Highlighted Year: Morten Andersen, 1985

Placekicker, New Orleans Saints

Age:  25

4^th season in pro football & with Saints

College: Michigan State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 205

Prelude:

The Danish, left-footed Andersen learned the art of placekicking as an exchange student in high school and went on to excel at Michigan State, where he once connected on a 63-yard field goal against Ohio State. Chosen by the Saints in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL draft, his pro career got off to a rough start when he missed most of his rookie year due to injury. However, he came back strong in ’83, hitting on 18 of 24 field goal attempts (75.0 %) and added another 20 field goals in 27 tries in 1984 (74.1 %). He also connected on 71 of 72 extra point attempts over the span of those two seasons.

1985 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 31 [2, tied with Kevin Butler, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 5 vs. LA Rams 12/1

Field goal attempts – 35 [4]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 vs. LA Rams 12/1

Field goal percentage – 88.6 [2]

PATs – 27

PAT attempts – 29

Longest field goal – 55 yards at Denver 9/15

Scoring

Field Goals – 31

PATs – 27

Points – 120 [5, tied with Jim Breech]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: Sporting News

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-NFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Saints went 5-11 to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Andersen was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the next three seasons and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1986 and ’87. During 13 years in New Orleans, he kicked 302 field goals in 389 attempts (77.6 %), with 22 of those successful kicks coming from 50 yards or more, and added 412 extra points (missing six times) to become the franchise’s all-time scoring leader with 1318 points. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice more. In a surprising move, Andersen left the Saints for the rival Falcons as a free agent in 1995 and tied his career high with 31 field goals, out of 37 attempts, again achieving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition. He went on to play five more seasons in Atlanta, which included a NFC Championship in 1998 after he kicked the winning field goal against the Vikings in overtime of the conference title game. Andersen moved on to the Giants for a year, spent 2002 and ’03 with the Chiefs, was with Minnesota in 2004, and then, after sitting out a year, returned to Atlanta in 2006 and ’07, finishing out his 25-season career at age 47. His 89.3 field goal percentage in 2007 (25 of 28) was his career best. He ended up as the NFL career leader in scoring (2544 points) and field goals (565), as well as having appeared in the most games (382) and scored in the most consecutive contests (360). Andersen was three times a consensus first-team All-NFL selection, received at least second-team or All-NFC honors on three other occasions, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl seven times. In addition to the Saints, he is also the career scoring leader for the Falcons (806 points), making him the only player to hold that distinction with two different NFL teams.

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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

Highlighted Year: Morten Andersen, 1995

Placekicker, Atlanta Falcons

Age:  35

14^th season in pro football, 1^st with Falcons

College: Michigan State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 221

Prelude:

The Danish, left-footed Andersen learned the art of placekicking as an exchange student in high school and went on to excel at Michigan State, where he connected on a 63-yard field goal against Ohio State. Chosen by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL draft, his pro career got off to a rough start when he missed most of his rookie year due to injury. However, he came back strong in ’83, was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of four straight seasons in 1985, and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1986 and ’87. During 13 years in New Orleans, he kicked 302 field goals in 389 attempts (77.6 %), with 22 of those successful kicks coming from 50 yards or more, and added 412 extra points (missing six times) to become the franchise’s all-time scoring leader with 1318 points. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice more. In a surprising move, Andersen left the Saints for the rival Falcons as a free agent in 1995.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 31 [2, tied with Steve Christie & Jason Elam, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 5 vs. New England 10/1

Field goal attempts – 37 [5]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 vs. New England 10/1

Field goal percentage – 83.8 [4]

PATs – 29 [18]

PAT attempts – 30 [18]

Longest field goal – 59 yards vs. San Francisco 12/24

Scoring

Field Goals – 31

PATs – 29

Points – 122 [7, tied with Fuad Reveiz]

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Green Bay)

Field goals – 2

Field goal attempts – 2

PATs – 2

PAT attempts – 2

Longest field goal – 31 yards

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Falcons went 9-7 to finish second in the NFC West and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (37-20).

