Ranking the top-5 playoff moments in Atlanta Falcons history

A look at the top five playoff moments in Atlanta Falcons history.

The Atlanta Falcons are a franchise that hasn’t exactly filled their history with wonderful playoff moments. In 54 seasons, the Falcons have earned a playoff berth just 14 times, own a below .500 postseason record of 10-14 and are still searching for their first Super Bowl title. 

Having said that, quite a bit of Atlanta’s playoff success has come within the last 25 years. Since 1998, the Falcons have won eight of their 10 postseason games and four of those victories have come over the last eight years. 

Here’s a look back at the Falcons’ top five playoff moments in history:

5. 1978 Wild Card Round

In the franchise’s first 25 seasons, the Falcons won just one playoff game. That came in 1978 against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Eagles held a comfortable 13-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter in the wild card matchup, but a pair of Steve Bartkowski touchdown passes in the final five minutes helped the Falcons edge the Eagles, 14-13, for their first playoff win. 

Falcons wide receiver Wallace Francis posted six catches for 135 yards and hauled in a game-winning 37-yard touchdown reception.

4. 2004 NFC Divisional Round

The 2004 season was an odd one in the NFC with only four teams posting winning records. At 11-5, the Falcons earned a first-round bye and therefore hosted the then St. Louis Rams in the divisional round.

The Rams went just 8-8 that season, but they were 12-4 the previous year and still had the brand recognition from two recent Super Bowl appearances. Meanwhile, the Falcons were still carving out respect in the NFC.

They certainly earned respect that day, though, blowing out the Rams, 47-17. Atlanta scored 19 unanswered points in the second half.

Michael Vick threw for only 82 yards but rushed for 119 on just eight carries. Warrick Dunn led the way with 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

3. 2002 NFC Wild Card Round

Prior to January 2003, no one had ever won a playoff game at Lambeau Field other than the Green Bay Packers. Then Michael Vick happened.

Vick accounted for 181 yards and threw a touchdown with zero turnovers, as the Falcons dominated the Packers, 27-7. Atlanta blocked a punt for a touchdown and forced Brett Favre to commit three giveaways.

Including that loss, the Packers have gone 6-5 in home playoff games over the last 18 years. Prior to that, they were 11-0 at Lambeau Field in the postseason.

2. 2016 NFC Championship

The Falcons met the Packers again in the 2016 NFC Championship, this time at home. Similar to 2004, the Falcons earned the No. 2 seed that season with an 11-5 record, and Green Bay upset the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round to bring the NFC Championship to Atlanta.

Matt Ryan capped off his MVP season with perhaps the best performance of his career. He threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another score. Julio Jones made Swiss cheese of the Packers defense, posting 180 yards and two touchdowns on nine receptions.

The Falcons led 31-0 at halftime and cruised to a 44-21 win, but the victory sent Atlanta to a game most fans wish they could forget. The Falcons have met the Packers four times in the playoffs and own a 2-2 record in those games.

1. 1998 NFC Championship Game

The Falcons earned a spot in their first NFC Championship with a two-point victory against the hated San Francisco 49ers in the division round. But not much was expected from the Falcons in the championship game, as they visited the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings.

NFL fans forget, though, that the Falcons were no slouch, having gone 14-2 that season. The Vikings took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Atlanta kicker Morten Andersen made it a one-possession game again with about 11 minutes to go.

Vikings kicker Gary Anderson, who hadn’t missed a kick all season, had a chance to essentially seal a Minnesota trip to the Super Bowl with a successful field goal around the two-minute warning, but missed a 38-yarder. The Falcons answered with a 61-yard touchdown drive, capped off with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Terance Mathis with under a minute left to force overtime.

On the fourth possession of overtime, Andersen made a 38-yard field goal to win, 30-27, and send the Falcons to their first Super Bowl. Chris Chandler led the Falcons with 340 passing yards and three touchdowns in the most dramatic playoff victory in franchise history.