1980 Atlanta Falcons season

The 1980 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons' 15th season and culminated in their first division title in franchise history. After a 3–3 start, the Falcons went on a nine-game winning streak as quarterback Steve Bartkowski passed for a career-best 3,544 yards while connecting on 31 touchdown passes. As the NFC's top seed, the Falcons gained home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Falcons' season ended with a 30–27 divisional playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys before 60,022 fans at Fulton County Stadium.

1980 Atlanta Falcons season
Owner	Rankin M. Smith Sr.
General manager	Eddie LeBaron
Head coach	Leeman Bennett
Home stadium	Fulton County Stadium
Results
Record	12–4
Division place	1st NFC West
Playoffs	Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cowboys) 27–30
Pro Bowlers	RB William Andrews QB Steve Bartkowski WR Alfred Jenkins C Jeff van Note T Mike Kenn TE Junior Miller
← 1979 Falcons seasons 1981 →

This would be the last time the Falcons capture a winning record in a non strike season until 1991, as well as their last division title until 1998.

Offseason

Draft

Main article: 1980 NFL draft

1980 Atlanta Falcons draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	7	Junior Miller *	Tight end	Nebraska
2	36	Buddy Curry	Linebacker	North Carolina
3	63	Earl Jones	Defensive back	Norfolk State
4	91	Jim Laughlin	Linebacker	Ohio State
4	104	I. M. Hipp	Running back	Nebraska
5	117	Brad Vassar	Linebacker	Pacific
5	137	Kenny Johnson	Defensive back	Mississippi State
6	146	Mike Davis	Defensive back	Colorado
7	172	Mike Smith	Wide receiver	Grambling State
8	201	Al Richardson	Linebacker	Georgia Tech
9	228	Glen Keller	Center	West Texas State
10	257	Walt Bellamy	Defensive back	VMI
11	284	Mike Babb	Defensive back	Oklahoma
12	313	Quinn Jones	Running back	Tulsa
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[1]

Personnel

Staff

1980 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 – Jimmy Raye Offensive line – Bill Walsh

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Jerry Glanville Defensive line – Jim Stanley Linebackers – Doug Shively

Roster

1980 Atlanta Falcons roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 10 Steve Bartkowski  9 Larry Fortner 15 Mike Moroski Running backs (RB) 33 Anthony Anderson 31 William Andrews 21 Lynn Cain 39 James Mayberry 25 Ray Strong Wide receivers (WR) 89 Wallace Francis 85 Alfred Jackson 84 Alfred Jenkins 86 Mike Smith Tight ends (TE) 87 Russ Mikeska 80 Junior Miller

Offensive linemen (OL) 66 Warren Bryant T 53 Chuck Correal C 64 Pat Howell G 78 Mike Kenn T 73 Phil McKinnely T 70 Dave Scott G 68 R. C. Thielemann G 57 Jeff Van Note C Defensive linemen (DL) 74 Wilson Faumuina DT 77 Edgar Fields DT 75 Jeff Merrow DE 65 Don Smith NT 79 Jeff Yeates DE 63 Mike Zele DT

Linebackers (LB) 50 Buddy Curry ILB 55 Tony Daykin OLB 54 Fulton Kuykendall ILB 51 Jim Laughlin ILB 52 Dewey McClain ILB 59 Robert Pennywell ILB 56 Al Richardson OLB 58 Joel Williams Defensive backs (DB) 38 Rick Byas CB 36 Bob Glazebrook SS 37 Kenny Johnson CB 20 Earl Jones CB 22 Rolland Lawrence CB 27 Tom Pridemore FS 28 Frank Reed SS Special teams (ST)  6 John James P  4 Tim Mazzetti K

