NFC Divisional Playoff: vs. San Francisco 49ers 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. The Falcons moved on to face the #1 seed Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game.
NFC Championship: at Minnesota Vikings 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 on their first overtime possession (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: vs. Denver Broncos The Falcons were unable to continue their success to the next season and finished their 1999 campaign at 5–11. Atlanta would not return to the Super Bowl until
Super Bowl LI at the conclusion of the 2016 NFL season. ==References==