1978 Atlanta Falcons season

1978 Atlanta Falcons season
Owner	Rankin M. Smith Sr.
General manager	Eddie LeBaron
Head coach	Leeman Bennett
Home field	Fulton County Stadium
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	2nd NFC West
Playoff finish	Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Eagles) 14–13 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Cowboys) 20–27
← 1977 Falcons seasons 1979 →

The 1978 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons' 13th season. After losing four of their first six games, Atlanta rebounded to win seven of their last ten, and their 9–7 record was the third best in a weak NFC. The NFC West runners-up thus not only secured their first-ever postseason berth in franchise history, but earned a home playoff game under the expanded ten team format.

Hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in their first ever playoff game, the Falcons scored two touchdowns in their final fourteen minutes to pull out a 14–13 win. In the divisional round, the Falcons were 14-point underdogs facing the Dallas Cowboys. Atlanta took a seven point lead into halftime, but the Cowboys came back to take a 27–20 lead. In their final drive, the Falcons fell inches short of a first down on the Cowboys' 32-yard line, as Dallas got the ball and ran down the clock.

1978 Atlanta Falcons draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	13	Mike Kenn *	Offensive tackle	Michigan
2	43	Steve Stewart	Linebacker	Minnesota
3	70	Stan Waldemore	Guard	Nebraska
4	95	Brian Cabral	Linebacker	Colorado
5	125	Dennis Pearson	Wide receiver	San Diego State
6	152	Rodney Parker	Wide receiver	Tennessee State
7	167	Alfred Jackson	Wide receiver	Texas
7	179	James Wright	Tight end	Texas Christian
8	209	David Adkins	Linebacker	Ohio State
8	216	David Williams	Offensive tackle	Tennessee–Martin
9	236	Tom Pridemore	Safety	West Virginia
10	257	Ricky Patton	Running back	Jackson State
10	263	Ray Strong	Running back	UNLV
11	293	Scooter Reed	Defensive back	Baylor
12	320	Daria Butler	Linebacker	Oklahoma State
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

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1978 Atlanta Falcons staff

Front office Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr. President – Rankin M. Smith, Jr. General manager – Eddie LeBaron Director of player personnel – Tom Braatz Head coaches Head coach – Leeman Bennett Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Dick Wood Offensive backs – John North Receivers – Ted Plumb Offensive line – Bill Walsh

Defensive coaches Defensive line – Jim Champion Linebackers – Doug Shively Defensive backs – Jerry Glanville

1978 Atlanta Falcons roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 10 Steve Bartkowski 14 June Jones Running backs (RB) 44 Bubba Bean 26 Mike Esposito 40 George Franklin 33 Ricky Patton 24 Haskel Stanback Wide receivers (WR) 89 Wallace Francis 85 Alfred Jackson 81 Dennis Pearson 82 Billy Ryckman Tight ends (TE) 86 Jim Mitchell 88 Ken Moore 83 James Wright

Offensive linemen (OL) 66 Warren Bryant T 78 Mike Kenn T 73 Phil McKinnely T 53 Paul Ryczek C 70 Dave Scott G 68 R.C. Thielemann G 57 Jeff Van Note C Defensive linemen (DL) 72 Jim Bailey DT 74 Wilson Faumuina DT 77 Edgar Fields DT 69 Mike Lewis DT 87 Claude Humphrey DE 75 Jeff Merrow DE 79 Jeff Yeates DE

Linebackers (LB) 50 Greg Brezina 54 Fulton Kuykendall 56 Ron McCartney 52 Dewey McClain 55 Ralph Ortega 58 Steve Stewart Defensive backs (DB) 38 Rick Byas CB 36 Bob Glazebrook 30 Ernie Jackson CB 22 Rolland Lawrence CB 45 Tom Moriarty S 28 Frank Reed SS 20 Jim Stienke CB Special teams 6 John James P 4 Tim Mazzetti K

Reserve 61 Brent Adams T (IR) 51 Brian Cabral LB (IR) 32 Ray Easterling FS (IR) 84 Alfred Jenkins WR (IR) —- Andy Spiva LB (IR) -- Garth TenNapel LB (IR) Rookies in italics

