Games 10 - 11

GAMES 10-11

• The regular starting lineups for the 1980 team

Backup running back Ray Strong was the unlikely hero in the big win over the Cardinals

Atlanta 33, St. Louis 27

(Busch Stadium - 48,662)

The team that trailed in five of its first six victories put their comeback ability to a supreme test when the fell behind the St. Louis Cardinals 24-6 at halftime. The Falcons rallied yet again to win a dramatic 33-27 overtime decision. It took a club-record passing performance of 378 yards by quarterback Steve Bartkowski and another 100-yard rushing day by William Andrews, but the Falcons finally took the lead on a game-winning 21-yard run by unlikely hero Ray Strong just under five minutes into the overtime period. Once again the Falcons defense rose to the task in the second half, limiting the Cardinals to just five yards rushing and 109 yards in total offense. Atlanta defenders also picked off a season-high five passes on the afternoon.

SCORING:

• STL - Combs 38-yard pass from Hart (O'Donoghue kick)
• ATL - FG Mazzetti 42
• STL - Tilley 50-yard pass from Hart (O'Donoghue kick)
• STL - FG O'Donoghue 34
• ATL - FG Mazzetti 44
• STL - Anderson 8-yard run (O'Donoghue kick)
• ATL - Cain 5-yard run (Mazzetti kick)
• STL - FG O'Donoghue 37
• ATL - Francis 27-yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)
• ATL - Cain 10-yard run (Mazzetti kick)
• ATL - Strong 21-yard run (overtime)

BOXSCORE:

Rushing

• Falcons - Andrews 20 for 115, Cain 13 for 53, Strong 4 for 38, Bartkowski 1 for 3
• Cardinals - Harrell 13 for 71, Anderson 1 for 8, Morris 2 for 7

Passing

• Falcons - Bartkowski 31 of 47 for 378, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Cardinals - Hart 25 of 43 for 344, 2 TD, 5 INT

Receiving

• Falcons - Jenkins 9 for 94, Francis 6 for 66, Andrews 6 for 28, Jackson 4 for 64, Miller 3 for 79, Cain 3 for 47
• Cardinals - Tilley 6 for 120, Brown 4 for 17, Gray 3 for 47, Anderson 3 for 39, Harrell 3 for 18, Marsh 2 for 32, Morris 2 for 16, Combs 1 for 38, Steif 1 for 17

Atlanta 31, New Orleans 13

(Atlanta Fulton County Stadium - 53,871)

The Saints left Atlanta without a victory after Steve Bartkowski threw three more touchdown passes to lead the Falcons to a 31-13 victory over New Orleans. The Saints scored first, but it was all Atlanta thereafter as the Falcons rung up 31 unanswered points before a late New Orleans score. Bartkowski accounted for all of the touchdowns, hitting Alfred Jackson, Wallace Francis and Junior Miller on scoring passes and sneaking over center for another score. Once again the Falcons ground game was effective as William Andrews (79) and Lynn Cain (93) combined for 172 yards. The three touchdown passes by Bartkowski left him with 20 for the season, tying his club record with five games remaining. His most anticipated pass came in the fourth quarter when he connected with Alfred Jenkins for a 17-yard gain, thus enabling Jenkins to increase his consecutive-game receiving streak to 68 games.

SCORING:

• NO - Chandler 26-yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick)
• ATL - FG Mazzetti 19
• ATL - Jackson 47-yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)
• ATL - Bartkowski 1-yard run (Mazzetti kick)
• ATL - Francis 5-yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)
• ATL - Miller 10-yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)
• NO - Galbreath 3-yard pass from Scott (kick failed)

Steve Bartkowski threw three touchdowns, tying his club record for the season at 20

BOXSCORE:

Rushing

• Falcons - Cain 18 for 93, Andrews 19 for 79, James 1 for 13, Andrews 3 for 13, Mayberry 2 for 5, Francis 1 for 2, Bartkowski 1 for 1
• Saints - Rogers 9 for 49, Wilson 11 for 26, Manning 2 for 12, Banks 1 for -5

Passing

• Falcons - Bartkowski 13 of 24 for 195, 3 TD, 0 INT
• Saints - Manning 12 of 20 for 153, 1 TD, 2 INT; Scott 10 of 16 for 103, 1 TD, 0 INT

Receiving

• Falcons - Miller 3 for 49, Francis 3 for 39, Andrews 3 for 29, Jackson 2 for 63, Jenkins 1 for 17, Cain 1 for -2
• Saints - Wilson 6 for 60, Rogers 5 for 31, Chandler 5 for 80, Galbreath 3 for 27, Childs 2 for 24, Harris 1 for 25, Holmes 1 for 9