Aftermath:

Andersen went on to play five more seasons in Atlanta, which included a NFC Championship in 1998 after he kicked the winning field goal against the Vikings in overtime of the conference title game. He moved on to the Giants for a year, spent 2002 and ’03 with the Chiefs, was with Minnesota in 2004, and then, after sitting out a year, returned to Atlanta in 2006 and ’07, finishing out his 25-season career at age 47. His 89.3 field goal percentage in 2007 (25 of 28) was his career best. He ended up as the NFL career leader in scoring (2544 points) and field goals (565), as well as having appeared in the most games (382) and scored in the most consecutive contests (360). Andersen was three times a consensus first-team All-NFL selection, received at least second-team or All-NFC honors on three other occasions, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl seven times. In addition to the Saints, he is also the career scoring leader for the Falcons (806 points), making him the only player to hold that distinction with two different NFL teams.

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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

1996: Jaguars Edge Falcons to Clinch Playoff Berth

The second-year Jacksonville Jaguars came into their 1996 season finale on December 22 needing a win to gain a playoff spot. Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s team had been at 4-7 after eleven games and seemed to be going nowhere, but the Jaguars had reeled off four straight wins to climb to 8-7. 26-year-old QB Mark Brunell  (pictured at right) started off unevenly but was playing well during the late-season surge. Most significantly, RB Natrone Means was running the ball effectively and taking pressure off the young quarterback. WR Keenan McCardell was joined by Jimmy Smith, who took over for veteran WR Andre Rison with outstanding results. Two rookies, DE Tony Brackens and LB Kevin Hardy, were upgrades to the defense and 11th-year veteran DE Clyde Simmons added his savvy play to the mix. They had to beat Atlanta to make the postseason in just their second year.

The Falcons, meanwhile, were 3-12 after having been in the playoffs in ’95. Atlanta’s season was marred by controversy, most notably a sideline confrontation between Head Coach June Jones and QB Jeff George that caused the talented but immature quarterback to be suspended and replaced by veteran backup Bobby Hebert. RB Jamal Anderson and WR Bert Emanuel had emerged as good players on offense, but the offensive line was ordinary and the defensive backfield atrocious.

The game was at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium with 71,449 fans in attendance. The Falcons had the game’s first possession and punted. Jacksonville put together a 77-yard drive in 10 plays. Mark Brunell completed all three of his passes including one to Keenan McCardell for 17 yards in a second-and-11 situation. Natrone Means (pictured below) pounded away for 17 yards on four straight carries and Brunell finished the series off by scrambling for 11 yards for a touchdown. Mike Hollis added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts for the rest of the first quarter, but the Falcons were at the Jacksonville 41 at the end of the period and reached the 27 before QB Bobby Hebert was sacked by CB Aaron Beasley on a third-and-four play. Morten Andersen kicked a 46-yard field goal to narrow the score to 7-3.

The Jaguars responded with a 12-play, 70-yard drive of their own. Brunell connected with TE Pete Mitchell for 16 yards in a third-and-six situation and Means had a 17-yard run to the Atlanta 14. The series ended with Hollis booting a field goal from 23 yards to make it a 10-3 game.

Following a three-and-out series by the Falcons, Jacksonville put together another long scoring drive of 78 yards in 13 plays. Brunell completed three passes and had a 16-yard run and, with 46 seconds remaining in the half, Hollis added another field goal, this time from 26 yards. The Jaguars led by ten points at the intermission.

The home team started off the third quarter with yet another long possession. The biggest gain was a Brunell pass to Jimmy Smith for 29 yards as the Jaguars advanced 76 yards in 13 plays culminating in a third Hollis field goal, this time from 22 yards.

The Falcons had been quiet on offense, but now they responded with a 10-play, 72-yard series. Hebert (pictured at left) started off with a pass to RB Richard Huntley for 14 yards, RB Craig Heyward ran for 11 yards, and then Hebert scrambled for 15 yards around end. Continuing to chip away, Atlanta finally scored when Hebert connected with WR Eric Metcalf for a four-yard TD. Andersen added the extra point and the Jacksonville lead was narrowed to 16-10.

