If the NFL used a split-season format, the Atlanta Falcons would be going to the playoffs.
Atlanta remained one of the league’s hottest teams over the second half of the season, beating Philadelphia on Morten Andersen’s 33-yard field goal as time ran out.
The Falcons (7-8) have won five straight games, their longest winning streak since 1991, and six of seven since reaching the midway point of the season at 1-7.
Despite the win, Atlanta was eliminated from the playoffs when Detroit rallied to beat Minnesota 14-13. The Falcons still have a chance to become the only team other than the 1984 Packers to finish with a .500 record after starting 1-7.
Philadelphia (6-8-1) lost its second straight game to end its playoff hopes.
“It’s tremendous what we’ve done,” said Andersen. “It’s just unfortunate how this season began. If we had gotten one or two of those close games early in the season, we’d be in (the playoffs) or at least in charge of our own destiny.”
Atlanta squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Eagles tying the game at 17-17 when Chris Boniol kicked a 39-yard field goal with 1:55 left.
But the Falcons got in position for the winning field goal in one play. Chris Chandler flipped a screen pass to Harold Green, who dodged one tackler and broke through five other would-be tacklers as he zigzagged down the field for a 47-yard gain to the Eagles’ 18.
Chandler dived into the line on the next play and Atlanta let the clock wind down for 5 seconds before calling its final timeout. Andersen, despite a sore left hamstring injured two weeks ago, kicked his second field goal on the final play.
Andersen not only won the game with that kick, he passed Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud for third on the NFL’s field-goal list with the 374th of his career.
Eagles coach Ray Rhodes said: “I am tired of losing. I am tired of getting beat. This one hurts a lot.”
