1991 Atlanta Falcons season

The 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 and clinching a playoff berth 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 week, 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.

Offseason

NFL draft

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. Head coach Jerry Glanville disapproved of the selection and said it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre into the game. 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. 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.

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams W 38–17 1–0 Gator Bowl 66,531 2 at Houston Oilers W 36–7 2–0 Houston Astrodome 52,170 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7–12 2–1 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 41,983 4 at Dallas Cowboys L 17–20 2–2 Texas Stadium 53,689

Regular season Schedule 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.

Standings

Game summaries Week 1