Morten Andersen remembers the $300,000 moment with such clarity that going back in time to the 38-yard field goal he nailed in overtime of the NFC Championship game to push the Falcons past the Vikings feels like a trip to yesterday.
Except there’s no snow outside the Georgia Dome, where the Falcons and Packers will play in Sunday’s NFC Championship game.
The old Metrodome in Minneapolis was draped in white Jan. 17, 1999, when the Falcons (15-2) took on Minnesota (16-1) and the Great Dane’s left foot propelled the Falcons and their fans into delirium.
“I knew it right away,” said Andersen, the NFL’s all-time leading scorer (2,544 points), Friday from his home near team headquarters. “There was no doubt. It was really LOUUUD! Then, eerily silent.”
Never were truer words spoken.
Writers and editors in the press box had to pass written notes back and forth. It was impossible to hear with that infernal Nordic horn bellowing, and Ragnar the long-bearded Viking mascot on a motorcycle whipping fans into a froth.
This game was remarkable. The Falcons did not commit a false-start penalty once, even as quarterback Chris Chandler worked a silent count.
Minnesota set an NFL record in 1998 with 556 points. Quarterback Randall Cunningham, wide receivers Cris Carter, Jake Reed and rookie Randy Moss and running back Robert Smith laid waste.
“Flying up there, nobody gave us a chance, but we felt good,” Andersen said. “We had strong personalities on that team, and it started with (coach) Dan Reeves. We were playing for Dan, who had medical issues.”
When Reeves underwent quadruple-bypass heart surgery after the 14th regular-season game, and defensive coordinator Rich Brooks took over as interim coach for the last two. Reeves returned for a 20-18 playoff win over the 49ers in the Dome.
The Falcons had more than personalities; they had players.
Running back Jamal Anderson rushed for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Chandler meshed with a pair of 1,000-yard wide receivers in Tony Martin and Terance Mathis.
Young tight end O.J. Santiago played ahead of his years, Bob Christian was as solid as any fullback, and the line of Bob Whitfield, Gene Williams, Robbie Tobeck, Calvin Collins and rookie Ephraim Salaam paved the way.
On defense, they were thieves with an NFL-leading 44 takeaways. Four fumbles and two interceptions went back for touchdowns.
Ends Lester Archambeau and Chuck Smith and tackles Travis Hall and Shane Dronett combined for 29 sacks.
Linebackers Cornelius Bennett, Jessie Tuggle and Craig Sauer thumped.
Starting cornerbacks Ray Buchanan and Ronnie Bradford and safeties Eugene Robinson and William White had 16 interceptions.
And the Vikings looked like they would run the Falcons out of the building … until dubious play-calling.
Leading 20-7 shortly before halftime after scoring on four consecutive possessions, Minnesota set up at its 16-yard line. Rather than burn clock, Cunningham threw long — and incomplete — twice. On third down, he dropped again.
Smith was on him in a flash. Ball out. Hall recovered at the 14.
“If that doesn’t happen, we’re not talking about this stuff,” Andersen said. “I know everybody wants to talk about the kick, the kick, the kick, but it doesn’t happen if Chuck doesn’t get the strip. Great defensive play, a game-changer, man.”
Chandler zipped a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mathis on the next snap. The Falcons’ confidence grew over halftime.
“I remember thinking, man, I wouldn’t say we dodged a bullet, but … we were a second-half team,” Andersen suggested. “We had some studs. We’re scoring and moving the ball, not turning it over, which meant (they) were on the sideline.”
Still, the Falcons trailed 27-20 as the Vikings drove late.
When Gary Anderson trotted out for a 38-yard field goal with 2:07 left, matters appeared bleak. The Vikings kicker made all 35 of his field-goal attempts that season.
The ball sailed left.
“Wow,” the Falcons’ kicker thought. “That was the opening we needed.”
Chandler connected with Brian Kozlowski and Mathis and reserve wideout Ronnie Harris for 29 yards at the sideline.
Following an incomplete pass from Minnesota’s 31, Chandler scrambled for nine, and handed off on third-and-1 to Anderson. Six yards later, the Falcons faced first-and-10 at the 16. There was less than a minute left.
Next, a near interception.
Then, “the throw to Mathis down low in the end zone, and the catch by Terance. … Absolutely surgical, that drive,” Andersen recalled. “Chris threw it the only place he could. Hell of a call, hell of a throw, hell of a catch in double coverage.
“Then it was on.”
The Vikings did little over two possessions.
“We were going to the Super Bowl,” Andersen said, “and I kept telling guys that after we tied it and went to overtime.”
It took more work.
The Vikings punted the Falcons to their 9.
Chandler hit for 15 and 26 yards to Santiago and six yards to Mathis before four running plays left third-and-9 from Minnesota’s 21. Reeves called time out, sending out the field-goal unit and saving a down if the snap or hold were to err.
Snapper Adam Schreiber, holder Dan Stryzinski and the Great Dane were golden.
“We had a pretty good pre-kick routine: unconscious competence. …,” Andersen said. “We had great rhythm. There was no need to say anything. That kick was made.”
Andersen shot his arms in the air before the ball scissored the uprights, running nowhere with Stryzinski in chase.
The Falcons were on their way to Super Bowl XXXIII, and the kicker who punched the ticket triggered a $300,000 bonus in his contract for the game-winner.
“It was a hell of a game,” Andersen said. “The silence was deafening.”
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