# 1975 Atlanta Falcons season

The 1975 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's tenth year in the National Football League (NFL). With the first overall pick of the NFL draft, the Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartkowski out of the University of California. However, the pick would do them no good as the Falcons slumped to another miserable 4–10 record and missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. This was also the first and only full season for head coach Marion Campbell until the 1980s, as he was hired to coach the final 6 games of the previous season and was fired 5 games into the following season.

## Offseason
### NFL Draft

1975 Atlanta Falcons draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 1 | Steve Bartkowski * | Quarterback | California | from Baltimore Colts |
| 2 | 29 | Ralph Ortega | Linebacker | Florida | |
| 3 | 65 | Woody Thompson | Running back | Miami (FL) | from Houston Oilers |
| 4 | 81 | John Nessel | Guard | Penn State | |
| 5 | 123 | Greg McCrary | Tight end | Clark Atlanta University | from Buffalo Bills |
| 6 | 132 | Fulton Kuykendall | Linebacker | UCLA | from Baltimore Colts |
| 6 | 133 | Doug Payton | Offensive tackle | Colorado | |
| 7 | 159 | Mike Esposito | Running back | Boston College | |
| 8 | 185 | Brent Adams | Offensive tackle | Chattanooga | |
| 9 | 211 | Brad Davis | Running back | LSU | |
| 10 | 237 | Marshall Mills | Wide receiver | West Virginia | |
| 11 | 263 | Jeff Merrow | Defensive end | West Virginia | |
| 12 | 289 | Alonza Pickett | Tackle | Texas Southern | |
| 13 | 315 | Carl Russ | Linebacker | Michigan | |
| 14 | 341 | Steve Robinson | Defensive tackle | Tuskegee | from Baltimore Colts |
| 15 | 367 | Jimmy Robinson | Wide receiver | Georgia Tech | |
| 16 | 393 | Steve Knutson | Tackle | USC | |
| 17 | 419 | Mitch Anderson | Quarterback | Northwestern | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | September 21 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 20–23 | 0–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 42,172 | Recap |
| 2 | September 28 | Detroit Lions | L 14–17 | 0–2 | Atlanta Stadium | 45,218 | Recap |
| 3 | October 5 | New Orleans Saints | W 14–7 | 1–2 | Atlanta Stadium | 29,444 | Recap |
| 4 | October 12 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 17–3 | 2–2 | Candlestick Park | 44,043 | Recap |
| 5 | October 19 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 7–22 | 2–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 64,843 | Recap |
| 6 | October 26 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 14–21 | 2–4 | Atlanta Stadium | 45,811 | Recap |
| 7 | November 2 | at New Orleans Saints | L 7–23 | 2–5 | Louisiana Superdome | 49,342 | Recap |
| 8 | November 9 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 0–38 | 2–6 | Metropolitan Stadium | 43,751 | Recap |
| 9 | November 16 | Los Angeles Rams | L 7–16 | 2–7 | Atlanta Stadium | 44,595 | Recap |
| 10 | November 23 | Denver Broncos | W 35–21 | 3–7 | Atlanta Stadium | 28,686 | Recap |
| 11 | November 30 | at Oakland Raiders | L 34–37 (OT) | 3–8 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 50,860 | Recap |
| 12 | December 7 | Washington Redskins | L 27–30 | 3–9 | Atlanta Stadium | 52,809 | Recap |
| 13 | December 14 | San Francisco 49ers | W 31–9 | 4–9 | Atlanta Stadium | 38,501 | Recap |
| 14 | December 21 | at Green Bay Packers | L 13–22 | 4–10 | Lambeau Field | 56,267 | Recap |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. ||||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at St. Louis Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
* Date: September 21
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 42,172
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
STL – Terry Metcalf 39-yard run (Jim Bakken kick). Cardinals 7–0.
ATL – Steve Bartkowski 1-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Tied 7–7.
Second quarter
STL – Jim Bakken 22-yard field goal. Cardinals 10–7.
ATL – Dave Hampton 6-yard run (kick failed). Falcons 13–10.
STL – Jim Bakken 39-yard field goal. Tied 13–13.
Third quarter
ATL – Dave Hampton 1-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 20–13.
Fourth quarter
STL – Earl Thomas 8-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick). Tied 20–20.
STL – Jim Bakken 25-yard field goal. Cardinals 23–20.
Top passers
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 8/16, 81 yards, INT
STL – Jim Hart – 12/23, 150 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
ATL – Dave Hampton – 23 rushes, 135 yards, 2 TD
STL – Terry Metcalf – 20 rushes, 99 yards, TD
Top receivers
ATL – Woody Thompson – 3 receptions, 29 yards
STL – Mel Gray – 3 receptions, 65 yards :

#### Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Falcons | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: September 28
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 45,218
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
ATL – Haskel Stanback 17-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 7–0.
DET – Horace King 5-yard run (Errol Mann kick). Tied 7–7.
Third quarter
ATL – Gerald Tinker 26-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 14–7.
DET – Errol Mann 29-yard field goal. Falcons 14–10.
Fourth quarter
DET – Altie Taylor 1-yard run (Errol Mann kick). Lions 17–14.
Top passers
DET – Greg Landry – 12/21, 146 yards
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 7/22, 104 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DET – Altie Taylor – 16 rushes, 63 yards, TD
ATL – Dave Hampton – 21 rushes, 86 yards
Top receivers
DET – Ray Jarvis – 5 receptions, 64 yards
ATL – Ken Burrow – 3 receptions, 43 yards :

#### Week 3: vs. New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Falcons | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: October 5
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 29,444
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Ken Burrow 9-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 7–0.
Second quarter
ATL – Jim Mitchell 50-yard fumble return (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 14–0.
Third quarter
NO – Alvin Maxson 1-yard run (Bill McClard kick). Falcons 14–7.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
NO – Archie Manning – 15/31, 146 yards, 2 INT
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 11/23, 119 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
NO – Mike Strachan – 14 rushes, 71 yards
ATL – Dave Hampton – 25 rushes, 101 yards
Top receivers
NO – Alvin Maxson – 11 receptions, 71 yards
ATL – Jim Mitchell – 3 receptions, 65 yards :

#### Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
* Date: October 12
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 44,043
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Jim Mitchell 9-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 7–0.
Second quarter
ATL – Haskel Stanback 26-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Falcons 14–0.
Third quarter
SF – Steve Mike-Mayer 26-yard field goal. Falcons 14–3.
ATL – Nick Mike-Mayer 27-yard field goal. Falcons 17–3.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 9/20, 96 yards, TD
SF – Norm Snead – 16/28, 196 yards, 4 INT
Top rushers
ATL – Haskel Stanback – 6 rushes, 40 yards, TD
SF – Larry Schreiber – 13 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
ATL – Ken Burrow – 2 receptions, 35 yards
SF – Gene Washington – 5 receptions, 66 yards :

#### Week 5: at Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Rams | 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 22 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
* Date: October 19
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,843

#### Week 6: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bengals | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Falcons | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: October 26
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C)
* Game attendance: 45,811

#### Week 7: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Saints | 0 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 2
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (played indoors)
* Game attendance: 49,342

#### Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vikings | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
* Date: November 9
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 43,751
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Chuck Foreman 3-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0.
Second quarter
MIN – Fred Cox 45-yard field goal. Vikings 10–0.
MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 17–0.
MIN – Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 24–0.
Third quarter
MIN – Jim Lash 12-yard pass from Bob Lee (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 31–0.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Dave Osborn 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 38–0.
Top passers
ATL – Kim McQuilken – 5/26, 43 yards, 5 INT
MIN – Fran Tarkenton – 11/22, 47 yards, TD
Top rushers
ATL – Dave Hampton – 9 rushes, 39 yards
MIN – Chuck Foreman – 26 rushes, 102 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
ATL – Dave Hampton – 1 reception, 15 yards
MIN – Chuck Foreman – 4 receptions, 19 yards, TD :
Kim McQuilken started at quarterback for the Falcons, going 5 of 26 (for a completion percentage of 19.2) for 43 yards and threw five interceptions, finishing the game with a passer rating of zero.

#### Week 9: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: November 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 44,595

#### Week 10: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Falcons | 0 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: November 23
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C)
* Game attendance: 28,686

#### Week 11: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Falcons | 13 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| Raiders | 21 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 37 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: November 30
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 50,860

#### Week 12: vs. Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
| Falcons | 0 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 27 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: December 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 52,809

#### Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Falcons | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: December 14
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 38,501

#### Week 14: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Packers | 3 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 22 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: December 21
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 10 °F (−12 °C)
* Game attendance: 56,267
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Joe Danelo 34-yard field goal. Packers 3–0.
ATL – Dave Hampton 1-yard run (kick failed). Falcons 6–3.
Second quarter
GB – Eric Torkelson 15-yard run (kick failed). Packers 9–6.
GB – Joe Danelo 30-yard field goal. Packers 12–6.
Third quarter
GB – Joe Danelo 19-yard field goal. Packers 15–6.
GB – Barty Smith 1-yard run (Joe Danelo kick). Packers 22–6.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Alfred Jenkins 52-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Packers 22–13.
Top passers
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 13/34, 219 yards, TD, 2 INT
GB – John Hadl – 16/32, 181 yards, INT
Top rushers
ATL – Dave Hampton – 14 rushes, 61 yards, TD
GB – Eric Torkelson – 22 rushes, 86 yards, TD
Top receivers
ATL – Alfred Jenkins – 2 receptions, 81 yards, TD
GB – Rich McGeorge – 3 receptions, 46 yards :

### Standings

NFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Los Angeles Rams$^{(2)}$ | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 5–1 | 9–2 | 312 | 135 | W6 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 3–3 | 4–7 | 255 | 286 | L4 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 3–3 | 3–8 | 240 | 289 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 1–5 | 2–9 | 165 | 360 | L7 |