Saints/Falcons Memorable Game: December 28, 1991

The New Orleans Saints will open their 2014 regular season schedule this Sunday, when they travel to Atlanta, Georgia to take on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South showdown.Kickoff at the Georgia Dome is scheduled for noon, and you can hear all the play-byplay action on ESPN 1420, as well as 97.3 The Dawg.

The rivalry between New Orleans and Atlanta has been one of the best in the NFL since the Saints joined the league back in 1967, with the Falcons being born just two years prior.

The two franchises have been division rivals, as part of either the NFC West or the NFC South, since 1970.

The Saints began in the Capitol Division in 1967, before playing one year in the Century Division in 1968, back to the Capitol Division in 1969, and then the NFC West in 1970, while the Falcons were members of the Coastal Division prior to joing the NFC West in 1970.

The Falcons lead the all-time series, 47-43, but the Saints won both meeting last season, and have also won six of the last seven match-ups, as well as nine of the last 11.

All week long, in anticipation of the 2014 season opener, we’ll be taking a look back at some of the more memorable games between the two franchises.

On Monday, we went back to November 26, 1967 for the very first game ever played between the two teams, a 27-24 Saints victory.

On Tuesday, we went back to September 16, 1973, for the most lopsided loss in Saints’ history, a 62-7 win by the Falcons at Tulane Stadium.

Today, we go back to Saturday, December 28, 1991, when the Falcons defeated the Saints, 27-20, in an NFC Wildcard game.

New Orleans went 11-5 in 1991, which was good enough to win their first-ever divisional title, and qualify them for their second-straight playoff appearance, while Atlanta went 10-6, and was a wild card entrant into the playoffs.

Falcons quarterback Chris Miller, who threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, completed the go-ahead 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Haynes with 2:41 left in the contest.

After that touchdown, the Saints reached the Atlanta 35-yard line before quarterback Bobby Hebert threw an interception to Falcons defensive back Tim McKyer, to clinch the Atlanta win.

View the game, which was aired on ABC, below: