1980s
| The Bigger They Are, the Harder They Fall Sept. 28 -Oct. 5, 1980 |
Undefeated opponents fall on successive weekends to the Falcons. First, the 49ers are upset 20-17 at Candlestick, then with a record-breaking 34-point first half, the Lions fall, 43-28 |
| How the West Was Won Dec. 14, 1980 |
Bartkowski's 28th, 29th and 30th TD passes, Andrews, sixth 100-yard game and a rugged defense led to a 35-10 rout of the 49ers and the Falcons had earned their first-ever NFC Western Division Title. The win was the Falcons 9th straight and 12th of the season, both club bests. |
| Heartbreak in Georgia Jan. 5, 1981 |
Leading 24-10 heading into the 4th quarter, Falcons end up on short end of 30-27 score as Cowboys rally for 20 points in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium before record 60,022 fans. |
| Aloha Feb. 1, 1981 |
Record six Falcons selected to Pro Bowl as Bartkowski passes for new high 178 yards (55 TD to Alfred Jenkins) to lead NFC to 21-7 win. |
| Seeing is Believing! Sept. 13, 1981 |
Green Bay Packer fans were enjoying a 17-0 lead after three quarters, but no one knew what was in store next. In a nine-minute span, the Falcons erupted for an NFL record tying 31 points (4 TD's, 1 FG) to win 31-17. |
| Good News, Bad News Sept. 20, 1981 |
Atlanta fans were treated to a 34-17 thumping of the rival 49ers (soon to be Super Bowl bound) and the fastest start in club history, 3-0. The Falcons had now won 12 of the last 13 regular season games and 14 of last 15. Tommy Pridemore even set a club record with a 101-yard interception return. The bad news: three starters were lost in a five-minute span (LB Joel Williams, DE Jeff Merrow and T Warren Bryant). |
| Numbers To Remember 1981 Season |
The team will look back on seven losses of five points or less as to why they were 7-9. The defeats were by 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, and 5 points. Individually, records were set by Steve Bartkowski (3,830 yards), William Andrews (81 catches), Alfred Jenkins (1,358 yards, 13 TDÕs - 3 in one game), and Mick Luckhurst (114 points). A team high seven Falcons are picked for the Pro Bowl. |
| No More Tickets May 17, 1982 |
Season ticket sales are halted after reaching a club record 55,144. |
| Back on Track Nov. 21, 1982 |
In first game after strike, William Andrews gains 207 yards (119 rush, 88 rec.) and rookie Gerald Riggs scores his first two NFL TD's in 34-17 win over Rams. Falcons are 2-1 and thinking playoffs in short season. |
| A National Clinch Dec. 19, 1982 |
With a powerful 17-7 win over the Super Bowl Champion 49ers before a national Sunday Night audience, the Falcons become third NFC team to clinch a playoff berth as they up record to 5-2. Team controlled ball for 43 minutes to 17 for 49ers and ran the ball 57 times for 223 yards. |
| Indoor Playoffs Jan. 9, 1983 |
Falcons journeyed to Minnesota's Metrodome for the opening round Playoff game and led 7Ð3 after one quarter and 21-16 after three quarters, but Vikings rallied for 30-24 win. In an oddity, all 24 Falcon points were scored by the special teams (blocked punt for TD, pass to Luckhurst for TD, and FG) and the defense (Glazebrook TD interception). |
| A Two-Time Hero Nov. 27, 1983 |
Kenny Johnson became only the 12th player in NFL history to score two TD's in the same game with interceptions. His first one put the Falcons ahead of Green Bay, 41-34, but the Pack came back to force overtime. With another chance to be the hero, Johnson returned an interception 31 yards to win the game. |
| Stats to Remember Dec. 18, 1983 |
William Andrews sets new club record with 331 rushes for 1,567 yards, Steve Bartkowski has third 3,000-yard season and sets mark with 63.4% completion rate and just 1.1% interception rate (5 in 432), while C Jeff Van Note starts his 200th game as a Falcon. |
| Surgery for William Aug. 21, 1984 |
Falcon all-time leading rusher, William Andrews, injures knee ligaments, cartilage and nerve in practice session and is out indefinitely. |
| A New Leader Sept. 2, 1984 |
Gerald Riggs gets the starting call and sets new club records with 35 attempts for 202 yards in 36-28 opening win at the Superdome in New Orleans. |
| A Catchy Record Dec. 2, 1984 |
Receiver Alfred Jackson broke the club record with 11 catches for 193 yards vs. San Francisco in 35-17 loss. |
| "White Shoes" Is #1 Sept. 8, 1985 |
