Falcons Overcome Walker’s 91-Yard Run : NFC: George and Mathis account for two scores to lead Atlanta to a 28-21 victory over Philadelphia.

Jeff George and Terance Mathis put a damper on Herschel Walker’s return to Georgia.

George threw for 364 yards and combined with Mathis on two touchdown passes Sunday, giving Atlanta a 28-21 victory over Philadelphia despite a 91-yard touchdown run by Walker, who won a Heisman Trophy 12 years ago at Georgia.

Walker’s run, longest from scrimmage in the NFL since Bo Jackson went 92 yards for the Raiders five years ago, gave the Eagles a 14-13 lead 2:45 into the second half. It came one play after Bill Romanowski intercepted a deflected pass to end what looked like an Atlanta scoring drive.

And it certainly could have deflated the Falcons, who have been troubled by internal strife, including the suspension of Andre Rison for a game.

But neither three interceptions nor the run seemed to bother George, who promptly marched the Falcons 67 yards in six plays, capping the drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Mathis, who finished with 10 receptions for 124 yards. Then George passed to Mathis again for a two-point conversion that gave Atlanta a 21-14 lead.

“When something like that interception happens, it ticks you off, particularly when they come right back with a big play,” said George, who completed 26 of 46 passes but was booed for three interceptions.

“We showed character because we came right back and did what we had to do after we looked real ugly.”

Offensive tackle Mike Kenn, who broke a Falcon record by playing in his 247th consecutive game, said: “We said to ourselves we’d already screwed up enough. Let’s get it on.”

They did.

The next time Atlanta got the ball, George took the Falcons 87 yards in 12 plays, capped by a powerful five-yard run by Craig Heyward. Three completions on the drive were to Mathis, who has 90 for the season for 1,073 yards.

Philadelphia got one score back with 4:22 left on Walker’s two-yard run, set up by Eric Allen’s interception, the third thrown by George.

But rookie Anthony Phillips intercepted Randall Cunningham on the first play after Philadelphia got the ball back with 2:25 to play on its 43. And the Eagles couldn’t get a play off after Cunningham completed a 61-yard pass to Victor Bailey at the Atlanta 19 with 11 seconds and no timeouts left.