1998 Atlanta Falcons season

1998 Atlanta Falcons season
General manager	Harold Richardson
Head coach	Dan Reeves Rich Brooks (weeks 16–17)
Home field	Georgia Dome
Results
Record	14–2
Division place	1st NFC West
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. 49ers) 20–18 Won NFC Championship (at Vikings) 30–27 (OT) Lost Super Bowl XXXIII (vs. Broncos) 19–34
Pro Bowlers	QB Chris Chandler RB Jamal Anderson LB Jessie Tuggle CB Ray Buchanan S Eugene Robinson
←  1997 Falcons seasons 1999  →

The 1998 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 33rd in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons qualified for the Super Bowl for the first time under the guidance of head coach Dan Reeves in his second year with the team, becoming the first dome team to play in a Super Bowl. The Falcons won their final nine regular season games to earn the #2 seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) for the postseason and the first-week bye. They and the Broncos both had 14–2 records, but the Falcons were the second best in the league because they had a better record against common opponents. They beat the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round and the #1-seed Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game before losing to Reeves’ old team, the Denver Broncos, 34–19 in Super Bowl XXXIII. ^[1] They were a perfect 8–0 at home.

Head coach Dan Reeves almost didn't make it to the end of the season. After Week 15, he was diagnosed with multiple blockages to his coronary arteries, necessitating quadruple bypass surgery. Reeves admitted he ignored the warning signs in hopes of finishing the season, but ultimately felt he needed to be checked out. Doctors stated by the time he went for treatment, he may have been “within hours of a catastrophic heart attack.” ^[2] Defensive coordinator Rich Brooks substituted for him as head coach during Weeks 16 and 17. Reeves returned for the playoffs and finished the season.

The Falcons ranked fourth in the league in points scored (442 points) and surrendered the fourth-fewest points (289) in 1998; the Falcons also led the league in turnover differential at +20. The Falcons set a still-standing team record for point differential, with +153. Four of the Falcons' wins were by at least 22 points.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1998 NFL draft

1998 Atlanta Falcons draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	12	Keith Brooking  *	Linebacker	Georgia Tech
2	53	Bob Hallen	Center	Kent State
3	74	Jammi German	Wide receiver	Miami (FL)
4	103	Omar Brown	Defensive back	North Carolina
4	114	Tim Dwight	Wide receiver	Iowa
6	166	Elijah Williams	Defensive back	Florida
7	199	Ephraim Salaam	Offensive tackle	San Diego State
7	201	Ken Oxendine	Running back	Virginia Tech
7	203	Henry Slay	Defensive tackle	West Virginia
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[3]

Undrafted free agents

1998 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Brian Brennan	Quarterback	Idaho

Personnel

Staff

1998 Atlanta Falcons staff

Front office President – Taylor Smith Executive vice-president of football operations – Dan Reeves General manager – Harold Richardson Vice-president of football operations – Ron Hill Director of player personnel/College – Reed Johnson Director of player personnel/Pro – Chuck Connor Assistant to head coach/pro personnel – Marvin Bass Head coaches Head coach – Dan Reeves Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator – Rich Brooks Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/running backs – George Sefcik Quarterbacks – Jack Burns Wide receivers – Rennie Simmons Tight ends – James Daniel Offensive line – Art Shell Offensive quality control – Ed West

Defensive coaches Defensive line – Bill Kollar Linebackers – Don Blackmon Secondary – Ron Meeks Defensive quality control – Brian Xanders Special teams coaches Special teams – Joe DeCamillis Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Al Miller Assistant strength and conditioning – Tim Jorgensen

