1982. All-time Receiving Leader: Jerry Rice 1,281 rec, 19,247 yds, 176 TD . As a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Detroit Lions in the 1950s, the Texan Layne frequently delighted in unorthodox strategy while en route to National Football League championships. The postseason tournament concluded with the San Francisco 49ers defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI, 26-21, on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan . NFL playoffs conference championships: Bengals-Chiefs, 49ers-Eagles Linebacker Keena Turner recovered a fumble from Leon Bright on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, and Ricky Patton scored on a 25-yard touchdown run a few plays later to give the 49ers a 247 lead. The National Football League playoffs for the 1981 season began on December 27, 1981. The 49ers defense is the NFL's best in terms of scoring -- 16.3 points per game allowed -- and total yards -- 300.6 total yards per game allowed -- but a lot of what they do depends on the NFL's . On the Jets next drive, Rufus Bess intercepted a pass from Todd and returned it 49 yards to the New York 12, leading to a 29-yard field goal by Nick Mike-Mayer. I think the players started thinking about what could have been instead of what was. Joe Montana documentary relives 'The Catch' on 40th anniversary Again the opportunistic 49ers capitalized on the turnover. However, 1982 was strike-shortened, and only nine games were played. . Other contributors on the final 89-yard drive that led to the play now referred to as The Catch included Freddie Solomon (WR), Lenvil Elliott (RB), Earl Cooper (FB), Mike Wilson, Charle Young (TE), Dan Audick (LT), John Ayers (LG), Fred Quillan (C), Randy Cross (RG), and Keith Fahnhorst (RT). New York then drove 52 yards in 13 plays to score on 48-yard field goal by Joe Danelo, making it 2410. Most of the Giants offense came from Carpenter, who had 33 carries for 161 yards and four receptions for 32. But the Bengals stormed right back on a drive set up by David Verser's 40-yard kickoff to the 46-yard line. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Linebacker Randy White (54) on bench during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. The Chargers would move the ball inside the Bengals 40-yard line five times during the rest of the game, but failed to score on each possession. On the Dolphins next possession, Chargers safety Glen Edwards intercepted a pass from David Woodley and returned it 35 yards to set up Fouts' 8-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back James Brooks, which increased the score to 240. San Francisco 49ers Dwight Clark (87) in action, making "The Catch" and scoring the game winning touchdown vs the Dallas Cowboys Everson Walls (24) during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) makes touchdown run late in the game with Defensive Back Dwight Hicks (22) trailing during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. In overtime, the Chargers took the opening kickoff and advanced to the Miami 8-yard line, but Benirschke missed a 27-yard field goal attempt. With their lead pared to six points, the 49ers turned to their time-consuming ground attack. Harris caught the ball and immediately lateraled it to Tony Nathan, who then took it 25 yards to the end zone as time expired in the half, cutting the deficit to 2417. Gastineau got to the ball before anyone else, but wound up accidentally knocking the ball forward twice while trying to pick it up, and Buffalo lineman Ken Jones ended up recovering it. The second round, the divisional playoffs, had a restriction where two teams from the same division cannot meet: the surviving wild card team visited the division champion outside its own division that had the higher seed, and the remaining two teams from that conference played each other. 1982 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS PENNANT, cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab, Learn more about eBay global shipping program. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for San Francisco 49ers Joe Montana Dwight Clark The Catch T Shirt NFC Championship at the best online prices at eBay! Brunner then made a 17-yard touchdown to Perkins to close out the scoring. Jan. 24, 1982: 49ers Win Their First Lombardi - San Francisco 49ers In the second quarter, New York had a chance to increase their lead with a drive into Eagles territory, but Philadelphia's defense dug in and stuffed Brunner for no gain on a 4th and 1 conversion attempt on the 35. 1981 NFL Scores & Schedule; San Francisco 49ers Schedule; Dallas Cowboys Schedule; . Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Harris caught six passes for 106 yards. "The 49ers have been doing that all season and are pretty good at it.". Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Defensive back Eric Wright (21) knocked ball loose during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49ers Running Back Bill Ring (30) talks to Terry Bradshaw before game during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. "He is one of the coolest competitors of all time and he has just started.". The location of the game also set a precedent. NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins - January The third worst starts to a 49ers We present them here for purely educational purposes. Their first half drives started from the 21, 20, 8, 20, 8 and 19-yard lines. The 49ers won the game 28-27. All-time Rushing Leader: Frank Gore 2,442 att, 11,073 yds, 64 TD . The AFC champions advanced to a second-and-goal on the 5-yard line before Anderson was sacked for a six-yard loss by Jim Stuckey. Free shipping for many products! San Francisco 49ers Playoff History | 1950 - 2022 - Champs or Chumps Do you have a sports website? Super Bowl XVI Champions SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS STEIN 1982 Equipo Record For more than 30 years, the 49ers had strained and struggled in a bid for distinction, but their best efforts produced only three division titles. Anderson was injured early in the drive and replaced for two plays by Jack Thompson. Taking the ball back after the missed field goal, Cincinnati put the game away with a 14-play touchdown drive. 49ers running back Amos Lawrence returned the following kickoff 47 yards to the Giants 48-yard line. The San Francisco 49ers last missed the playoffs in 2020. Find out more. This would also turn out to be the final NFL playoff game at Shea Stadium, as the Jets moved to Giants Stadium three years later. Elliott rushed four times for 30 yards on the drive, while Solomon also made a big impact, catching two passes for 18 yards and rushing for 15 on a wide receiver reverse. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco Running Back Johnny Davis (38) makes touchdown during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. ", Walsh's halftime oration to the troops emphasized that "I wasn't comfortable with the lead. NFL. Join our linker program. Find out more. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Cowboys head Coach Tom Landry during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Wersching's squib kickoff was fielded by David Verser on the 5-yard line. Montana finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to tight end Charle Young. On Buffalo's ensuing drive, Ken Riley intercepted a pass from Ferguson on the Bills 48-yard line. NFL 100 Minute: Relive 'The Catch' | 49ers - YouTube (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Defensive Back Everson Walls (24) and Wide Receiver Butch Johnson (86) celebrate interception during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) and Wide receiver Jay Saldi (87) celebrate touchdown during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. In a play that would become known as The Catch, 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping grab at the back of the end zone to score the winning touchdown with 51 seconds left in the game. It marked the Giants' first postseason victory since the 1958 playoffs and their first ever road postseason win. Aided by two receptions from Charlie Joiner for 49 yards, the Chargers then drove 74 yards to the Miami 10-yard line, where Benirschke eventually kicked the winning field goal. The wide receiver on the left clears out so I can come underneath the zone coverage.". So when the Bengals defeated Buffalo, 28-21, and San Diego, 27-7, in the AFC playoffs, Gregg became the first ex-player to coach in the Super Bowl. . After another Buffalo punt, Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson completed an 18-yard pass to Ross to give his team a first down on the Bills 41-yard line. The second-year running back out of Rice barreled into the end zone, completing a Super Bowl record 92-yard march. Buffalo struck right back with a 79-yard scoring drive. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. San Francisco Defensive End Jim Stuckey (79) blocks Dallas Cowboy Quarterback Danny White (11) from passing. Playoff wins over the New York Giants, 38-24, and the Dallas Cowboys, 28-27 on a last-minute Montana pass to Dwight Clark, earned the 49ers a trip to the Silverdome. Disdaining a field goal, the Bengals gave the ball again to Johnson, who was stopped by the entire defensive line for no gain. (Won 1 Round), Lost Divisional Round Or write about sports? "The Catch" Cowboys vs. 49ers 1981 NFC Championship | NFL Full Game NFL 10.9M subscribers Subscribe 6.4K Share 808K views 6 years ago In honor of Free Game Friday relive one of the greatest. There are only four teams left in the 2022 NFL season's playoffs as we head to the conference . