2004 Atlanta Falcons season
| 2004 Atlanta Falcons season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jim Mora |
| General manager | Rich McKay |
| Owner | Arthur Blank |
| Home field | Georgia Dome |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 1st NFC South |
| Playoff finish |
Won Divisional Playoffs (Rams) 17–47 Lost NFC Championship (Eagles) 27–10 |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 |
4:12
|
ATL | Crumpler 15 yard pass from Vick (Feely kick) | ATL 7–0 |
| Q2 |
6:17
|
ATL | Dunn 2 yard run (Feely kick) | ATL 14–0 |
| Q2 |
1:14
|
SF | Peterson 23 yard field goal | ATL 14–3 |
| Q3 |
7:11
|
SF | Peterson 32 yard field goal | ATL 14–6 |
| Q4 |
8:57
|
ATL | Dunn 9 yard run (Feely kick) | ATL 21–6 |
| Q4 |
6:14
|
SF | Wilson 8 yard pass from Rattay (Peterson kick) | ATL 21–13 |
| Q4 |
:40
|
SF | Johnson 16 yard pass from Rattay (pass failed) | ATL 21–19 |
The 2004 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 39th in the National Football League (NFL). It was the first year under head coach Jim Mora. Under Mora, the team went 11-5, advancing to the playoffs. After easily handling the 8-8 St. Louis Rams in the Divisional round, the Falcons advanced to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1998, but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons did not make the playoffs again until 2008 and would not appear in the NFC Championship again until 2012.
The team led the NFL in rushing in 2004, with 2,672 yards.
The Falcons began their season by traveling to San Francisco, where Falcons head coach Jim L. Mora had coached the last five years as the 49ers defensive coordinator, to play the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons scored first with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick to Alge Crumpler. In the second quarter the Falcons scored again with a two-yard touchdown run by Warrick Dunn. Dunn ran for a second rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter this one from nine yards out. The 49ers did battle back with two touchdown passes from Tim Rattay late in the fourth quarter. At the end of the game the 49ers could have tied the game at 21points with a two-point conversion. Their attempt at a two-point conversion failed as Tim Rattay’s pass to Brandon Lloyd was defended by Rod Coleman. Tight end Alge Crumpler finished the game with 6 receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown; at that time it was Crumpler’s second best game of his career
For the Falcons home opener the 1–0 St. Louis Rams came to the Georgia Dome to take on the 1–0 Atlanta Falcons.The Falcons started their second drive of the game from their own 18-yard line when Michael Vick dumped a pass off to his full back Justin Griffith. Griffith took the ball all the way to the St. Louis 20 for a 62-yard gain. 4 plays later Vick found Griffith again this time for a 3-yard touchdown pass to give the Falcons the lead 7 to 0. In the second quarter Vick set up the Falcons second score of the game, with a 14-yard run to the St. Louis 2-yard line. Vick’s run was followed by Warrick Dunn scoring the Falcons second touchdown of the game. After Jay Feely’s extra point the falcons had the lead 14 to 0. On the following drive the Ram’s offence moved the ball 82 yards to the Falcon’s 1-yard line where Marshall Faulk capped of the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Vick and the Falcons got the ball back with 1:06 left before half time. Vick’s 3 rushes on the drive for 20, 14, and 18 yards put Falcons kicker Jay Feely in range for a 35-yard field goal with 6 seconds left in the half. The Falcon’s went into half time with a 10-point lead. In the third quarter Ram’s QB Mark Bulger completed 4 of 5 passes as he moved the ball down the field on an 80-yard touchdown drive. The drive was capped off with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt, which cut the Falcons lead 3 points. Later in the third quarter the rams tied when Jeff Wilkins hit a 46-yard field goal to make the score 17 to 17. On the next drive Vick completed 3 of his 4 pass attempts for 48 yards. He then set up another Warrick Dunn 2-yard touchdown run with a 7-yard rush from the St. Louis 9-yard line. Because of a taunting penalty on the kick off the rams started their ensuing drive on their own 10-yard line. On first down Patrick Kerney sacked Ram’s QB Mark Bulger at the St. Louis 1-yard line. Backed up at their own 1-yard line Bulger and the Rams wanted to try to make a big play(after the game Bulger said “I was going for a home run,”). When Bulger dropped back to pass in his own end zone Falcon’s defensive end Brady Smith got into the back field, and took the ball right from Bulger’s hand for a touchdown. Bulger almost got the pass off for what could have been a 99-yard touchdown for the Rams. "I was a half-second away from letting the ball go. ... It could have been a touchdown the other way." Said Bulger after the game. The Falcons kicked one more field goal before the game ended to make the final score Falcons 34, Rams 17. . For the third time in his career Vick ran for more than 100 yards in a game; he finished the game with 109. For the second week in a row Warrick Dunn ran for 2 touchdowns .
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