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.

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.

1996: Last-Play FG Lifts Dolphins Past Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were struggling with a 5-5 record as they traveled to Houston to face the Oilers on November 17, 1996. Having replaced long-time Head Coach Don Shula with Jimmy Johnson, whose Dallas teams won two Super Bowls, the Dolphins had won their first three games before dropping five of their next six. 35-year-old QB Dan Marino (pictured at right) was still at the helm of the offense, although he was proving to be increasingly brittle and had missed three games. The passing game was assisted by the arrival of WR Fred Barnett, signed away from the Eagles as a free agent and who had made an astonishing recovery from a preseason knee injury that required surgery.  Rookie RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar provided a boost to the ground game.

The Oilers, coached by Jeff Fisher, were also facing a transition as they were scheduled to leave Houston for Nashville.  The club was also retooling on the field, with rookie RB Eddie George having an immediate impact and QB Steve McNair in development while veteran Chris Chandler directed the offense. The defense was rugged, particularly against the run. Houston got off to a 5-2 start before suffering two tough losses and the Oilers were at 6-4 as they hosted the Dolphins.

There were 47,358 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. Miami’s Coach Johnson was from nearby Port Arthur, Texas, and there was a cheering section in attendance for him. The Oilers had the first possession and drove 65 yards in eight plays. Chris Chandler started off with a pass to Eddie George (pictured below) for 17 yards and WR Willie Davis ran around left end for another 15. Chandler had completions to RB Ronnie Harmon for eight yards and George for seven and, while losses on two plays had Houston facing third-and-18, Chandler connected with WR Derek Russell for an 18-yard touchdown. Al Del Greco added the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

The Dolphins went three-and-out and, following their punt, the Oilers again drove to another score, advancing 61 yards in eight plays. Chandler completed three passes along the way and a fourth was to TE Frank Wycheck for a 15-yard TD. Del Greco again converted and the home team was ahead by 14-0.

Miami responded with a series that was helped along by an 18-yard pass interference call on the Oilers, but after reaching the Houston 21, Joe Nedney missed on a 39-yard field goal as the first quarter came to an end. As the game headed into the second quarter, the teams exchanged punts. The Oilers reached the Miami 49 on their next possession but a punt by ex-Dolphin Reggie Roby was blocked and recovered by RB Robert Wilson at the Houston 31. Five plays later, Dan Marino threw to RB Irving Spikes for a 10-yard touchdown and, with Nedney adding the point after, Houston’s lead was cut to 14-7.

The Oilers punted following a short series and the Dolphins regained possession with 3:35 remaining in the first half. Two defensive penalties helped move Miami’s series along. Karim Abdul-Jabbar had a 12-yard carry and Marino connected on two short passes to set up Nedney’s 34-yard field goal on the last play of the half, making the score 14-10 at the intermission.

Both teams went three-and-out and punted to start the third quarter. The Dolphins, on their second series of the half, drove 37 yards in eight plays. Marino completed three passes, the longest to Fred Barnett for 25 yards to the Houston 26, and Nedney kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it a one-point game at 14-13.

The Oilers came back alive on offense to advance 67 yards in 12 plays. Chandler completed four passes but, following a 10-yard run by George to get the ball to the Miami 12, three passes were incomplete and the home team settled for a 30-yard Del Greco field goal and an extended lead of 17-13.

The Dolphins had the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter, helped along by a fake punt in which LB Larry Izzo took a direct snap and ran for 26 yards to the Houston 42. But after reaching the five, Abdul-Jabbar fumbled just short of the goal line and CB Cris Dishman recovered for the Oilers in the end zone. However, Chandler immediately went to the air and his pass intended for Wycheck was intercepted by LB Zach Thomas, who returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. Nedney added the extra point and the visitors were in front for the first time at 20-17.