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 1989 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Previous Season Next Season Record: 14-2-0, 1st in NFC West Division ( Schedule and Results ) Coach: George Seifert (14-2-0) Points For: 442 (27.6/g) 1st of 28 Points Against: 253 (15.8/g) 3rd of 28 Expected W-L: 12.6-3.4 SRS: 10.67 (1st of 28), SOS: -1.14 Playoffs: ", Paul Brown, founder and long-time coach of the Bengals, attributed the defeat to "too many mistakes early against a good team. However, the Cowboys soon returned the favor with Danny White's interception to linebacker Bobby Leopold, and this time the 49ers converted, regaining the lead at 21-17 with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Johnny Davis. But once again this amounted to nothing as Fouts was intercepted in the end zone by rookie safety Bobby Kemp. NHL. 2010 San Francisco 49ers, The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. They had progressed to the San Francisco 27 when Anderson completed a 19-yard pass to Cris Collinsworth. Things got even better for Dallas when Walls recorded his second interception from Montana on the next drive at the Cowboys 27. Now down 17-0, New York had a good chance to get back in the game when Mark Gastineau forced a fumble from Ferguson on the Bills next drive. Three plays later, running back Tony Dorsett scored on a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give Dallas a 1714 lead. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana in action against the Dallas Cowboys during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Cincinnati then drove 48 yards in eight plays, including Isaac Curtis' 22-yard reception on second and 17, to score with fullback Pete Johnson's 1-yard run, giving them a 140 lead before Buffalo had gained a single first down or completed a pass. Join our linker program. Then on third down and 9, Fouts' 21-yard completion to Wes Chandler moved the ball to the Bengals 33. Perkins finished the day with 7 receptions for 121 yards, while Gray had 3 for 117. Johnson, the team's leading rusher with 1,077 yards during the season, was held to just 45 yards, but it did not matter as the Bengals still racked up 136 yards on the ground, 72 of them and two touchdowns from Alexander. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals - January Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? On each occasion they were eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys. In the second quarter, San Francisco reached the Cowboys 27-yard line, only to lose the ball when Everson Walls intercepted a pass from Montana in the end zone. The 49ers jumped to a 247 lead in the second quarter, and scored two touchdowns in the final quarter to secure the victory. We just played better.". Although the Super Bowl, the fourth and final round of the playoffs, was played at a neutral site, the designated home team was based on an annual rotation by conference. The Cowboys fared no better as White was sacked twice on their next drive, once by Jim Stuckey and once by Lawrence Pillers, and the half ended soon after. Eleven plays carried the Niners to the Cincinnati 11, from where Montana passed to Earl Cooper on the 3. Super Bowl, Lost Conference Championship Then rookie free safety Michael Downs picked off a pass from Williams and returned it 21 yards to the Tampa Bay 33, leading to Dorsett's 5-yard score that put the team up 24-0. Nine plays, plus two Niner face mask penalties, carried Cincinnati to the San Francisco 5-yard line, from where Anderson, after dropping back to pass, sprinted into the end zone. Cincinnati's horrendous luck continued in the ensuing series of plays. Montana, selected the game's most valuable player, completed 14 of 22 passes, ran for 18 yards in six carries and scored a touchdown. I referred to our first game of the season when we came from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit to beat Seattle. While surrounding areas shivered in below zero chill factors, 81,270 enjoyed 72-degree comfort in the huge, 5-year-old stadium. 1982 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees (Won 1 Round), Lost Wild Card Round The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 17 from the 44, but Montana was able to convert with a 39-yard completion to Dwight Clark, which led to a 22-yard field goal by Ray Wersching that gave them a 107 lead on the first play of the second quarter. A few plays later, quarterback Scott Brunner then threw a 9-yard touchdown to running back Leon Bright (the extra point attempt failed). With 10:39 left in the game, Anderson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Cris Collinsworth, giving the Bengals a 2821 lead at the end of a 9-play, 79-yard drive that saw him burn the Bills with a 42-yard completion on a short pass to Steve Kreider on third and 1 from the Bengals 42-yard line. