Atlanta at Minnesota


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Chandler answers bell in final round


Minnesota's high-powered attack goes haywire


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Notebook: Falcons' win was for Rankin Smith




Eugene Robinson is impressed with the Falcons' defense.
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Jessie Tuggle is predicting a Super Bowl victory for Atlanta.
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MINNEAPOLIS -- For nearly 42 minutes Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons did the unexpected: They shut down the Minnesota Vikings.

	Defensive end Shane Dronett celebrates after the Falcons recovered a second-quarter fumble by Randall Cunningham.

Randy Moss, Randall Cunningham, Cris Carter, Robert Smith & Co. managed only seven points after halftime -- remarkable for an offense that scored an NFL-record 556 points during the regular season.

"At halftime, we knew we could play with them," linebacker Jessie Tuggle said after the Falcons advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time with a 30-27 overtime victory over the Vikings. "After the first half, we said, 'OK guys, they threw their best shot at us, and we're only down by six (20-14)."'

The Vikings scored on their first four possession against the Falcons, who fell behind 20-7 when Gary Anderson kicked a 35-yard field goal late in the first half.

Minnesota, showing no respect for a defense that ranked fourth in the NFL in points allowed, got the ball back at its 17 with a little more than a minute remaining in the half and went for more points. That was the turning point.

Cunningham dropped back to pass, but defensive end Chuck Smith batted the ball out of his hand, and Travis Hall recovered. On the next play, Chris Chandler threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Terance Mathis to make it 20-14.

"A lot of guys stepped up and made some plays," Tuggle said. "That's how it's been all year long. Not just me or any other individual. It's been a different guy each and every week making big plays.

"We've been headhunters. We've been running to the football, creating havoc all year long. We didn't fall apart. We stayed together and went out there and executed and won the game."

In the second half, Atlanta cornerbacks Ray Buchanan and Michael Booker got more physical against Moss, who set an NFL rookie record with 17 touchdown receptions. They jammed the 6-foot-4 receiver at the line, preventing him from getting loose for those long catches that were the trademark of his spectacular season.

Moss had five receptions for 71 yards in the first two quarters. He managed only one catch for 4 yards the rest of the way.

"We played more aggressively," said Booker, a second-year player who was starting because of an injury to Ronnie Bradford. "It was very important for me to get my hands on Moss. I thought I did a fine job getting my hands on him so he was not able to catch that deep ball like he had been doing. I felt if I could do that, we could win the game."

The Atlanta defense came up with one huge play after another, allowing only a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cunningham to Matthew Hatchette early in the fourth quarter.

Even when the Vikings won the coin toss to begin overtime, the Falcons didn't waver. They stopped Minnesota on two drives, the most heart-stopping moment coming when Cunningham went deep for Moss but safety Eugene Robinson got the best of a jump ball and knocked the pass away.

"I think it was just a little bit more desire, more than anything," linebacker Cornelius Bennett said. "This is a special football team, special guys doing special things when it counts."

The Falcons offense, which put the defense in bad position with two first-half fumbles, appreciated the effort on the other side of the line.

"They have a lot of pride other there," center Robbie Tobeck said. "I knew they were going to step up and make plays when they needed to make plays.

"We made just enough plays to get it done."