Super Bowl XXXIII

The "Dirty Birds" open the Super Bowl season on Sept. 6 with a 19-14 win at Carolina. Terrence Mathis and Tim Dwight catch touchdown passes but a fourth-quarter field goal by Morten Andersen secures the victory to start a special year.

Running back Michael Turner rushes for 220 yards (a new franchise record) and two touchdowns in his first game with the Falcons as the Birds roll to a 34-21 win. Matt Ryan throws a touchdown on his first professional pass attempt to receiver Michael Jenkins.

The Falcons make it two in a row by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 17-12 at the Georgia Dome. Jamal Anderson gives the team the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Morten Andersen seals the victory with a 23-yard field goal in the fourth. Atlanta scores all it's points in the second half.

Matt Ryan throws two early interceptions that lead to 10 Buccaneer points but the Birds show fight well into the second half and come within one score of tying the game -- a 24-9 loss. Head Coach Mike Smith talks after the game about getting off to a quicker start and learning from mistakes against an aggressive, Tampa Bay defense.

The Birds enjoy an early bye week. Three of their next four opponents are division foes.

The Falcons do it again, dominating in all phases for a 38-14 win over the Chiefs.

Terance Mathis catches two touchdown passes but it isn't enough as the Falcons fall for the first time in 1998, 31-20 at San Francisco.

Dropped passes (six in all) contribute to offensive woes and the Birds can't get a division road win. Atlanta falls 24-9.

The Falcons rebound to throttle Carolina 51-23. Return man Tim Dwight gets the party started early by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Panthers turn the ball over six times. Atlanta puts up 346 total yards of offense.

Matt Ryan throws two touchdown passes as the Falcons shock the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, 27-24. Michael Turner rushes for 121 yards and a score and Roddy White hauls in eight passes for 132 yards and a score.

Atlanta travels to New York in Week 6 and downs the Giants 34-20. The Birds put up 20 second-half points to put the game away. Chris Chandler rushes for a touchdown and throws for two more in a game that moves the Falcons to 4-1 on the season. Chuck Smith and Lester Archambeau each record 1.5 sacks and Antonio Edwards returns a fumble for a touchdown.

Matt Ryan has the best game of his young career throwing for 301 yards and a touchdown in a thrilling, 22-20, last-second win at the Georgia Dome. The Birds trail te Bears with 11 seconds left but a key pass from Ryan to Michael Jenkins sets Jason Elam up for the game winner. Elam makes five field goals on the day tying a career high. Falcons enter the bye week at 4-2.

The Falcons return home to defeat the New Orleans Saints 31-23. Morten Andersen kicks two field goals and the Birds get a score on defense in the division win. The 5-1 start matches the best start in team history.

The Birds go through the bye week after winning two straight games. Matt Ryan wins NFL Rookie of the Week honors after the first 300-yard passing game of his young career against the Chicago Bears.

The Birds drop another game, this one in New York against the Jets. Backup quarterback Steve DeBerg starts for an injured Chris Chandler and the offense struggles. Morten Andersen scores the only points in a 28-3 loss.

Quarterback Matt Ryan's homecoming isn't a happy one as the Falcons fall to the Eagles 27-14. Atlanta has a chance at the end but a questionable call on a muffed punt keeps the ball out of the offenses' hands.

Jamal Anderson rushes for a career-high 172 yards and a touchdown as the Falcons roll over the St. Louis Rams 37-15. Kicker Morten Andersen also kicks three field goals in the big conference victory.

The Falcons out-gain the Raiders 453 to 77 yards in a dominating, 24-0 win. Matt Ryan throws for two touchdowns and Michael Turner carries the ball 31 times for 139 yards. The Birds control the ball for more than 45 minutes in the game.

The Falcons defense forces five turnovers and Jamal Anderson rushes for a pair of touchdowns in a 41-10 win at New England. Defensive end Chuck Smith registers 2.5 sacks, six tackles and returns a fumble 71 yards for a score.

The Birds deflate the Saints high-powered passing game to pick up the first division win of 2008. Chris Houston, Erik Coleman and Chevis Jackson pick off quarterback Drew Brees three times in the 34-20 win at the Georgia Dome.