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 3	Houston Oilers	W 20–14	1–0	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,328
2	September 10	at Los Angeles Rams	L 0–10	1–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	46,201
3	September 17	Cleveland Browns	L 16–24	1–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	56,648
4	September 24	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 9–14	1–3	Tampa Stadium	58,073
5	October 1	New York Giants	W 23–20	2–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	47,765
6	October 8	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 7–31	2–4	Three Rivers Stadium	48,202
7	October 15	Detroit Lions	W 14–0	3–4	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	51,172
8	October 22	at San Francisco 49ers	W 20–17	4–4	Candlestick Park	44,235
9	October 30	Los Angeles Rams	W 15–7	5–4	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,250
10	November 5	San Francisco 49ers	W 21–10	6–4	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	55,468
11	November 12	at New Orleans Saints	W 20–17	7–4	Louisiana Superdome	70,323
12	November 19	at Chicago Bears	L 7–13	7–5	Soldier Field	46,022
13	November 26	New Orleans Saints	W 20–17	8–5	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	55,121
14	December 3	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 7–37	8–6	Riverfront Stadium	25,336
15	December 10	Washington Redskins	W 20–17	9–6	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	54,176
16	December 17	at St. Louis Cardinals	L 21–42	9–7	Busch Memorial Stadium	40,022
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

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NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Los Angeles Rams(1)	12	4	0	.750	4–2	10–2	316	245	W1
Atlanta Falcons(4)	9	7	0	.563	5–1	8–4	240	290	L1
New Orleans Saints	7	9	0	.438	3–3	6–6	281	298	W1
San Francisco 49ers	2	14	0	.125	0–6	1–11	219	350	L1

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Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP HOU ATL 2 Falcons Bean 38-yard touchdown reception from Jones, Steinfort kick good 7 7 2 — — — Falcons Moriarty recovered blocked punt in end zone, Steinfort kick good 7 14 3 Falcons 30-yard field goal by Steinfort 14 17 4 Falcons 48-yard field goal by Steinfort 14 20 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 14 20

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP ATL LA "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 0 10

• Referee: Ben Dreith
• Network: CBS
• Announcers: Vin Scully, George Allen and Jim Brown

Steve Bartkowski threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Billy Ryckman early in the second quarter and Bubba Bean erupted for a 25-yard touchdown run in the final minutes of the game as the Falcons got a critical win to stay alive in the NFC Playoff hunt. The Falcons defense also played a part in their win with two brilliant goal line stands. It was the first home shutout in Falcons History. The Lions' woeful offense could produce only 22 rushing yards.

Atlanta erased a 17–7 deficit in the final 5:38 of the game, beating San Francisco on Tim Mazzetti's last-second, 29-yard field goal. Steve Bartkowski directed the comeback, hitting a 71-yard bomb to set up a 21-yard Mazzetti field goal, completing a 59-yard scoring pass to Billy Ryckman with 1:52 remaining and then finding Tim Mitchell with a 19-yard reception to set up a winning kick. This game was broadcast by CBS with announcers Vin Scully, George Allen and Jim Brown at the game.

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP LA ATL 2 Falcons 21-yard field goal by Mazzetti 7 3 2 Falcons 37-yard field goal by Mazzetti 7 6 4 Falcons 30-yard field goal by Mazzetti 7 9 4 Falcons 26-yard field goal by Mazzetti 7 12 4 Falcons 37-yard field goal by Mazzetti 7 15 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 7 15

• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV Network: CBS
• Announcers: Frank Glieber and Johnny Unitas

Steve Bartkowski, who suffered a separate shoulder last Monday, ran for one touchdown and threw a 37-yard scoring pass to Wallace Francis as Atlanta spoiled the head coaching debutof the 49ers' Fred O'Connor who replaced the fired Pete McCulley on Tuesday. San Francisco's O.J. Simpson suffered a shoulder separation early in the second period. Simpson had carried 5 times for only 15 yards before the injury. Atlanta's win help keep their playoff hopes alive for a wild card berth at 6–4 the same record as the Cowboys and the Vikings.

The Falcons won their first playoff game in team history after they overcame a 13–0 deficit by scoring 2 touchdowns in the final 5 minutes of the game.

Dallas' "Doomsday Defense" limited Atlanta quarterback Steve Bartkowski to only 8 completions in 23 attempts and intercepted him 3 times en route to victory. After the Falcons led 20–13 at halftime, the Cowboys scored 14 unanswered points in the second half.

• 1978 Atlanta Falcons at Pro-Football-Reference.com