NFL team season
The Falcons playing against the LA Rams at Anaheim Stadium in 1991
The 1991 Atlanta Falcons season was the team's 26th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was also the final season they played at Fulton County Stadium , before moving into the Georgia Dome the following season . The season would be the most successful Atlanta had compiled in almost a decade, with the team recording a winning record for the first time in nine years. Additionally, the Falcons won their first playoff game since 1978, by defeating the New Orleans Saints 27–20 in the NFC Wild Card Game. The following they would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins 24–7 in the divisional round.
The last remaining active member of the 1991 Atlanta Falcons was quarterback Brett Favre , who retired after the 2010 season .
The Falcons’ most notable selection in the 1991 NFL draft was future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre , who was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall.[ 1] Head coach Jerry Glanville disapproved of the selection and said it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre into the game.[ 2] Favre's first pass in an NFL regular season game resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown. He only attempted four passes in his career at Atlanta, completing none of them.[ 3] After the season ended, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers , where he remained for the following sixteen seasons. He went on to lead the Packers to eleven playoff appearances, two Super Bowl appearances, and their third Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXI . Favre also won three consecutive MVP awards, and was a 9-time Pro Bowler during his tenure in Green Bay.
[ 4]
1991 Atlanta Falcons staff
Front office
Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr.
President – Taylor Smith
Vice-president of player personnel – Ken Herock
Director of pro scouting – Chuck Connor
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Special teams – Bobby April
Strength and conditioning
Strength and conditioning – Tim Jorgensen
1991 Atlanta Falcons roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Practice squad
47 active, 8 inactive, 2 practice squad
Rookies in italics
[ 5]
[ 6]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
Recap
1
September 1
at Kansas City Chiefs
L 3–14
0–1
Arrowhead Stadium
74,246
Recap
2
September 8
Minnesota Vikings
L 19–20
0–2
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
50,936
Recap
3
September 15
at San Diego Chargers
W 13–10
1–2
Jack Murphy Stadium
44,804
Recap
4
September 22
Los Angeles Raiders
W 21–17
2–2
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
53,615
Recap
5
September 29
New Orleans Saints
L 6–27
2–3
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
56,556
Recap
6
Bye
7
October 13
at San Francisco 49ers
W 39–34
3–3
Candlestick Park
57,343
Recap
8
October 20
at Phoenix Cardinals
L 10–16
3–4
Sun Devil Stadium
29,804
Recap
9
October 27
Los Angeles Rams
W 31–14
4–4
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
50,187
Recap
10
November 3
San Francisco 49ers
W 17–14
5–4
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
51,259
Recap
11
November 10
at Washington Redskins
L 17–56
5–5
RFK Stadium
52,461
Recap
12
November 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W 43–7
6–5
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
41,274
Recap
13
November 24
at New Orleans Saints
W 23–20 (OT)
7–5
Louisiana Superdome
68,591
Recap
14
December 1
Green Bay Packers
W 35–31
8–5
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
43,270
Recap
15
December 8
at Los Angeles Rams
W 31–14
9–5
Anaheim Stadium
35,315
Recap
16
December 15
Seattle Seahawks
W 26–13
10–5
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
53,834
Recap
17
December 22
at Dallas Cowboys
L 27–31
10–6
Texas Stadium
60,962
Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
1
2 3 4 Total
Falcons
3
0 0 0
3
• Chiefs
0
0 7 7
14
Date: September 1Location: Arrowhead Stadium Game start: 12:00 CST Referee: Dick HantakTelevision network: CBS
[ 7]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Vikings
7
0 7 6
20
Falcons
3