Jamal Anderson rushes for a pair of touchdowns and linebacker Jessie Tuggle returns a fumble for a score as the Falcons pick up another division win, 31-19 over the 49ers.

The Falcons stumble at home for the first time all season and drop a tough one, 24-20 to the visiting Denver Broncos. Michael Turner rushes for two touchdowns.

Atlanta picks up its eighth-straight win at home, defeating the visiting Chicago Bears 20-13. Terance Mathis' 13-yard touchdown starts a rally for the Falcons, who trailed by 10 points in the game.

The Falcons roll over the Carolina Panthers 45-28 to move to within one game of the NFC South lead. Michael Turner ties a team record with four rushing touchdowns and rookie Harry Douglas scores on a punt return and a first-quarterrush. The team scores 28 fourth-quarter points.

Running back Jamal Anderson rushes for a career-high 188 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown as the Falcons get past the Rams 21-10. The defense allows a season-low 174 yards (45 on the ground).

Atlanta overcomes three turnovers and rides a solid defensive performance to down the Chargers 22-16 in San Diego. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan throws two touchdown passes in the win.

Quarterback Chris Chandler rushes for a touchdown and throws for two more as the Falcons trail 14-0 but storm back to defeat the Colts 28-21 at the Georgia Dome. Chandler throws for 297 yards while running back Jamal Anderson rushes for 122 and a score.

Quarterback Matt Ryan puts up a career day (315 passing yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing score) but the Falcons fall at New Orleans in a wild, back-and-forth game, 29-25. Wide receiver Roddy White sets a new career high with 164 receiving yards on 10 receptions.

Wide receiver Terance Mathis sets a team record with 198 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Falcons beat division rival New Orleans, 27-17 . The Falcons roll up 504 yards of total offense and hold the ball for 35:12.

Atlanta fights through a game with multiple momentum shifts and gets a division win over Tampa Bay, 13-10 in overtime. Running back Michael Turner sets a new single-season record for rushing touchdowns (15) and rushes for 152 yards on 32 carries.

Playing without ailing Head Coach Dan Reeves the Falcons defeat the Detroit Lions 24-17 to earn the 13th win of the season. Running back Jamal Anderson records a rushing and receiving touchdown in the win.

The Falcons secure a playoff berth -- the first since 2004 -- with a 24-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Atlanta forces three turnovers and Michael Turner notches his 16th rushing touchdown of the season in the victory at the Metrodome.

The Falcons win the final game of the regular season over the Dolphins 38-16 thanks to a pair of touchdowns by tight end O.J. Santiago. The Birds wrap up a 14-2 campaign and move into the NFC Playoffs.

Atlanta enters the playoffs after a 31-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams. Running back Jerious Norwood scores twice and Michael Turner rushes for more than 200 yards for the second time in 2008.

With a week off the Falcons prepare for a Divisional Playoff game at the Georgia Dome. The Birds finish the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs.

Atlanta's magical season comes to an end with a 30-24 playoff loss at Arizona. Quarterback Matt Ryan throws a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions and a crucial muffed handoff is returned for a score by the Cardinals.

The Falcons win a divisional round playoff game at the Georgia Dome over the San Francisco 49ers, 20-18. Running back Jamal Anderson rushes for a pair of touchdowns in the first half to open up a 14-0 lead and kicker Morten Andersen adds six second-half points to secure a victory.

The Birds fight back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Vikings on the road in the NFC Championship Game. Morten Andersen kicks a 38-yard, game-winning field goal in overtime to secure the Falcons first NFC title. Terance Mathis and Jamal Anderson each have touchdowns in the game as the Falcons hold the Vikings to just seven points in the second half.

The first Super Bowl in Falcons history ends in disappointment as the Birds fall to the defending-champion Denver Broncos 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami. Morten Andersen opens scoring with a 32-yard field goal, but three-straight Broncos scores, including an 80-yard touchdown pass from John Elway to Rod Smith tilts the game in the Broncos favor. Tim Dwight provides a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to provide additional excitement. Atlanta finishes the season on top of the league in takeaways (44) and turnover advantage (plus-20).