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson becomes the NFL's all-time career punt returner with 58 yards against Detroit. |
| Determined Gerald Dec. 22, 1985 |
With 158 yards in the 16-10 win over New Orleans, Gerald Riggs had a club best 9 100-yard games and a season record 1,719 yards to lead the entire NFC. |
| A Record Start Sept. 1986 |
The Falcons came out roaring with four straight wins over New Orleans, St. Louis, Dallas and Tampa Bay for the best-ever start in club history. The Cowboy game featured a 10-point rally with a game-winning FG with 20 seconds left and the Buc game featured a 20-7 come-from-behind win with an overtime FG the decider. Gerald Riggs ran for a touchdown in each game to tie a club mark. The opener also featured the return of William Andrews after a two-year layoff following knee surgery. |
| Leading the Way Oct. 12, 1986 |
In a game that featured the return of QB Steve Bartkowski to Atlanta (as an LA Ram), the Falcons rolled to a 26-14 win to up their mark to 5-1. The next week, the Falcons fought to an overtime tie with the 49ers to stay atop the Western Division. |
| A Note of Thanks Dec. 14, 1986 |
It was Jeff Van Note day at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium as the 18-year veteran center was honored after 246 games. With all his family present, he was presented gifts including a vintage 1957 Chevy (symbolic of his #57 and being a classic). Mick Luckhurst extended his club record to 117 consecutive PAT's. |
| Riggs' Record Breaking Day is Doomsday For Dallas Dec. 6, 1987 |
Gerald Riggs becomes the club's all-time leading rusher, surpassing William Andrews with a five-yard run in the third quarter at Dallas, giving the six-year pro from Arizona State a career total of 5,987 yards. Riggs finishes up the day with 119 yards to help the Falcons break a seven-game losing streak and knock the Cowboys out of the playoffs for the second straight year with a 21-10 victory in Texas Stadium. |
| Making a Case for Himself Nov. 6-27, 1988 |
CB Scott Case laid claim to a spot in the Pro Bowl by being named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. Case intercepted five passes (two each vs. Packers and Raiders), registered a forced fumble and QB sack and made 20 tackles with nine passes defensed to help the Falcons to a 3-1 record during the month. |
| Settling for a Place in History Dec. 18, 1988 |
RB John Settle put his name in the League's record book by becoming the first free agent in NFL history since the 1970 merger to gain 1,000 yards in a season as he rushed for 66 yards against the Saints to finish with 1,024. Paul Lowe (Chargers) and Clem Daniels (Raiders) of the AFL were the only other undrafted players to accomplish the feat (in 1963 and 1965). The former Appalachian State star was fourth in the NFL in total yards (1594) and the club leader in receptions with 68 as he garnered his first trip to the Pro Bowl. |
| A Case of a Perfect 10 Dec. 18, 1988 |
CB Scott Case picked off his 10th pass of the year against the Saints to finish atop the NFL charts. Case set a new Falcon record for interceptions in a season eclipsing the old mark of nine by Rolland Lawrence in 1975. The Oklahoma product stole seven passes in the second half of the season when the young Falcons defense began to jell. |
| Prime Time Scores Twice 1989 |
Deion "Prime Time" Sanders ends his lengthy Sept. contract holdout and reports to camp. He takes a Friday practice and Saturday walk through and puts on the football pads for the first time in seven months in the season opener vs. the Rams. In the first quarter, Deion returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. After hitting a home run for the New York Yankees earlier that week, it makes him the only modern day athlete to hit a HR and score a TD in the same week. |
| Herschel & Georgia Homecoming Sept. 17, 1989 |
Heisman trophy winning Herschel Walker returns to Homecoming, his native Georgia, for his first NFL game. The hometown Falcons spoil his party, but the sellout crowd enjoys a 27-21 Atlanta win over the Cowboys and Herschel. |
| Good Job Dec. 1989 |
Guard Bill Fralic goes to a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl (the only guard in the NFL to do so). Rookie WR Shawn Collins leads all NFL rookies and sets a club rookie mark with 58 catches, while fellow rookie Deion Sanders gains post-season recognition by leading all rookie DB's with five thefts and gaining over 1,000 yards in returns. |