7 0 9
19
[ 8]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Falcons
7
3 3 0
13
Chargers
0
7 0 3
10
[ 9]
1
2 3 4 Total
Raiders
0
7 7 3
17
• Falcons
7
0 7 7
21
Date: September 22Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumReferee: Johnny GrierTV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
[ 10]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Saints
3
7 10 7
27
Falcons
0
6 0 0
6
Date: September 29Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumReferee: Larry NemmersTV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Hank Stram
[ 11]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Falcons
14
6 13 6
39
49ers
0
14 13 7
34
Date: October 13Location: Candlestick Park Referee: Bob McElweeTV announcers (CBS): James Brown and Randy Cross
[ 12]
1
2 3 4 Total
Falcons
7
3 0 0
10
• Cardinals
3
0 10 3
16
Date: October 20Location: Sun Devil Stadium Referee: Red CashionTV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Irv Cross
[ 13]
1
2 3 4 Total
Rams
0
0 0 14
14
• Falcons
7
14 10 0
31
Date: October 27Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumGame start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 71 °F or 21.7 °C; wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)Referee: Gerald AustinTelevision network: CBS
Scoring summary Q1 8:08 ATL Dixon 19 yard pass from Miller (N. Johnson kick)ATL 7–0
Q2 7:28 ATL Chaffey 5 yard run (N. Johnson kick)ATL 14–0
Q2 0:22 ATL Rison 20 yard pass from Miller (N. Johnson kick)ATL 21–0
Q3 11:50 ATL Haynes 55 yard pass from Miller (N. Johnson kick)ATL 28–0
Q3 0:53 ATL N. Johnson 44 yard field goal ATL 31–0
Q4 13:32 LA Delpino 9 yard run (Zendejas kick)ATL 31–7
Q4 1:54 LA Carter 18 yard pass from Pagel (Zendejas kick)ATL 31–14
[ 14]
[ 15]
1
2 3 4 Total
49ers
0
7 0 7
14
• Falcons
0
0 0 17
17
Date: November 3Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumGame start: 1:00 EST Referee: Bernie KukarTV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Hank Stram
[ 16]
1
2 3 4 Total
Falcons
3
0 14 0
17
• Redskins
7
21 7 21
56
Date: November 10Location: RFK Stadium Referee: Dale HamerTV announcers (CBS): James Brown and Randy Cross
[ 17]
1
2 3 4 Total
Buccaneers
0
0 0 7
7
• Falcons
0
33 3 7
43
Date: November 17Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumReferee: Tom DooleyTelevision network: CBS
[ 18]
1
2 3 4 OT Total
• Falcons
0
3 7 10 3
23
Saints
0
7 6 7 0
20
Date: November 24Location: Louisiana Superdome Game weather: Indoors (dome)Referee: Tom WhiteTV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann
[ 19]
1
2 3 4 Total
Packers
7
14 0 10
31
• Falcons
7
0 7 21
35
Date: December 1Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumReferee: Gordon McCarterTV announcers (CBS): James Brown and Randy Cross
[ 20]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Falcons
10
14 7 0
31
Rams
0
7 0 7
14
Date: December 8Location: Anaheim Stadium Referee: Larry NemmersTV announcers (CBS): Brad Nessler and Merlin Olsen
[ 21]
1
2 3 4 Total
Seahawks
0
0 3 10
13
• Falcons
2
10 7 7
26
Date: December 15Location: Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumReferee: Tom DooleyTV announcers (NBC): Joel Meyers and Dan Hampton
[ 22]
1
2 3 4 Total
Falcons
14
3 10 0
27
• Cowboys
21
3 0 7
31
Date: December 22Location: Texas Stadium Referee: Johnny GrierTV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Merlin Olsen
[ 23]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Falcons
0
10 7 10
27
Saints
7
6 0 7
20
Falcons quarterback Chris Miller completed the game-winning 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Haynes with 2:41 left in the contest. Miller completed 18 out of 30 passes for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns.
1
2 3 4 Total
Falcons
0
7 0 0
7
• Redskins
0
14 3 7
24
During their regular season meeting, Washington defeated Atlanta 56–17, with quarterback Mark Rypien throwing for 446 yards and 6 touchdowns. In this game the score was closer, but the result was still the same.
Under rainy and muddy conditions, the Redskins forced six turnovers, held the ball for over 36 minutes, and scored two touchdowns in a span of 3:11 in the second quarter.
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