The 1974 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons ninth season. After coming close to their maiden postseason appearance the previous season and finishing with a best-to-date 9-5 record despite an upset loss to the Cardinals, the Falcons traded star cornerback Ken Reaves to obtain in-demand guard Royce Smith[1] in a widely criticised move. During the strike-affected pre-season they beat the Eagles 23 to 7 in a rain-soaked match,[2] before losing to the Raiders 16 to 28.[3] Soon afterwards the Falcons lost key offensive tackle Bill Sanderman for the entire season with a slipped disc in his back.[4]
Along with a form lapse from quarterback Bob Lee and an injury to running back Dave Hampton,[5] this destroyed the Falcons’ offense. The 1974 Falcons scored 111 points with a mere twelve touchdowns, the lowest total in franchise history, and the second lowest by any team in a fourteen-game NFL season[6] after the infamous “Zero Gang” offense of the 1977 Buccaneers who were shut out six times in twelve games. Their failure to score more than seventeen points in any game has been equalled since only by the infamous offense of the 1992 Seahawks.
The Falcons sacked long-serving head coach Norman van Brocklin after being thrashed by the Miami Dolphins and having heard demands from fans to make that move.[7][8]
Offseason[edit]
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This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2013) |
Regular season[edit]
Schedule[edit]
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Record |
Attendance |
Notable events |
| 1 |
September 15, 1974 |
Dallas Cowboys |
L 0-24 |
0-1 |
52,322
|
|
| 2 |
September 22, 1974 |
San Francisco 49ers |
L 10-16 |
0-2 |
47,686
|
Simmons interception ran 65 yards TD |
| 3 |
September 29, 1974 |
at New Orleans Saints |
L 13-14 |
0-3 |
62,273
|
|
| 4 |
October 6, 1974 |
at New York Giants |
W 14-7 |
1-3 |
42,379
|
Simmons punt return 75 yards |
| 5 |
October 13, 1974 |
Chicago Bears |
W 13-10 |
2-3 |
47,835
|
|
| 6 |
October 20, 1974 |
New Orleans Saints |
L 3-13 |
2-4 |
47,217
|
Simmons kickoff return 67 yards |
| 7 |
October 28, 1974 |
at Pittsburgh Steelers |
L 17-24 |
2-5 |
48,094
|
|
| 8 |
November 3, 1974 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 7-42 |
2-6 |
64,399
|
|
| 9 |
November 10, 1974 |
at Los Angeles Rams |
L 0-21 |
2-7 |
70,056
|
|
| 10 |
November 17, 1974 |
Baltimore Colts |
L 7-17 |
2-8 |
41,278
|
|
| 11 |
November 24, 1974 |
at San Francisco 49ers |
L 0-27 |
2-9 |
45,435
|
|
| 12 |
December 1, 1974 |
Los Angeles Rams |
L 7-30 |
2-10 |
18,648
|
|
| 13 |
December 7, 1974 |
at Minnesota Vikings |
L 10-23 |
2-11 |
47,105
|
|
| 14 |
December 15, 1974 |
Green Bay Packers |
W 10-3 |
3-11 |
10,020
|
Simmons punt return 88 yards |
Season summary[edit]
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Falcons |
0 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
| Giants |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
[9]
Standings[edit]
Awards and records[edit]
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This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2012) |
References[edit]
- ^ “Falcons deny trading Reaves Connected with Players’ Strike”; in Ellensburg Daily Record; July 20, 1974; p. 4
- ^ “Falcons blast Eagles, 23-7”; in St. Petersburg Times; August 5, 1974; p. 9C
- ^ “Harold Hart, Stabler Leader Raiders’ Win Over Falcons”; in The Tuscaloosa News; August 11, 1974; p. 2C
- ^ “Falcon Tackle out for Season”; in Bangor Daily News; August 22, 1974; p. 18
- ^ “Hampton out with Bum Knee”; in Rome News-Tribune; August 27, 1974; p. 6
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1961 to 1978, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points For and Requiring Points For less than 200
- ^ “Falcons Dump the Dutchman”; in The Pittsburgh Press, November 5, 1974; p. 69
- ^ “Steelers Take on Falcons”; in St. Petersburg Times; October 28, 1974; p. 3C
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com
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| Super Bowl appearances (1) |
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Atlanta Falcons