In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, the Jaguars went 51 yards in 10 plays. Hollis attempted a field goal from 42 yards that hit the left upright but caromed over the crossbar and was good. In a game of long possessions, the Falcons responded by using 12 plays to go 77 yards. Hebert had a pass to Bert Emanuel for 17 yards and converted a third-and-eight with another toss to Emanuel that was good for 12 yards. Heyward went up the middle for the last two yards and a TD. Andersen’s extra point made it a two-point contest with 5:39 remaining.

The Jaguars went three-and-out and had to punt. With Jamal Anderson running to good effect and Hebert connecting with WR Tyrone Brown on a screen pass for 23 yards, Atlanta reached the Jacksonville 13 with eight seconds left on the clock. But just as it seemed that Jacksonville’s season was about to end in disappointment, the usually reliable Morten Andersen missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. Andersen appeared to slip as he kicked the ball and it sailed wide to the left as the Jaguars came away with a 19-17 win.

Jacksonville led in total yards (357 to 309) while each club had 21 first downs. Rushing yards were nearly even as well, with the Falcons holding a 146 to 143 edge. However, the Jaguars were nearly undone by having to settle for field goals too often when inside the Atlanta ten yard line. There were no turnovers.

Mark Brunell completed 18 of 29 passes for 222 yards with no touchdowns, although he ran for one TD on one of his four carries for 28 yards. Natrone Means rushed for 110 yards on 27 attempts and Jimmy Smith caught 5 passes for 75 yards. Mike Hollis (pictured below) was successful on all four of his field goal attempts, which ultimately proved crucial to Jacksonville’s success.

For the Falcons, Bobby Hebert was successful on 17 of 25 throws for 172 yards and a TD. Craig Heyward ran for 69 yards on 16 carries that included a touchdown and Jamal Anderson contributed 55 yards on 11 attempts. Bert Emanuel and Tyrone Brown caught six passes apiece, for 67 and 60 yards, respectively.

“It almost renders me speechless,” said Coach Tom Coughlin, who had almost comically avoided making references to the postseason in his press conferences down the stretch. “We’re in the playoffs.”

Jacksonville’s surprising run gave them a 9-7 record, second in the AFC Central, and continued in the postseason all the way to the AFC Championship game, including wins over Buffalo in the Wild Card round and Denver at the Divisional level. With the other 1995 expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, reaching the NFC title game, it marked an unprecedented ascendancy by two second-year clubs. However, each fell a game short of the Super Bowl. The Jaguars lost to the Patriots by a decisive 20-6 score, but it marked the first of four straight postseason appearances for the young franchise.

Atlanta, ending up 3-13 and fourth in the NFC West, underwent a housecleaning during the offseason that ended the coaching tenure of June Jones after three years. He was replaced by Dan Reeves, formerly of the Broncos and Giants. The game also marked the end of the line for Bobby Hebert (pictured at left), whose career started in the USFL and led to the Saints before moving on to Atlanta for four years.

Mark Brunell led the NFL in passing yards (4367) and yards per attempt (7.8), although also in times sacked (50). He was selected to the Pro Bowl. Natrone Means, who performed so well down the stretch, rushed for 507 yards on 152 carries (3.3 avg.), but 325 of those yards came in the last four games. He would come up bigger in the two playoff wins. 

1995: Morten Andersen Leaves Saints for Falcons

Kickers typically come and go without much fanfare, but in the case of Morten Andersen and his leaving the New Orleans Saints for the Atlanta Falcons, it was a move of some significance.

The Danish-born Andersen had come to the US as a youth and first began kicking footballs in high school. From there it was on to Michigan State, where he once booted a 63-yard field goal against Ohio State, and then to the Saints in 1982, who drafted him in the fourth round. While things got off to a less than promising start when Andersen missed much of his rookie season due to injury, he rebounded to become one of the NFL’s most accurate and accomplished placekickers.

