During the 1970’s, the Falcons had just three winning seasons. They won only 60 games during the entire decade.
But one of their biggest victories was accomplished with only field goals, all booted by the right foot of Italian-born Nick Mike-Mayer on a chilly November 1973 day against the NFC West-rival Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams had beaten the Falcons 31-0 earlier in California and came into the game at 6-1 while the Falcons were holding on to second place at 4-3.
A rookie with family roots in Budapest, Mike-Mayer kicked a then-team record five field goals, including the game-winner from 16 yards with 52 seconds left, in the 15-13 victory over the Chuck Knox-coached Rams.
For the Falcons, it was their fourth straight win, a franchise record at the time, and they were able to overcome a 10-0 deficit as Mike-Mayer, one of the few soccer-style kickers at that time, also hit field goals from 28, 30, 12 and 26 yards.
“What a game,’’ Mike-Mayer said. “The Rams had a great defense and we played great defense that day. The scoring was tough as we got close a lot of times.’’
The final drive started at the Falcons 46 as quarterback Bob Lee led the offense down to the Rams’ 12 before the winning kick.
“I was a rookie and the team was playing well and I kicked well that day,’’ he said. “We came back the next few weeks and kept winning. I just wished we could have ended the season that way.’’
The Rams would go on to finish the season 12-2 but fell to the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs. It appeared the Falcons would also make to the postseason for the first time but they lost two straight at home to St. Louis and Buffalo. A meaningless season-ending win over New Orleans pumped their 9-5 record, their best since the franchise began in 1966. But wild card playoff spot went to the 10-4 Washington Redskins.
Meanwhile, Mike-Mayer, who would play four seasons in Atlanta, at least shared the Falcons record for most field goals in a game until 1996, when Norm Johnson hit six against the Saints.
