High-Flying Falcons Have Shot at .500

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons wish this season had started the first weekend of November.

After reaching the end of October with a 1-7 record, the Falcons have been one of the NFL’s hottest teams, winning five consecutive games and six of seven.

“It’s tremendous what we’ve done,” said Morten Andersen, who kicked a 33-yard field goal as time ran out Sunday to give Atlanta a 20-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. “It’s just unfortunate how this season began. If we had gotten one or two of those close games early in the season, we’d be in [the playoffs] or at least in charge of our own destiny.”

Instead, the Falcons (7-8) saw their slim playoff hopes end when Detroit rallied to beat Minnesota. Atlanta still has a chance, though, to join the 1984 Packers as the only teams to finish with a .500 record after starting 1-7.

Philadelphia (6-8-1) lost its second consecutive game and was eliminated from the playoffs.

“I am tired of losing,” Eagle Coach Ray Rhodes said. “I am tired of getting beat. This one hurts a lot.”

Atlanta, enjoying its longest winning streak since 1991, lost a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Eagles tied the score, 17-17, when Chris Boniol kicked a 39-yard field goal with 1:55 left.

But the Falcons got in position for the winning field goal with one play. Chris Chandler flipped a screen pass to Harold Green, who made a nice catch of a low throw before turning upfield. He dodged one tackler and broke through five others as he zigzagged down the field for a 47-yard gain to the Eagle 18.

One play later, Andersen--despite a sore left hamstring that he injured two weeks ago--kicked the game-winning field goal.

The field goal was the 374th of Andersen’s career and it moved him past Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud into third place on the NFL’s all-time list.