1987 Atlanta Falcons season

1987 Atlanta Falcons season
1987 Atlanta Falcons season
Head coach	Marion Campbell
Home field	Fulton County Stadium
Results
Record	3–12
Division place	4th NFC West
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	2 G Bill Fralic ; RB Gerald Riggs ;
	← 1986; Falcons seasons; 1988 →;

The 1987 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 22nd season in the National Football League (NFL). The Falcons finished with the worst record in the league, 3–12, and secured the first overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft. Head coach Marion Campbell started his second stint as Falcons head coach in 1987 after previously coaching the team from 1974–1976.

The last remaining active member of the 1987 Atlanta Falcons was Jessie Tuggle, who retired after the 2000 season.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1987 Atlanta Falcons draft
1	13	Chris Miller *	Quarterback	Oregon
2	31	Kenny Flowers	Running back	Clemson	from Green Bay
4	97	Ralph Van Dyke	Offensive tackle	Southern Illinois
5	125	Mark Mraz	Defensive end	Utah State
6	153	Paul Kiser	Guard	Wake Forest
7	181	Michael Reid	Linebacker	Wisconsin
8	208	Curtis Taliaferro	Linebacker	Virginia Tech
9	236	Terrence Anthony	Defensive back	Iowa State
10	264	Jerry Reese	Tight end	Illinois
11	292	Elbert Shelley	Defensive back	Arkansas State
12	320	Larry Emery	Running back	Wisconsin
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[1]

Personnel

Staff

**1987 Atlanta Falcons staff**
	Front office Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr. President – Rankin M. Smith, Jr. Executive vice president – Taylor Smith Director of player personnel – Ken Herock Director of pro personnel – Bill Jobko Head coaches Head coach – Marion Campbell Offensive coaches Assistant head coach/offense – Jim Hanifan Offensive coordinator – Rod Dowhower Running backs – Steve Crosby Receivers – Jimmy Raye Tight ends – Al Groh			Defensive coaches Assistant head coach/defense – Fred Bruney Defensive line – Tommy Brasher Linebackers – Chuck Clausen Defensive assistant – Claude Humphrey Special teams coaches Special teams – Al Groh Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Tim Jorgensen

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

1987 Atlanta Falcons replacement roster

Quarterbacks

10 Erik Kramer
16 Jeff Van Raaphorst

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

47 Geno Zimmerlink
87 John Evans
87 Arnold Franklin
88 Sylvester Byrd

Offensive linemen

53 Jim Hendley C
54 Eric Wiegand
55 Reggie Smith
61 Jeff Lee
62 Greg Quick
63 Howard Hood
64 Lawrence Jackson LG
65 Jim Kisner
65 Pat Saindon RG
66 Randy Clark RT
66 Rick Hudson
70 Fred Nelson
71 Joe Harby
73 Doug Mackie LT
74 Don Robinson
94 Ken Sutherland

Defensive linemen

56 Joe Costello
64 Lawrence Jackson
67 Booker Reese
68 Emanuel Weaver NT
69 Fred Worthy
71 Mitchell Young DE
72 Buddy Moor
75 Dwight Bingham
76 Dwaine Morris RDE
77 Leonard Wingate
78 Mark Studaway LDE

Linebackers

50 James Hall
51 Herb Spencer ROLB
52 Dan Fiala
56 Art Price
58 Ken Bowen
59 Paul Gray
93 Jim Laughlin RILB
95 Kenny Driskell
96 Rich Kraynak LILB
99 Tim Green LOLB

Defensive backs

Special teams

Roster

**1987 Atlanta Falcons roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 16 David Archer 10 Scott Campbell 14 Erik Kramer 12 Chris Miller Running backs (RB) 31 Major Everett 48 Kenny Flowers 42 Gerald Riggs 44 John Settle FB 29 Sylvester Stamps Wide receivers (WR) 82 Stacey Bailey 89 Charlie Brown 86 Floyd Dixon 81 Billy Johnson 83 Aubrey Matthews Tight ends (TE) 88 Arthur Cox 80 Dan Sharp		Offensive linemen (OL) 53 Doug Barnett C 64 Jamie Dukes G 79 Bill Fralic G 78 Mike Kenn T 63 Jeff Kiewel G 62 Brett Miller T 73 Leonard Mitchell T 55 Wayne Radloff C 61 John Scully G Defensive linemen (DL) 98 Greg Brown DE 77 Rick Bryan DE 75 Tony Casillas DT 76 Mike Gann DE 68 Dennis Harrison DE 67 Mark Mraz DE 72 Andrew Provence DT		Linebackers (LB) 56 Joe Costello 93 Jim Laughlin 59 John Rade 95 Michael Reid 58 Jessie Tuggle 54 Joel Williams Defensive backs (DB) 26 James Britt CB 23 Bobby Butler CB 25 Scott Case FS 30 David Croudip CB 41 Tim Gordon FS 34 Robert Moore 37 Elbert Shelley S 22 Brenard Wilson FS Special teams 3 Rick Donnelly P 18 Mick Luckhurst K				Reserve 20 Wendell Cason SS (IR) 28 Bret Clark FS (IR) 50 Buddy Curry LB (IR) 24 Larry Emery RB (IR) 99 Tim Green LB (IR) -- Billy Hinson T (IR) 45 Ken Whisenhunt TE (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 13	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 10–48	0–1	Tampa Stadium	51,250
2	September 20	Washington Redskins	W 21–20	1–1	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	50,882
–	September 27	at New Orleans Saints	canceled
3	October 4	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 12–28	1–2	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	16,667
4	October 11	San Francisco 49ers	L 17–25	1–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	8,684
5	October 18	Los Angeles Rams	W 24–20	2–3	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	15,813
6	October 25	at Houston Oilers	L 33–37	2–4	Astrodome	29,062
7	November 1	New Orleans Saints	L 0–38	2–5	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	42,196
8	November 8	at Cleveland Browns	L 3–38	2–6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	71,135
9	November 15	Cincinnati Bengals	L 10–16	2–7	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	25,758
10	November 22	at Minnesota Vikings	L 13–24	2–8	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	53,866
11	November 29	St. Louis Cardinals	L 21–34	2–9	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	15,909
12	December 6	at Dallas Cowboys	W 21–10	3–9	Texas Stadium	40,103
13	December 13	at Los Angeles Rams	L 0–33	3–10	Anaheim Stadium	43,310
14	December 20	at San Francisco 49ers	L 7–35	3–11	Candlestick Park	54,698
15	December 27	Detroit Lions	L 13–30	3–12	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	13,906
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
San Francisco 49ers⁽¹⁾	13	2	0	.867	5–1	10–1	459	253	W6
New Orleans Saints⁽⁴⁾	12	3	0	.800	4–1	8–3	426	283	W9
Los Angeles Rams	6	9	0	.400	1–5	5–7	317	361	L2
Atlanta Falcons	3	12	0	.200	1–4	3–8	205	436	L3