Falcons Get a Playoff Spot With 26-13 Victory

Deion Sanders had more fun with the pass he didn’t intercept than the two he did on Sunday as the Atlanta Falcons clinched a wild-card berth in the playoffs.

Taking a lateral after Tim McKyer intercepted a pass by Dave Krieg in the third quarter, Sanders ran 48 yards for a touchdown as the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 26-13, in the last regular-season game in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

The Falcons, who had a record of 85-115-2 in the stadium, will move into the 72,000-seat Georgia Dome next season.

The victory, coupled with the Dallas Cowboys’ 25-13 victory over Philadelphia, assured Atlanta (10-5) of a wild-card playoff spot--its first since the 1982 strike season. Atlanta also kept alive a shot at the NFC Western Division championship.

It was the fifth victory in a row and the seventh in eight games for the Falcons, who can clinch their second division crown in 26 years by beating Dallas next week or if the New Orleans Saints lose one of their two remaining games.

The third loss in a row for the Seahawks (6-9) ended their playoff chances. It was Atlanta’s first victory in five games against Seattle.

Chris Miller passed for the other two Atlanta touchdowns--four yards to George Thomas in the second quarter and 30 yards to Michael Haynes in the fourth.

Brian Jordan sacked Kelly Stouffer for a safety in the opening minutes, and Norm Johnson, Seattle’s all-time leading scorer who was released by the Seahawks before this season, added a field goal of 42 yards for the Falcons in the second quarter.

Rookie John Kasay, who beat out Johnson in training camp, kicked two 43-yard field goals. Seattle added a touchdown with 63 seconds remaining on Krieg’s 24-yard pass to Louis Clark.

The Falcons blew an early scoring opportunity after Sanders pulled in a one-handed interception of a pass by Stouffer at the Seattle 34. Sanders lateraled to McKyer, who lost seven yards on the return, and a 10-yard penalty was tacked on because of an illegal block by John Rade.

Atlanta couldn’t move, but Scott Fulhage backed the Seahawks to their four-yard-line when Elbert Shelley batted the punt backward from the one and it was downed by Tracy Johnson, setting up the first score of the game.

Three plays later, Jordan sacked Stouffer in the end zone, and Atlanta had a 2-0 lead with 5:02 elapsed. Johnson’s 42-yard field goal gave the Falcons a 5-0 lead 2:29 into the second quarter.

Sanders’ other interception stopped a Seattle scoring threat at the Atlanta three.

Miller’s four-yard scoring pass to Thomas with 4:41 left in the first half capped a 62-yard drive in 12 plays.