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Montana threw an interception to Bill Currier on the Giants 41-yard line. The team that ranked 26th in the NFL in points allowed in 1980 soared into second place in 1981, trailing only Philadelphia. Fellow linebacker Craig Puki later said that he thought Turner had missed two plays, but he was in his stance and evidently did not see Turner race onto the field at the last instance for the first-down play from the 3. Late in the fourth quarter, New York drove inside the Eagles 20 and had a chance to put the game away, only to have Joe Danelo miss a 32-yard field goal attempt. We knew we were playing a great team. After 15 games in warm weather climates, the 1982 championship contest was played in the Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome, 25 miles from Detroit. First New York's Bruce Harper fumbled the opening kickoff while being tackled by Ervin Parker, and Charles Romes returned the ball 26-yards to the end zone. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? ", The Bengals' second-down play from the one-yard line did not surprise Studley. Wersching's kickoff was another squibber. NCAAW. Do you have a blog? On San Diego's opening drive, Dan Fouts' 47-yard completion to Wes Chandler set up Benirschke's 32-yard field goal. For the second consecutive season, the team finished with a 2-14 record. Henry muffed the ensuing kickoff, and as he tried to pick it up, he lost the ball while being hit by Mike Dennis. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Bengals' next-to-last possession of the game endured for just one play, on which an Anderson pass, intended for Collinsworth, was intercepted by Wright on the Cincinnati 47 and returned to the 22, where he fumbled when trying to lateral the ball to a teammate. Later on, with Miami just trying to maintain their lead and run out the clock, Chargers safety Pete Shaw recovered a fumble from Andra Franklin on San Diego's 18-yard line with 4:39 left in regulation. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli). On the Giants next possession, Ronnie Lott's interception gave the 49ers a first down on their own 31-yard line, where they drove to a 177 lead on Freddie Solomon's 58-yard touchdown reception. San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl Wins - Sportskeeda 49ers' Brock Purdy to become fifth rookie QB to start conference Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. All-time Scoring Leader: Jerry Rice 1,130 points The 49ers won the game 28-27. When Brown retired as coach, Walsh moved on to the San Diego Chargers, serving as assistant to Tommy Prothro and tutoring Dan Fouts in the same fashion as he had Anderson. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. The San Francisco 49ers were established in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. San Francisco 49ers Franchise Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com The San Francisco 49ers last made the playoffs in 2022, when they lost the Conference Championship. The creative direction of Super Bowl LVII was inspired by the beauty of Arizona's natural landscapes - from its grand rock formations to its vast rainbow skies. Then Buffalo drove 66 yards in three plays to score on quarterback Joe Ferguson's 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Frank Lewis. The Catch (American football) - Wikipedia On the ensuing kickoff, the ball hit the ground and bounced back in the Chargers direction, enabling them to recover it and eventually score on running back Chuck Muncie's 1-yard rushing touchdown. All rights reserved. The second worst start to a season Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1992 SAN FRANCISCO 49ers PLAYOFF & CHAMPIONSHIP TICKET STUB LOT CANDLESTICK SF at the best online prices at eBay! Cribbs finished with a career postseason high 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns. was the 2019 San Francisco 49ers, who 10-0. All-time Passing Leader: Joe Montana 2,929/4,600, 35,124 yds, 244 TD, All-time Rushing Leader: Frank Gore 2,442 att, 11,073 yds, 64 TD, All-time Receiving Leader: Jerry Rice 1,281 rec, 19,247 yds, 176 TD, All-time Scoring Leader: Jerry Rice 1,130 points, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2:32PM. This was the only time this happened in either conference since the playoffs were expanded to 10 teams in 1978. Simpson and Buttle each had two interceptions. Then we scored to make it 20-14.". The postseason tournament concluded with the San Francisco 49ers defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI, 2621, on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Brunner completed only nine of 14 passes for 96 yards, but threw three touchdowns and only one interception. "We didn't want to get stopped by those blitzes. White completed 15 of 26 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. (AP Photo/Al Golub), List of players (88) Freddie Solomon, (51) Randy Cross, (56) Fred Quillan, (68) John Ayers and (87) Dwight Clark during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. [2], at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark hauls in a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana with 51 seconds left in the 1982 