This was a team I discussed in the team bitten by snakes post, but I want your thoughts on them.
They were coming off that famous 12-4 season when they dethroned LA's NFC West reign of terror, but fell to the Dallas mystique at home (before Danny White became a playoff flop)
In 1981, they were a popular pick to go all the way and represent the NFC in Pontiac.
ATL"
Scored more points than they did the previous year when they went 12-4
Steve Bartkowski had more passing yards in 1981 than 1980 with just about the same TD total (31 in 1980, 30 in 1981)
PD of +71
Highest scoring NFC team and 2nd in the entire league behind only Air Coryell
and yet despite those numbers...... 7-9
7 of their 9 losses were by 5 points or less (the 2 exceptions were against AFC teams: the Browns and Steelers)
3 losses were ultra costly:
A wild 37-35 game against the Rams in which Leroy Irvin had 2 punt return touchdowns (same day as San Francisco 45 Dallas 14)
An OT home loss against the Giants (a blocked punt led to a NY touchdown and a fumble in overtime set up Danelo's winning kick) that sent both teams on opposite trajectories
A back and forth battle of 7-6'ers in early December at Tampa Bay with 5 lead changes. Doug Williams threw a 71 yard touchdown to Kevin House late in the 4th quarter and Mick Luckhurst’s 45 yard FG with 4 seconds left was blocked.
What went wrong for this team?
1981 Falcons
Re: 1981 Falcons
They missed Joel Williams. He only started eight games and have three sacks (down from 16 the previous year).
Also, they had a team in their own division that turned into a powerhouse (49ers), which was unexpected, and they played in more close games in 81. They just didn't seem to know how to pull out the close ones, as their loss to Dallas in the playoffs the year before suggested.
Also, they had a team in their own division that turned into a powerhouse (49ers), which was unexpected, and they played in more close games in 81. They just didn't seem to know how to pull out the close ones, as their loss to Dallas in the playoffs the year before suggested.
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Brian wolf
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Re: 1981 Falcons
The loss of Williams but the secondary was worse than before. On offense, Miller and Francis declined as well. The running game wasnt as good as the year before and Bartkowski threw more interceptions.
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74_75_78_79_
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Re: 1981 Falcons
Atlanta destroying San Fran in Wk#3 at Fulton to make it 3-0 has to be seen as the last breath of Super Bowl hope in the Leeman Bennett era while at the same time being seen as the final growing pain for Walsh/Montana & Co before their Dynasty began. It dropped the Forty Niners to 1-2 before going on that Pontiac/Lombardi-bound 7-game-win-streak and the rest being History.
The first '81 pre-season game that I saw on TV, officially getting me ready and excited for my second season following, was Browns vs Falcons. Clevelnd won that one and it'd be they, in a meaningful game, handing Atl their first loss in Wk#4 as well. Falcons would then lose that following Monday Night at then unbeaten Philly. 5th grade me still saw Atl as a contender but after the Rams beat them the following week in that 37-35 mentioned game to drop them to 3-3, they fell off my radar from there. When the Steelers beat them, 34-20, at Fulton (perhaps Bradshaw's best game ever) I remember not making too big a deal of it. And it shouldn't have been the case. I forgot, at the time, that Atlanta also started 3-3 in esteemed 1980.
And though no 9-game win-streak to follow this time, they were actually still in the race leading up to that aforementioned battle of 7-6s game at Tampa Bay. And in their rematch with the Forty Niners at Candlestick, they were 5-4 going up against their 7-2 opponent - a nationally televised game on CBS with Lindsey Nelson and George Allen announcing whilst Cincy@SD was the NBC game with Enberg/Olsen. And, get this...Falcons were actually a 2.5pt favorite going in! Forty Niners covered by a half, 17-14!
Back to they being 7-6 going into TB, they were still in control of their own destiny with three games to go! And not just that loss to the Bucs, but Rams the following week in Anaheim beat them again in another close one, 21-16. Even going into the finale at home vs SB-bound Cincy, Atl at 7-8 were still actually in it! But the G-men had other ideas that Saturday by beating Dallas and that was that. It was all pride from there.
The same thing as the 2006 Steelers - beat Cincy in the finale to prevent a losing season. Unlike what the Steelers did in Cowher's final game, Atlanta came up JUST short of such salvage! But they fought real hard just the same and the Fulton County crowd was hardcore behind them to the very bitter end! Bartkowski went out just before the half; they were down, 27-21. Bengals, playing for home-field, added distance with a FG in the 4th but later on in the quarter, backup QB Mike Moroski drives Atlanta 97 yards for a TD to make it 30-28 with over a minute to go!
First onside-attempt went out of bounds but Atl was very close to recovering. Then before the second attempt a fan runs out onto the field (where's Mike Curtis when you need him), escapes security and runs up the opposite stands from where he came from. No fans get in his way, they cheer him on. Second onside attempt becomes a success and Fulton's in Mayhem! Moroski drives them all the way into FG-range (with help of almost-goat, Breeden, who also commited a crucial penalty on the previous drive deep in Cincy territory).
Kicker, Mick Luckhurst, was seen on a sideline smiling with such confidence. With ten seconds to go, on the Bengal-15, Moroski runs it right for a one-yard gain just to get the ball in the middle of the field. Mick was smiling all the more as if he already made the winning kick. Now with six seconds to go, Forrest tries to ice Mick who still was seen confidently smiling. Refs wouldn't let Gregg call yet another timeout. Luckhurst finally up to kick and his FG goes wide-right as time runs out. Duel in Dixie followed by a disappointing campaign which, with fans still going NUTS for a possible end-on-a-positive-note moral victory, ends like that - typical of eons of Falcon frustration to come which, I truly, feel for!
