Atlanta ? With nearly four decades on the books, the Atlanta Falcons are seriously lacking when it comes to a playoff pedigree.

Oh sure, they’ve had a moment here and there — most notably, an improbable run to the Super Bowl during the 1998 season. But they’ll never be mistaken for the Green Bay Packers or some other franchise with a glorious lineage.

Well, the Packers are done for this season. And Jim Mora couldn’t care less about the past. Atlanta’s rookie coach guided his team to the NFC South championship, only the third division title in the franchise’s 39-year history. Tonight, the Falcons will be at home in the playoffs for just the fourth time when they entertain the St. Louis Rams.

“I didn’t pay attention to what had been,” Mora said. “Let’s create an environment, a culture, that we believe will help us be a team that can win consistently through the years. And we’re off to a good start.”

Granted, there have been a few false starts over the years.

In 1980, the Falcons were the top-seeded team in the NFC and played host to Dallas on a frigid day at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. With a 10-point lead and just five minutes to play, they yielded a pair of Danny White-to-Drew Pearson touchdown passes for a 30-27 loss.

During the ’98 season, Atlanta won a team-record 14 games and pulled off the biggest victory in franchise history, a 30-27 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings to take the NFC championship. Order was restored two weeks later — team leader Eugene Robinson was arrested the night before the Super Bowl, and the Falcons were blown out by Denver, 34-19, in John Elway’s finale.