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys.. In honor of Free Game Friday relive one of the greatest games ever, featuring \"The Catch\", announced by the great Vin Scully!00:00 - Start5:40 49ers Sack Danny White on 3rd Down11:30 Joe Montana 8-yard TD Pass to F. Solomon21:39 R. Septien 44-yard Field Goal26:13 Danny White 26-yard TD Pass to Tony Hill37:40 Montana Avoids Sack Then Launches Deep Throw40:18 Montana Picked Off by Walls46:08 Montana 20-yard TD Pass to Dwight Clark55:28 Tony Dorsett 5-yard TD Run58:56 Montana Sacked on Third Down by Too Tall Jones59:55 Cowboys Fumble Punt, 49ers Recover1:03:48 Montana Sack Stripped, Cowboys Recover1:06:17 Danny White Sacked on Third Down1:23:24 Montana Intercepted by Randy White1:24:59 Danny White Picked Off by B. Leopold1:30:01 Johny Davis 2-yard TD Run1:41:30 49ers Stop Cowboys on 3rd Down Inside the 10-yard line1:42:28 R. Septien 22-yard Field Goal1:45:23 49ers Fumble, Cowboys Recover1:48:43 Danny White 21-yard TD Pass to D. Cosbie1:52:05 Montana Picked Off by Walls2:00:52 Start of Montana Game-Winning Drive2:09:45 The Catch2:13:11 Start of Cowboys Final Drive2:13:30 Drew Pearson Almost Breaks Free for the Touchdown2:14:47 Danny White Sack Stripped, 49ers Recover2:16:50 49ers CelebrationThe 1981 NFC Championship game, and more specifically, \"The Catch,\" would prove to be a major turning point in NFL history as it launched the 49ers dynasty led by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana.Subscribe to NFL: http://j.mp/1L0bVBuThe NFL YouTube channel is your home for immediate in-game highlights from your favorite teams and players, full NFL games, behind the scenes access, up-to-the-minute analysis and more!Check out our other channels:NFL Network http://www.youtube.com/nflnetworkNFL Films http://www.youtube.com/nflfilmsFor all things NFL, visit the league's official website at http://www.nfl.com/Start your free trial of NFL Game Pass: https://www.nfl.com/gamepassFantasy Football: http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootballWatch NFL Now: https://www.nfl.com/nowListen to NFL podcasts: http://www.nfl.com/podcastsWatch the NFL network: http://nflnonline.nfl.com/Download the NFL mobile app: https://www.nfl.com/apps2016 NFL Schedule: http://www.nfl.com/schedulesBuy tickets to watch your favorite team: http://www.nfl.com/ticketsShop NFL: http://www.nflshop.com/source/bm-nflcom-Header-Shop-TabLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NFLFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NFLFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/nfl/ 'NFL Total Access' Highlights Under-the-Radar 49ers Players Ahead of Championship Sunday. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Defensive Back Everson Walls (24) on sidelines during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. After that, Nathan's 17-yard reception and Tommy Vigorito's 6-yard run moved the Dolphins to the Chargers 26-yard line where von Schamann attempted a 43-yard field goal, but at the last second, Winslow extended his 6'5" frame at the line just enough to deflect the kick with his fingers, causing it to fall short of the goal posts and sending the game into overtime. I figured I could go underneath. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! "Here's a guy (Alexander) who weighs 220 pounds and can run and he has only a yard to go for the end zone . Seasons: 78 (1946 to 2023) Record (W-L-T): 612-510-16 Playoff Record: 37-24 Super Bowls Won: 5 (7 Appearances) Championships Won *: 5 . CBS's broadcast of the Giants-49ers NFC Divisional Playoff game also featured the introduction of the telestrator to a national audience. "I reminded 'em," said the coach, "that we had been behind before. "The only thing we could do was run the ball and hope we could get it out and punt.". The wide receiver fumbled when tackled by Eric Wright, however, and Lynn Thomas recovered on the 8-yard line. Solomon was the 49ers top receiver with 6 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 12 yards and returning a punt for 22. 49ers beat Cowboys 28-27 for Conference Championship. Then Anderson went to work, rushing three times for 31 yards and completing a 19-yard pass to Ross on a drive that moved the ball inside the San Diego 10-yard line. 49ers and Eagles Betting Predictions and Best Pick for NFC Championship Their .333 winning percentage was the worst ever for any defending NFL or AFL champion until the 2022 Los Angeles Rams, who only managed to get a .294 winning percentage. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Bengals were pushed back to their own 41 and Fred Dean, the defensive end obtained from San Diego, made matters worse by tackling Anderson for another four-yard loss, one of four Niner sacks during the game. The 49ers won the game 28-27. "This was for the world championship and there was no way I was going to miss it," explained Solomon, who caught four passes for 52 yards during the game.