The Oilers went three-and-out and punted, but they got the ball back at their 35 after Miami WR O.J. McDuffie fumbled when stripped by LB Barron Wortham after catching a pass and CB Steve Jackson recovered. George took off for a 24-yard gain on first down and Chandler threw to Wycheck for eight yards. The drive stalled at the Miami 16 and Del Greco came on to tie the score at 20-20 with a 33-yard field goal.

Miami took over on offense with 3:20 left in regulation. Two runs by Abdul-Jabbar netted a loss of two yards, but facing third-and-12, Marino passed to McDuffie for 20 yards to keep the series alive. Two plays later, he threw to TE Troy Drayton for a pickup of 51 yards to the Houston five. From there the Dolphins were able to run the clock down and Nedney kicked a 29-yard field goal on the game’s last play to give Miami a 23-20 win.  

The Dolphins had the edge in total yards (303 to 261) while the teams were even in first downs with 17 apiece. Miami turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Oilers. Houston accounted for three sacks, to two by the Dolphins, and Miami drew six penalties to four flags thrown on the Oilers.

Dan Marino completed 21 of 28 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. O.J. McDuffie (pictured at right) had 8 catches for 86 yards. Thanks to his long fourth quarter reception, Troy Drayton gained 63 yards on two catches and Fred Barnett contributed 5 receptions for 53 yards. Karim Abdul-Jabbar topped Miami’s rushers with 59 yards on 18 carries.

For the Oilers, Chris Chandler was successful on 15 of 27 throws for 167 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Eddie George rushed for 60 yards on 15 attempts and caught three passes for 34 yards. Frank Wycheck topped the receivers with 5 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.

The win put the Dolphins above .500 but they lost their next three games before finishing out the season with two wins for an 8-8 record that placed fourth in the AFC East. Houston lost three of its last five contests to also end up at 8-8 and fourth in the AFC Central.

Due to wear and tear, Dan Marino had one of his least productive seasons, passing for 2795 yards and 17 touchdowns, although his 87.8 passer rating and 7.5 yards per attempt ranked among the league leaders. Fred Barnett managed to catch 36 passes for 562 yards (15.6 avg.) and three TDs in nine games while O.J. McDuffie led the club with 74 receptions for 918 yards (12.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns.

1997: Falcons Obtain Chris Chandler from Oilers

On February 24, 1997 the Atlanta Falcons took a step toward resolving their need for a new starting quarterback. QB Chris Chandler was obtained from the Houston (soon to be Tennessee) Oilers for fourth- and sixth-round draft picks in the upcoming 1997 draft.

Chandler had originally entered the NFL as a third round draft choice of the Indianapolis Colts out of Washington in 1988. Mobile and with a strong arm, as well as highly intelligent with a cocky self-confidence, he took over as starting quarterback when Jack Trudeau suffered a season-ending knee injury. Helped by the presence of RB Eric Dickerson in the backfield to attract the attention of opposing defenses, Chandler showed promise and the previously-winless club was 9-4 with him behind center. However, in what would become a recurring theme throughout his career, a knee injury limited him to three games in 1989 and the club traded up to get Illinois QB Jeff George in the first round of the 1990 draft.

Traded to Tampa Bay for a first draft pick, Chandler backed up QB Vinny Testaverde for a year and was waived during the ’91 season, at which point he was picked up by the Cardinals. He had a good year with a mediocre team in 1992, taking over for the injured Timm Rosenbach, but played in only four games in ’93 and moved on to the Rams and, after one season, to the Oilers for 1995, where he was reunited with offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome, who had held the same role with Phoenix. Installed as the starting quarterback while rookie Steve McNair was kept on the bench to learn, Chandler put together two good years but, with McNair judged ready to take over the starting job, the rebuilding Oilers chose to deal him away. Intelligent and capable, Chandler had also gained a reputation for being fragile (thus earning the unfortunate nickname “Crystal Chandelier”) and quick to complain when not starting.