Roster

1998 Atlanta Falcons roster

	Quarterbacks 12 Chris Chandler 17 Steve DeBerg 13 Tony Graziani Running backs 32 Jamal Anderson 45 Gary Downs 28 Harold Green 33 Ken Oxendine Wide receivers 83 Tim Dwight 82 Ronnie Harris 89 Todd Kinchen 80 Tony Martin 81 Terance Mathis Tight ends 85 Brian Kozlowski 84 Rod Monroe 88 O. J. Santiago 86 Ed Smith		Offensive linemen 68 Calvin Collins G 64 Bob Hallen G 76 Jose Portilla T 74 Ephraim Salaam T 67 Adam Schreiber C/LS 61 Robbie Tobeck C 70 Bob Whitfield T 79 Dave Widell C 69 Gene Williams G Defensive linemen 92 Lester Archambeau DE/DT 91 John Burrough DE 75 Shane Dronett DT 96 Antonio Edwards DE 98 Travis Hall DT 90 Chuck Smith DE 93 Shawn Swayda DE 95 Esera Tuaolo DT		Linebackers 97 Cornelius Bennett OLB 56 Keith Brooking OLB 94 Henri Crockett OLB 54 Ruffin Hamilton MLB 52 Craig Sauer OLB 59 Ben Talley OLB 58 Jessie Tuggle MLB Defensive backs 26 Darren Anderson CB 47 Chris Bayne SS 20 Michael Booker CB 23 Ronnie Bradford CB 27 Omar Brown FS 34 Ray Buchanan CB 25 Devin Bush FS 29 Randy Fuller CB 41 Eugene Robinson FS 35 William White SS 21 Elijah Williams CB Special teams  5 Morten Andersen K  4 Dan Stryzinski P		Reserve lists 44 Bob Christian FB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 87 Jammi German WR (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 24 Byron Hanspard RB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) Practice squad 16 Octavus Barnes WR 11 Sherdrick Bonner QB 62 Ben Huff DT 66 Greg Studdard T 73 Brett Williams DE 53 active, 3 inactive, 5 practice squad Rookies in italics

^[4]

Regular season

Schedule

This was the first occasion when the Falcons played the New York Giants since 1988, ^[5] and their first visit to Giants Stadium since 1982. This is due to old NFL scheduling formulas in place prior to 2002, whereby teams had no rotating schedule opposing members of other divisions within their own conference, but instead played interdivisional conference games according to position within a season's table. ^[6]

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 6	at Carolina Panthers	W 19–14	1–0	Ericsson Stadium	Recap
2	September 13	Philadelphia Eagles	W 17–12	2–0	Georgia Dome	Recap
3	Bye
4	September 27	at San Francisco 49ers	L 20–31	2–1	Candlestick Park	Recap
5	October 4	Carolina Panthers	W 51–23	3–1	Georgia Dome	Recap
6	October 11	at New York Giants	W 34–20	4–1	Giants Stadium	Recap
7	October 18	New Orleans Saints	W 31–23	5–1	Georgia Dome	Recap
8	October 25	at New York Jets	L 3–28	5–2	Giants Stadium	Recap
9	November 1	St. Louis Rams	W 38–15	6–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
10	November 8	at New England Patriots	W 41–10	7–2	Foxboro Stadium	Recap
11	November 15	San Francisco 49ers	W 31–19	8–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
12	November 22	Chicago Bears	W 20–13	9–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
13	November 29	at St. Louis Rams	W 21–10	10–2	Trans World Dome	Recap
14	December 6	Indianapolis Colts	W 28–21	11–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
15	December 13	at New Orleans Saints	W 27–17	12–2	Louisiana Superdome	Recap
16	December 20	at Detroit Lions	W 24–17	13–2	Pontiac Silverdome	Recap
17	December 27	Miami Dolphins	W 38–16	14–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(2) Atlanta Falcons	14	2	0	.875	442	289	W9
(4) San Francisco 49ers	12	4	0	.750	479	328	W1
New Orleans Saints	6	10	0	.375	305	359	L3
Carolina Panthers	4	12	0	.250	336	413	W2
St. Louis Rams	4	12	0	.250	285	378	L2

Notable games

• October 4 vs. Carolina Panthers:

The Falcons' most decisive win of the season came in a 51–23 rout in the Georgia Dome. Jamal Anderson rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown while Chris Chandler threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns with two picks. From Tim Dwight’s 93-yard opening kickoff return touchdown, the Falcons never let Carolina have a sniff of contention, leading 38–3 by the third quarter before cruising home with the win.

• November 8 at New England Patriots:

Atlanta’s offense rolled up 41 points while the defense limited New England to just ten points at Foxboro Stadium in a game where New England never got closer than a 14–3 score after one quarter and trailed 28–3 at the half. Jamal Anderson ran in two scores, Chris Chandler threw two more, and Chuck Smith grabbed a fumble at his 29 and ran it back for a touchdown. Chandler completed 15 of 22 throws for 240 yards and Anderson rushed for 104 yards. About the only thing that went wrong for the Falcons were two meaningless picks by the Patriots' Ty Law.

• November 15 vs. San Francisco 49ers:

The Falcons avenged one of the only two losses they would suffer in the regular season by besting the Niners 31–19 in the Georgia Dome. Steve Young threw for 342 yards and touchdowns to Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice, but Jamal Anderson’s 100-rushing yards and two scores helped the Falcons put away the Niners in a wild fourth quarter in which the two teams combined for 34 points (21 by the Falcons).

