred Jenkins was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection, leading the league with 1358 pass receiving yards and 13 touchdowns among his 70 catches.  William Andrews placed second in all-purpose yards with 2036 and earned his second Pro Bowl selection.