Super Bowl power rankings: Who’s the best loser?
By John Buhler
16. 1998 Atlanta Falcons, Super Bowl XXXIII
The 1998 Atlanta Falcons put together a surprisingly strong team under head coach Dan Reeves. At that point in time, the Falcons had never played in an NFC Championship Game or for that matter have consecutive winning seasons.
Atlanta would go 14-2 and win the NFC West, but didn’t finish with the best record in the NFC, as they were a game worse than the 15-1 1998 Minnesota Vikings under head coach Dennis Green. Atlanta would beat divisional rival San Francisco, 20-18 in the NFC Divisional round to face Minnesota in Minneapolis for the 1998 NFC Championship Game.
Atlanta would advance to its only trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history on a Morten Andersen field goal in the Metrodome, 30-27. The Falcons would have to face John Elway’s Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII at Pro Player Stadium in Miami and would be a seven-point underdog to the Broncos.
The Falcons had a ton of momentum after beating arguably the best team to never play in a Super Bowl in the 1998 Vikings. So being a seven-point underdog to the Broncos in the Super Bowl wasn’t as arduous as one would think. Atlanta would have to deal with a major distraction the night before Super Bowl XXXIII when star safety Eugene Robinson was arrested Saturday night in Miami. The Falcons came out flat in Super Bowl XXXIII, falling to the Broncos 34-19.
The Dirty Birds had both a dynamic defense led by Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Tuggle and All-Pro running back Jamal Anderson. They had the right makeup to contend for a Super Bowl in any era. Quarterback Chris Chandler was good, but nowhere near as great as Elway. The 1998 Falcons could have won a Super Bowl with that roster under different circumstances.
Next: 15. 1999 Tennessee Titans