Through 13 years in New Orleans, he kicked 302 field goals in 389 attempts, a healthy 77.6 percentage (sixth best at the time), and 412 of 418 extra point attempts. While he benefited from his team’s playing home games in a domed stadium, the left-footed kicker was good from long distances and already held the NFL record with 22 field goals from 50 yards or longer (of 53 attempts). He was also the league’s second-leading active career scorer with 1318 points, had been a consensus first-team All-Pro twice, and was selected to the Pro Bowl six times (four times consecutively from 1985 to ’88).

However, in 1994 Andersen’s field goal percentage dipped to 71.8 (28 of a league-leading 39 attempts), his lowest since 1989. He was released by the Saints in a salary cap move, although the team had expected to re-sign him with a restructured contract (Andersen’s salary, which included bonuses earned in 1994, would have counted for $1.2 million against the cap).

Instead, on July 20, 1995, the day following the release, Andersen signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Not only had the star placekicker left the Saints, but he signed with their archrivals.

“We were shocked that a kicker of Morten's caliber was available, so I decided we should make the move now,” Atlanta Head Coach June Jones said. The Falcons waived their own veteran placekicker, Norm Johnson, who moved on to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Andersen overcame any concerns about slippage by again receiving first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors while tying his career-high with 31 field goals, in 37 attempts, for an 83.8 success rate – including a league-record eight of nine from 50 yards or more. By contrast, the Saints went through two placekickers: ex-Washington veteran Chip Lohmiller, who was good on just 57.1 % of his field goal attempts (8 for 14) and missed two extra points, and Doug Brien, who was more successful (12 of 17, 70.6 %).

Andersen stayed with the Falcons for six seasons before moving on to the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, and Minnesota Vikings. He finished up back in Atlanta for two years, and in his last season was successful on 89.3 % of his field goal attempts (25 of 28) at the age of 47. While his leg strength diminished (he wasn’t successful from 50 yards or longer after 2002 with the Chiefs), his accuracy never fell below 80 % in any of his last seven seasons.

Overall, over the course of 25 NFL seasons (second most all-time), Andersen ended up with career records in games played (382), points scored (2544), and field goals (565). He eventually surrendered the all-time record for three-pointers from 50 yards or longer to Jason Hanson, but his total of 40 still ranks second, as do his 859 extra points. And finally, he holds the distinction of being the only player that is the career scoring leader for two NFL teams – the Saints (1318) and, perhaps the unkindest cut of all for New Orleans fans, the Falcons (806).

1999: Falcons Stun Vikings in Overtime for NFC Championship

The 1998 Minnesota Vikings certainly appeared to be a championship team in the making as they rode a powerful offense to a 15-1 record that easily topped the NFC Central and set a mark with 556 points scored along the way (since topped by the 2007 Patriots). Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had benefited from the revival of 36-year-old QB Randall Cunningham’s career; after a year’s retirement and a season as a backup, he took over for the injured Brad Johnson and proceeded to lead the NFL in passing, with 3704 yards and 34 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. He had outstanding targets in veteran WR Cris Carter (78 catches, 1011 yards) and rookie sensation Randy Moss (69 receptions, 1313 yards, and a rookie-record 17 TD catches) at the other wide receiver spot. RB Robert Smith accounted for 1187 rushing yards as well.


The Vikings easily disposed of the upstart Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional round and hosted the Atlanta Falcons at the Metrodome on January 17, 1999 for the NFC Championship.

The Falcons had won the NFC West with a 14-2 tally under Head Coach Dan Reeves. They didn’t dazzle in the ways that Minnesota did, with a run-oriented offense keyed by RB Jamal Anderson (1846 yards). Veteran QB Chris Chandler had a steady season in which he achieved career highs in passing yards (3154) and touchdown passes (25) as well as a 100.9 passer rating. Wide receivers Terance Mathis and Tony Martin both had over 60 catches and 1100 yards. The defense was unspectacular but opportunistic, leading the league in takeaways (44). Atlanta defeated the 49ers in the Divisional round to move to the NFC Championship game, where they were an 11-point underdog.

