Falcons vs. Eagles in playoffs: The good, the bad and the ugly

Falcons quarterback Mike Vick scrambles upfield for a long run under pursuit by Eagles Brian Dawkins (20) and Derrick Burgess (56) while Falcons' end Eric Beverly (80) makes the block in the backfield in the first quarter of the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, January 23, 2005. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC staff)

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Falcons quarterback Mike Vick scrambles upfield for a long run under pursuit by Eagles Brian Dawkins (20) and Derrick Burgess (56) while Falcons' end Eric Beverly (80) makes the block in the backfield in the first quarter of the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, January 23, 2005. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC staff)

The Falcons and Eagles will meet for the fourth time in the postseason in a NFC Divisional Round playoff game on Saturday.

The Eagles hold a 2-1 edge, winning both games played in Philadelphia.

Here’s a look at the previous postseason matchups:

Falcons 14, Eagles 13

> Dec. 24, 1978: In the first Wild Card playoff game in NFL history, the Falcons scored 14 fourth-quarter points for the victory in Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium. Steve Bartkowski threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to Jim Mitchell and 37 yards to Wallace Francis for the Falcons, coached by Leeman Bennett. Ron Jaworski threw a 13-yard touchdown to Harold Carmichael in the first quarter but the Eagles missed the extra point, which proved costly. Wilbert Montgomery scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter for a 13-point lead. The Falcons were hindered by five turnovers – two interceptions and three lost fumbles. The Eagles kicker was Mike Michel, a punter by trade, who took over for Nick Mike-Meyer after he suffered a rib injury in Week 12. Michel missed the first extra point but it got worse. After the Falcons took the lead on Francis' score with 1:37 remaining, the Eagles drove to the Falcons' six-yard line with 13 seconds left. Michel missed the potential game-winner.

Eagles 20, Falcons 6

> Jan. 11, 2002: Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to the victory in the Divisional round by playing his first game since he broke his ankle on Nov. 17. The Falcons' loss came in Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium one week after they became the first visiting team to win a playoff game at the Packers' Lambeau Field. The Eagles opened the scoring when Bobby Taylor intercepted a Michael Vick pass and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles expanded the lead with field goals from David Akers of 34 and 39 yards. The Falcons answered with field goals from Jay Feely of 34 and 52 yards to pull to with 13-6 at the half. The Falcons appeared to tie the game in the third quarter when Vick scored on a 20-yard run, bouncing off Eagles safety Brian Dawkins and into the end zone. The score was nullified by a holding penalty. The Eagles secured the win with a 35-yard touchdown pass from McNabb to James Thrash on a fourth-and-1 for the game's only offensive touchdown.

Eagles 27, Falcons 10

> Jan. 23, 2005: Donovan McNabb threw a pair of short touchdown passes to advance the Eagles to the Super Bowl with a victory at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field after the city got hit with a major snowstorm and a game-time temperature of 17 degrees. The Eagles would lose to the Patriots in the title game after their first successful trip to the NFC title game in four straight years. In addition to the touchdowns of three and two yards, the Eagles also got a four-yard run from Dorsey Levens and field goals of 31 and 34 yards from David Akers. The Falcons got a 10-yard touchdown run from Warrick Dunn and a 31-yard field goal from Jay Feely and trailed just 14-10 at the half. The Eagles held a 326-202 total yards advantage. Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was sacked four times. Every Falcons' second-half possession ended in a punt, except one that ended in an interception.