The Falcons were coming off of a dreadful 3-13 record in 1996 under June Jones, which was a hugely disappointing following a 9-7 record that resulted in a playoff spot in ’95. Jones had installed a version of the run-and-shoot offense that QB Jeff George, obtained from the Colts in 1994, was highly productive in operating. However, George had been suspended and later released by the Falcons following a shouting match with Jones on the sideline during a nationally televised game in September. He moved on to the Oakland Raiders and Bobby Hebert, who took over for George, chose to retire (which was expected but not yet confirmed at the time of the trade for Chandler). The Falcons had also talked to San Francisco’s backup QB Elvis Grbac, who went on to sign with the Chiefs.

“We believe he gives us a chance where we can win immediately,” said Dan Reeves, Atlanta’s new head coach. “We feel like he gives us the ability to compete. He’s a guy who can get the job done.”

Those words seemed overly optimistic when the Falcons got off to a 1-7 start, including losses in the first five games, and Chandler missed two starts and was knocked out of four other games with assorted injuries. However, both he and the team rebounded to go 6-2 the rest of the way for a 7-9 overall record. Chandler ranked second in NFL passing with a 95.1 rating as he threw for 2692 yards and 20 touchdowns while giving up just seven interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl.

The stage was set for a bigger year in 1998. This time the Falcons started strong (5-2) and finished even stronger (nine straight wins to close out the regular season) on the way to a 14-2 record and the Western Division title. Chandler again missed two games due to injury but had another Pro Bowl year as he threw for 3154 yards and 25 TDs, compiling a 100.9 rating. To be sure, the running game, led by All-Pro RB Jamal Anderson (1846 yards to lead the NFC) was a key component of the offense’s success, but Chandler showed improvement as a team leader and, surrounded by capable performers, he excelled. Atlanta edged the 49ers in the Divisional playoff round and then upset the Minnesota Vikings in overtime to win the NFC Championship before being soundly beaten by Denver in the Super Bowl.

The ’98 season proved to be the pinnacle of Chandler’s career and the Falcons failed to post a winning record during the remaining three years that he was with them. The loss of Jamal Anderson early in the 1999 season severely hindered the offense and Chandler again had trouble with injuries, missing four full games. He also clashed with Coach Reeves as the team sputtered to a 5-11 record and the complaints resurfaced about the quarterback’s fragility and poor attitude when facing adversity.

The record fell to 4-12 in 2000 and Chandler threw more interceptions (12) than TD passes (10) for the first time in nine years. He was benched in favor of backup QB Doug Johnson at one point late in the season and after taking a significant battering due to offensive line deficiencies, but showed maturity in accepting the demotion. The Falcons traded up in the 2001 NFL draft to select Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick and Chandler, at age 36, was placed in the role of mentor to the young quarterback – much as he had done in Houston previously. He finished out his Atlanta stint by starting 14 games and completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 2847 yards and 16 touchdowns, against 14 interceptions, for a 7-9 club.

Following his release by the Falcons after the season, Chandler moved on to the Bears for two years, where he started occasionally, and finished his career as a backup with the St. Louis Rams in 2004. He had his most productive seasons in Atlanta, where he completed 981 of 1672 passes (58.7) for 13,268 yards and 87 touchdowns while giving up 56 interceptions and being sacked 197 times. His overall career completion percentage was 58.1 as he totaled 28,484 passing yards and 170 TDs against 146 interceptions. But he never appeared in all 16 games in any season, a product of his chronic injury problems.

As for the draft choices that the Oilers received in exchange for Chandler in 1997, the fourth round pick was used to take WR Derrick Mason from Michigan State and the choice in the sixth round was in turn traded to New Orleans, where it went for TE Nicky Savoie out of LSU. Mason had a productive career over the course of eight seasons with the relocated Oilers (they moved to Tennessee in ’97 and were renamed the Titans in 1999), catching 453 passes for 6114 yards and 37 touchdowns. He garnered consensus first-team All-NFL honors in 2000 and was twice selected to the Pro Bowl.