The Falcons scored on their first possession, marching 76 yards in 15 plays and getting a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Chandler to Anderson. Minnesota came right back with a 31-yard TD pass from Cunningham to Moss, evening the score at 7-7 after one quarter. The Vikings appeared to take control of the game in the second quarter, taking advantage of fumbles by Atlanta RB Harold Green and TE O.J. Santiago as they added two field goals by Gary Anderson and a one-yard touchdown run by Cunningham for a 20-7 lead.

Momentum shifted back to the Falcons late in the second quarter, however, when Cunningham fumbled the ball away. Chandler threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mathis on the first play after the turnover and the deficit was cut to 20-14 at the half.

Atlanta pulled closer in the third quarter thanks to a 27-yard Morten Andersen field goal. But the Vikings got on the board again early in the fourth quarter after a 15-play, 82 yard drive that ended with a 5-yard TD pass from Cunningham to WR Matthew Hatchette.

The Falcons came back quickly thanks to Chandler’s 70-yard pass to Martin that set up a 24-yard Andersen field goal. The Minnesota offense stalled in its next two possessions, but when they went 55 yards to set up a potentially game-clinching field goal with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, it appeared that they were on the way to the Super Bowl. However, Gary Anderson, who had not missed any of his 35 field goal attempts during the season or his four thus far in the postseason, was wide to the left on the 38-yard attempt.

Atlanta’s offense had shown great poise throughout the game, particularly in the loud Metrodome venue, and with the Vikings fans in full roar, proceeded to drive 71 yards in eight plays that culminated in Chandler’s 27-yard pass to Mathis that tied the score at 27-27 and sent the contest into overtime (pictured at top).

Minnesota received the kickoff in “sudden death”, but in two possessions was unable to effectively move the ball. Mitch Berger punted 52 yards to the Atlanta nine yard line after the second possession. Chandler, now limping from an ankle injury, provided more heroics as he hit Santiago on passes of 15 and 26 yards to move the Falcons to the Minnesota 48. The offense drove the ball in deliberate fashion down to the Vikings 21, and Morten Andersen kicked a 38-yard field goal (pictured at bottom) to give Atlanta a 30-27 win and the conference title.


The Falcons offense accounted for 427 yards to Minnesota’s 356 in the stunning victory. Chris Chandler (pictured at left) had an outstanding performance as he completed 27 of 43 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Tony Martin gained 129 yards on 5 pass receptions, while Terance Mathis caught 6 passes for 73 yards and two scores and Jamal Anderson, who also led the running attack with 67 yards on 23 carries, also caught 6 passes, for 33 yards and a TD.

Randall Cunningham (pictured above right) completed 29 of his 48 passes for 266 yards and two TDs, also having none picked off. Randy Moss and Cris Carter both caught 6 passes, with Moss gaining 75 yards and scoring once, and Carter accumulating 67 yards. Robert Smith rushed 21 times for 71 yards against the tough Falcon defense.

Afterward, many of the comments pertained to the shocking missed field goal attempt by Gary Anderson. “There's no such thing as a guarantee in football in any way, shape or form,” said Coach Dennis Green. “We had such tremendous expectations. That makes it ten times more disappointing,” added Anderson, who had not only had an outstanding season prior to the miss but was one of the great placekickers in NFL history over the course of his long career (the same could be said of Atlanta’s Morten Andersen).

Jubilant Atlanta LB Jessie Tuggle, leader of the defensive unit that performed so well, exclaimed, “We shocked the world! No one thought we would be where we are right now, playing in the NFC Championship. But not only did we come here to play in it, we came here to win it.”

The jubilation failed to extend into the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos – the Falcons lost convincingly, 34-19. They dropped to 5-11 in 1999 and didn’t return to the playoffs until the 2002 season.

The stunning loss in the ’98 NFC Championship game cast a pall over what had arguably been the Minnesota franchise’s greatest season. The Vikings were back in ’99, but the team wasn’t as dominating and made it into the postseason as a wild card, losing in the Divisional round.