The Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons have a long history since Atlanta’s debut in the National Football League in 1966. This battle between the bird-themed football squads has taken place 37 times in the regular season with 4 more clashes in the NFL’s postseason. Philadelphia has the all-time edge with a 21-15-1 mark in the regular season and a 3-1 playoff record against Atlanta.
It has usually been a close affair between the Eagles and the Falcons in the regular season. 18 of the 37 games, or 48% of them, have resulted in a one-score result. Two of the four postseason battles were also one-touchdown nailbiters including the 2017 NFC Divisional Playoff Game in January 2018. That Eagles win set Philadelphia on a path to claiming Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots in Minnesota a few weeks later.
Early history between Philly and Atlanta
The Eagles were the second NFL team to play the expansion Atlanta Falcons in the 1966 season. On 09/18/1966, Philadelphia defeated Atlanta 23-10 in the home opener at Franklin Field. Eagles quarterback Norman Snead completed 11-of-19 passes with an interception in the contests. Snead also ran the ball six times including a touchdown run in the second quarter. The Eagles’ defense feasted on Atlanta’s expansion QB Randy Johnson with two sacks and three interceptions on the afternoon.
In November 1970, the only tie between the franchises occurred – a 13-13 deadlock. The Falcons were able to keep Norm Snead off the scoreboard in the game. The battle on the gridiron was as even as the scoreboard indicated with Atlanta outgaining Philly by six yards, 236-230. There were 240 yards in penalties between the teams as the Falcons were flagged 9 times for 143 yards, while the Eagles were charged with 6 infractions for 97 yards.
Ron Jaworki’s Decade-long Fued with Atlanta
Following that tied game, the Falcons gained the upper hand in the series versus the Eagles. Atlanta dominated in a 1973 contest before losing a one-point game to Philly in 1976. Two seasons later, the Eagles entered with quarterback Ron Jaworski to battle Atlanta in the 1978 NFC Wild Card Game. Trailing 13-0 in the final frame, Atlanta QB Steve Bartkowski led a fourth-quarter comeback victory, 14-13, with two touchdown passes at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Atlanta lost to Dallas, 27-20, in the Divisional playoffs.
The same quarterbacks dueled again in the 1979 and 1980 regular seasons with Atlanta claiming one-score victories again each time. Jaworski finally exacted some revenge on Monday Night Football in October 1981 with a 16-13 win over those pesky Falcons that had been a thorn in his side for years. “Jaws” won his next three battles against Atlanta in the 1983, 1985, and 1986 regular seasons. Jaworski handed the quarterback reigns over to Randell Cunningham following the 1986 NFL season.
For the rest of the 1980s and through the 1990s, the two franchises traded victories back and forth. Cunningham’s Eagles fell in 1988, while Rodney Peete picked up a win early in the 1996 campaign. Bobby Hoying’s 1997 and 1998 Eagles broke the streak in a pair of losses.
Andy Reid’s Decade of Dominance over Falcons
Head Coach Andy Reid was hired in January 1999 and a highly criticized selection of quarterback Donovan McNabb at the 1999 NFL Draft a few months later. McNabb and the Eagles enjoyed playing the Atlanta Falcons with a 7-3 record against the Falcons under Reid’s leadership. The Eagles claimed the first matchup in 2000, before the only playoff battle between Andy Reid’s Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons in the 2002 NFC Divisional Playoff game.
In front of 66,452 screaming Philly fans at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles ousted the Atlanta Falcons, 20-6, in the 2002 NFC Divisional Playoff game. Bobby Taylor‘s interception and touchdown return in the first quarter set the tone for a defensive battle while providing a 7-0 lead for Philly.
David Akers hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter that were matched by Atlanta’s Jay Feeley leading to a 13-6 halftime advantage for the home team. McNabb linked up with James Thrash on a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and Akers provided the PAT for the final points on the board. The following week, Philadelphia lost to the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-10, in the 2002 NFC title game. It was the Eagles’ final game at the Vet.
Two seasons later in the much cozier Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles and Falcons battled in their highest-profile matchup possible in the 2004 NFC Championship game with a Super Bowl appearance on the line. Donovan McNabb threw two touchdown passes to Chad Lewis as the Eagles defense kept Michael Vick’s offense at just 202 yards for the afternoon in the 27-10 victory. Philly once again experienced heartbreak with a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Florida.
Michael Vick finally got his revenge in Week 2 of the 2005 season as the Falcons managed a 14-10 win over Donovan McNabb at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Coach Reid and the Eagles won the next four regular season matchups against the Falcons between 2006-2010. In 2011, Vick joined the Eagles but lost two games to Atlanta in 2011 and 2012. Andy Reid was dismissed by Philadelphia following a 4-12 season in 2012.
Atlanta Almost Stopped Super Bowl LII From Happening
Philly and Atlanta traded regular season wins in 2015 & 2016 before another epic postseason clash at the Linc for the 2017 NFC Divisional Playoff game. Nick Foles completed 23-of-30 passes as both teams battled for space between the white lines. Jake Elliott’s two field goals extended the Eagles lead to 15-10 with 6 minutes remaining in the game.
An agonizing four-minute drive put Matt Ryan’s Falcons on the Eagles’ 2-yard line with 1:02 to play. On the fourth down snap, Philly’s Jalen Mills blanketed Julio Jones, however, Ryan still chucked the ball in that direction for an incompletion that slipped through the fingers of Atlanta’s star receiver. With the turnover, Philadelphia collectively exhaled and claimed victory in the 15-10 win.
The Eagles celebrated a 38-7 home victory in the 2017 NFC Championship game over the Minnesota Vikings before revenge against the New England Patriots with a 41-33 win in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.
The NFL arraigned the 2018 schedule to feature an opening week rematch at the Linc between Philadelphia and Atlanta. Foles and the Eagles narrowly defeated the Falcons again, 18-12, behind a late Jay Ajayi touchdown run.
Jalen Hurts Only Appearance Against Atlanta
In his only game against Atlanta, quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Eagles to a 32-6 road win in the 2021 NFL regular season opener. Hurts completed 27-of-35 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns. In his first professional game, receiver DeVonta Smith caught an 18-yard touchdown pass as part of a 6-catch, 71-yard performance. Tight end Dallas Goedert also scored in the victory three seasons ago at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles will look to defend their nest at Lincoln Financial Field against the Falcons on Monday Night Football. Atlanta was humbled by Pennsylvania’s other team last weekend in an 18-10 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Can Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith serve up the same connection from 2021 and provide a win in Week 2 for the Eagles to open the Linc in style for the 2024 NFL regular season?
Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