Reserve 44 Bubba Bean RB (IR) 32 Ray Easterling S (IR) 61 Chuck Herman G (IR) 40 Michael Higgins RB (IR) 14 June Jones QB (IR) 26 James McDougald RB (IR) 81 Dennis Pearson WR (IR) 82 Billy Ryckman WR (IR) 16 Reggie Smith WR (IR) 72 Matthew Teague DE (IR) 99 Brad Vassar LB (Left squad) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 7	at Minnesota Vikings	L 23–24	0–1	Metropolitan Stadium	44,773	Recap
2	September 14	at New England Patriots	W 37–21	1–1	Schaefer Stadium	48,321	Recap
3	September 21	Miami Dolphins	L 17–20	1–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	55,470	Recap
4	September 28	at San Francisco 49ers	W 20–17	2–2	Candlestick Park	56,518	Recap
5	October 5	Detroit Lions	W 43–28	3–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,652	Recap
6	October 12	New York Jets	L 7–14	3–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,458	Recap
7	October 19	at New Orleans Saints	W 41–14	4–3	Louisiana Superdome	62,651	Recap
8	October 26	Los Angeles Rams	W 13–10	5–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	57,401	Recap
9	November 2	at Buffalo Bills	W 30–14	6–3	Rich Stadium	57,959	Recap
10	November 9	at St. Louis Cardinals	W 33–27 (OT)	7–3	Busch Memorial Stadium	48,662	Recap
11	November 16	New Orleans Saints	W 31–13	8–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	53,871	Recap
12	November 23	Chicago Bears	W 28–17	9–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	49,156	Recap
13	November 30	Washington Redskins	W 10–6	10–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	55,665	Recap
14	December 7	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 20–17	11–3	Veterans Stadium	70,205	Recap
15	December 14	San Francisco 49ers	W 35–10	12–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	55,767	Recap
16	December 21	at Los Angeles Rams	L 17–20 (OT)	12–4	Anaheim Stadium	62,469	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	6	0	7	10	23
• Vikings	7	7	7	3	24

• Date: September 7
• Location: Metropolitan Stadium

Week 2

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Falcons	14	14	3	6	37
Patriots	7	14	0	0	21

• Date: September 14
• Location: Sullivan Stadium
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and John Madden

Week 3

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Dolphins	3	0	0	17	20
Falcons	0	7	7	3	17

• Date: September 21
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Dave Rowe

Week 4

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Falcons	3	0	3	14	20
49ers	0	3	0	14	17

• Date: September 28
• Location: Candlestick Park
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

Week 5

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	3	3	0	22	28
• Falcons	17	17	2	7	43

• Date: October 5
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• Television network: CBS

Week 6

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Jets	7	0	0	7	14
Falcons	0	0	0	7	7

• Date: October 12
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• Referee: Gordon McCarter
• Television network: NBC

Week 7

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Falcons	7	6	21	7	41
Saints	7	7	0	0	14

• Date: October 19
• Location: Louisiana Superdome
• Game start: 1:00 p.m.
• Game weather: Indoors (dome)
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Kelly and Sonny Jurgenson

Scoring summary

Q1		NO	Chandler 18 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick)	NO 7–0
Q1		ATL	Miller 11 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)	Tie 7–7
Q2		NO	Galbreath 15 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick)	NO 14–7
Q2		ATL	Francis 24 yard pass from Bartkowski (kick failed)	NO 14–13
Q3		ATL	Jenkins 49 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)	ATL 20–14
Q3		ATL	Cain 1 yard run (Mazzetti kick)	ATL 27–14
Q3		ATL	Miller 4 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick)	ATL 34–14
Q4		ATL	Andrews 13 yard run (Mazzetti kick)	ATL 41–14

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Week 8

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	0	3	7	0	10
• Falcons	6	0	0	7	13

• Date: October 26
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• Television network: CBS

Week 9

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Falcons	0	10	10	10	30
Bills	7	7	0	0	14

• Date: November 2
• Location: Rich Stadium
• Referee: Chuck Heberling
• Television network: CBS

Week 10

Team	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
• Falcons	3	3	14	7	6	33
Cardinals	17	7	3	0	0	27

• Date: November 9
• Location: Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier

Week 11

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Saints	7	0	0	6	13
• Falcons	3	7	7	14	31

• Date: November 16
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Week 12

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	7	3	7	0	17
• Falcons	0	14	0	14	28

• Date: November 23
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• Television network: CBS

Week 13

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	0	3	0	3	6
• Falcons	0	0	7	3	10

• Date: November 30
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Week 14

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Falcons	3	7	7	3	20
Eagles	0	14	0	3	17

• Date: December 7
• Location: Veterans Stadium
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and John Madden

Week 15

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	3	0	7	10
• Falcons	7	0	14	14	35

• Date: December 14
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Week 16

Team	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Falcons	7	7	0	3	0	17
• Rams	3	0	14	0	3	20

• Date: December 21
• Location: Anaheim Stadium

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Venue	Attendance	Recap
Divisional	January 4	Dallas Cowboys (4)	L 27–30	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	60,022	Recap

Divisional

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Cowboys	3	7	0	20	30
Falcons	10	7	7	3	27

• Date: January 4
• Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Atlanta Falcons(1)	12	4	0	.750	5–1	10–2	405	272	L1
Los Angeles Rams(5)	11	5	0	.688	5–1	9–3	424	289	W2
San Francisco 49ers	6	10	0	.375	2–4	4–8	320	415	L2
New Orleans Saints	1	15	0	.063	0–6	0–12	291	487	L1