Postseason

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
Divisional	January 9, 1999	San Francisco 49ers (4)	W 20–18	1–0	Georgia Dome	Recap
NFC Championship	January 17, 1999	at Minnesota Vikings (1)	W 30–27 (OT)	2–0	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	Recap
Super Bowl	January 31, 1999	Denver Broncos (A1)	L 19–34	2–1	Pro Player Stadium	Recap

NFC Divisional Playoff: vs. San Francisco 49ers

NFC Divisional Round: San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	10	0	8	18
Falcons	7	7	3	3	20

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta

• Date: January 9, 1999
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. PDT

The rubber match of Atlanta and San Francisco's 1998 season came in the Georgia Dome a week after the Niners' spectacular last-minute comeback over the Green Bay Packers. The Falcons, though, would not be denied as Jamal Anderson once again hauled the mail with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Steve Young threw a touchdown to Jerry Rice and ran in a late fourth-quarter score; Ty Detmer threw the ensuing two-point conversion to Greg Clark to put the score at 20–18, but the Falcons never let the Niners any closer for their first playoff win since 1991.

NFC Championship: at Minnesota Vikings

NFC Championship Game: Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Falcons	7	7	3	10	3	30
Vikings	7	13	0	7	0	27

at Hubert Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis

• Date: January 17, 1999
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. PDT

The 16–1 Vikings, boasting the league's highest-scoring post-merger offense, were heavy favorites at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and raced to a 20–7 lead in the second quarter off two Randall Cunningham touchdowns (one rushing and a throw to Randy Moss), but at the end of the first half Chris Chandler found Terance Mathis for a 14-yard score following a Cunningham fumble (forced by Chuck Smith near the end of the half). After a Morten Andersen field goal made it 20–17 in the third, the Vikings surged to a 27–17 lead on another Cunningham TD throw (this one to Matthew Hatchette). In the frantic final ten minutes of regulation, the Falcons, trailing 27-20, appeared poised to tie the game after Shane Dronett recovered a botched snap deep in Vikings territory, but they turned the ball over on downs after foregoing a field goal on fourth-and-four, when a Chandler pass to Mathis fell incomplete. In the final four minutes, Gary Anderson, who hadn't missed a field goal all season, sent a 38-yarder narrowly wide left. With just over two minutes remaining, Chandler then drove the Falcons downfield and connected with Mathis in the endzone with 49 seconds remaining. Both teams punted in overtime (the Vikings, who had the ball first and had nearly won when Eugene Robinson dove to defend a deep pass to an otherwise uncovered Moss). On their second drive of the extra period, Chandler connected with OJ Santiago for two big gains before Andersen nailed a 38-yard field goal; the 30–27 final sent the Falcons to Super Bowl XXXIII.

Super Bowl XXXIII

Super Bowl XXXIII: Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	7	10	0	17	34
Falcons	3	3	0	13	19

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami

• Date: January 31, 1999
• Game time: 6:25 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 73 °F (22.8 °C), clear

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP DEN ATL 1 9:35 10 48 5:25 ATL 32-yard field goal by Morten Andersen 0 3 1 3:55 10 80 5:40 DEN Howard Griffith 1-yard touchdown run, Jason Elam kick good 7 3 2 9:17 11 63 4:58 DEN 26-yard field goal by Elam 10 3 2 4:54 1 80 0:13 DEN Rod Smith 80-yard touchdown reception from John Elway, Elam kick good 17 3 2 2:25 7 38 2:29 ATL 28-yard field goal by Andersen 17 6 4 14:56 5 24 1:50 DEN Griffith 1-yard touchdown run, Elam kick good 24 6 4 11:20 3 48 1:17 DEN Elway 3-yard touchdown run, Elam kick good 31 6 4 11:01 — — — ATL Tim Dwight 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Andersen kick good 31 13 4 7:08 7 36 3:53 DEN 37-yard field goal by Elam 34 13 4 2:04 16 76 5:04 ATL Terance Mathis 3-yard touchdown reception from Chris Chandler, 2-point pass failed 34 19 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 34 19

References

1. Winkeljohn, Matt. "A look back at the Falcons' Super season of 1998". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
2. George, Thomas (December 15, 1998). "PRO FOOTBALL; Reeves Undergoes Heart Surgery". New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
3. "1998 Atlanta Falcons draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
4. "1998 Atlanta Falcons starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
5. Urena, Ivan; Pro Football Schedules: A Complete Historical Guide from 1933 to the Present, p. 221 ISBN   0786473517
6. History of the NFL’s Structure and Formats, Part Two

External links

• 1998 Atlanta Falcons at Pro-Football-Reference.com