The Dolphins were also upset at the result for they, at 11-4-1 (Cincy, 11-5), would have won top-seed had Falcons pulled it off. But what difference would it have really made? Bills beating Jets would have still led them to Riverfront, 'Epic' matchup still takes place, 'Freezer Bowl' still takes place...or would Miami have gained a possible psychological additive being top-seed that would have been just enough to tip the scale to them? I doubt it but worth a mere, fun suggestion.
Also, even if Atl beats Tampa Bay in Wk#14 and all still plays out, Bucs still win division. But at 8-8 instead!
Still a sucker, I am, for that '81 season! And as for that very recent post of mine about the '81/2023 parallels between not just the Eagles but both overall NFL campaigns in-general...the Falcons this year are 7-9. Yes, with a game to go and still mathematically "in it" going into the finale.
The first '81 pre-season game that I saw on TV, officially getting me ready and excited for my second season following, was Browns vs Falcons. Clevelnd won that one and it'd be they, in a meaningful game, handing Atl their first loss in Wk#4 as well. Falcons would then lose that following Monday Night at then unbeaten Philly. 5th grade me still saw Atl as a contender but after the Rams beat them the following week in that 37-35 mentioned game to drop them to 3-3, they fell off my radar from there. When the Steelers beat them, 34-20, at Fulton (perhaps Bradshaw's best game ever) I remember not making too big a deal of it. And it shouldn't have been the case. I forgot, at the time, that Atlanta also started 3-3 in esteemed 1980.
And though no 9-game win-streak to follow this time, they were actually still in the race leading up to that aforementioned battle of 7-6s game at Tampa Bay. And in their rematch with the Forty Niners at Candlestick, they were 5-4 going up against their 7-2 opponent - a nationally televised game on CBS with Lindsey Nelson and George Allen announcing whilst Cincy@SD was the NBC game with Enberg/Olsen. And, get this...Falcons were actually a 2.5pt favorite going in! Forty Niners covered by a half, 17-14!
Back to they being 7-6 going into TB, they were still in control of their own destiny with three games to go! And not just that loss to the Bucs, but Rams the following week in Anaheim beat them again in another close one, 21-16. Even going into the finale at home vs SB-bound Cincy, Atl at 7-8 were still actually in it! But the G-men had other ideas that Saturday by beating Dallas and that was that. It was all pride from there.
The same thing as the 2006 Steelers - beat Cincy in the finale to prevent a losing season. Unlike what the Steelers did in Cowher's final game, Atlanta came up JUST short of such salvage! But they fought real hard just the same and the Fulton County crowd was hardcore behind them to the very bitter end! Bartkowski went out just before the half; they were down, 27-21. Bengals, playing for home-field, added distance with a FG in the 4th but later on in the quarter, backup QB Mike Moroski drives Atlanta 97 yards for a TD to make it 30-28 with over a minute to go!
First onside-attempt went out of bounds but Atl was very close to recovering. Then before the second attempt a fan runs out onto the field (where's Mike Curtis when you need him), escapes security and runs up the opposite stands from where he came from. No fans get in his way, they cheer him on. Second onside attempt becomes a success and Fulton's in Mayhem! Moroski drives them all the way into FG-range (with help of almost-goat, Breeden, who also commited a crucial penalty on the previous drive deep in Cincy territory).
Kicker, Mick Luckhurst, was seen on a sideline smiling with such confidence. With ten seconds to go, on the Bengal-15, Moroski runs it right for a one-yard gain just to get the ball in the middle of the field. Mick was smiling all the more as if he already made the winning kick. Now with six seconds to go, Forrest tries to ice Mick who still was seen confidently smiling. Refs wouldn't let Gregg call yet another timeout. Luckhurst finally up to kick and his FG goes wide-right as time runs out. Duel in Dixie followed by a disappointing campaign which, with fans still going NUTS for a possible end-on-a-positive-note moral victory, ends like that - typical of eons of Falcon frustration to come which, I truly, feel for!
The Dolphins were also upset at the result for they, at 11-4-1 (Cincy, 11-5), would have won top-seed had Falcons pulled it off. But what difference would it have really made? Bills beating Jets would have still led them to Riverfront, 'Epic' matchup still takes place, 'Freezer Bowl' still takes place...or would Miami have gained a possible psychological additive being top-seed that would have been just enough to tip the scale to them? I doubt it but worth a mere, fun suggestion.
Also, even if Atl beats Tampa Bay in Wk#14 and all still plays out, Bucs still win division. But at 8-8 instead!
Still a sucker, I am, for that '81 season! And as for that very recent post of mine about the '81/2023 parallels between not just the Eagles but both overall NFL campaigns in-general...the Falcons this year are 7-9. Yes, with a game to go and still mathematically "in it" going into the finale.
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Gary Najman
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Re: 1981 Falcons
Also the retirement of Rolland Lawrence did hurt them. Rookie Bobby Butler (while a good draft pick and eventually a long-time starter) was beaten a lot.Brian wolf wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:21 pm The loss of Williams but the secondary was worse than before. On offense, Miller and Francis declined as well. The running game wasnt as good as the year before and Bartkowski threw more interceptions.
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Brian wolf
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Re: 1981 Falcons
Good call Gary ... you would think Lawrence would stay with a chance at a ring to cap off a good career but maybe drafting Butler let him know he wasnt in their plans. It cost them, if they did nudge him towards retirement.