NFC Championship Game (2) San Francisco 49ers at (1) Philadelphia Eagles. This season was the only one in an 18-season span in which the 49ers did not win at least ten games. but owner Jerry Jones is not fixated on the championship drought; just the . By the time Verser completed his lateral sprint, the ball was on the 4. "I was pivoting and trying to make more yards when Wright stripped the ball from me," reported Collinsworth. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Defensive Back Everson Walls (24) hangs on to San Francisco Wide Receiver Dwight Clark (87) after he catches pass during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Bill Simpson's interception at the Buffalo 1-yard line with two seconds left in the game preserved a 3127 victory and gave Buffalo their first playoff win since 1965. started the season with 6 (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) reaches for pass with San Francisco Linebacker Keena Turner (58) in pursuit during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. ", Griffin, who said he was surprised that the Niners would try a squib kick, revealed that "I used to have a theory on that kind of kick, that the first two bounces would be funny and the next bounce would be high. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. 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. the It just didn't work. NCAAM. Or write about sports? They were 2-14 that first year. Brunner then made a 17-yard touchdown to Perkins to close out the scoring. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! "They figured Choma would overpenetrate. On San Diego's opening drive, Dan Fouts' 47-yard completion to Wes Chandler set up Benirschke's 32-yard field goal. Within each conference, the three division winners and the two wild card teams (the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. In 2022, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round. (AP Photo/Al Golub), The 49ers with Joe Montana at start of game during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. However, Buffalo was called for a delay of game penalty, and Ferguson's pass attempt on the next snap fell incomplete. Dallas Cowboys 27 at San Francisco 49ers 28 on January 10th, 1982 - Full team and player stats and box score . The team was loose all week and never tensed up. All teams and players mentioned are registered trademarks of the NFL and its respective teams. Philadelphia Eagles running back Boston Scott, center, runs for a touchdown during the first half of the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Jan. 29 . A 16-yard drive, eating up three minutes, moved the ball to the 6 and, on fourth down, Wersching kicked a 23-yard field goal with only 1:57 to go. (Corky Charles Trewin/NFL), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) make run against the San Francisco Defensive Line. White completed 15 of 26 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. "Here's a guy (Alexander) who weighs 220 pounds and can run and he has only a yard to go for the end zone . We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. San Francisco 49ers 252K subscribers Subscribe 44K views 3 years ago #TheCatch #49ers #49ers #TheCatch #DwightClark Take a trip down memory lane of the play that launched the 49ers. Walsh and Montana denied allegations that the 49ers turned conservative during the third quarter when they had the ball for only nine plays in three possessions and failed to get beyond their 15-yard line. Then after forcing a punt that Harper returned 6 yards to his own 42, New York drove for another score, aided by a pass interference call against Bills defensive back Mario Clark that nullified an interception. On the opening drive of the second half, San Diego drove to the Bengals 38-yard line, only to lose their fourth turnover of the day when Reggie Williams stripped the ball from Chuck Muncie and Cincinnati's Ross Browner recovered it. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49ers Fans during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. "We weren't even picked for third in our division," he noted. The win sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl and snapped their three-game playoff losing streak to the Cowboys. Four of those came in the 1980s, and were led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, Charles Haley, Fred Dean, and coaches Bill Walsh and George Seifert. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. There are only four teams left in the 2022 NFL season's playoffs as we head to the conference . the Strock turned in the best game of his life, completing 29 of 43 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns, while Fouts put on one of the best performances of his Hall of Fame career, completing 33 of 53 passes for 433 yards and three touchdowns. We just played better.". His teams also won postseason games in the Sun and Bluebonnet Bowls. It worked out that way. Gregg, once described by Lombardi as "the finest player I've ever coached," appeared with the Packers in Super Bowls I and II and the Dallas Cowboys in VI. We knew we were playing a great team. The San Francisco 49ers started the season with 5 Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. But on second down and 6, Dallas lineman Ed "Too Tall" Jones plowed through a block attempt by Charley Hannah and chased Williams all the way back to the 49-yard line before he grounded the ball with a desperate throw. San Francisco 1981 NFC Championship Game - Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers - January 10, 1982 Wide receiver Dwight Clark of the San Francisco 49ers makes "The Catch" in the end zone to. Taking the ball back after the missed field goal, Cincinnati put the game away with a 14-play touchdown drive. The location of the game also set a precedent. 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. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) finds hole in 49ers line to make yardage during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. But this time the Jets could not take advantage, as Simpson put an end to the next drive with an interception of his own. The improvement was noticeable immediately after Wersching's second-half kickoff. The NFL did not use a fixed bracket playoff system. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather city. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. Fouts then led his team down to Miami's nine-yard line. The worst running game in the league alongside a defense that went from second overall and points in 1981 to twenty-first and twenty-third respectively were the main culprits for the losing season. Buffalo's miscue on their final drive was particularly noteworthy in that it came after they had called a timeout, making a subsequent delay of game penalty highly unusual. The team was coming off a Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Facing third down and 3 on the Cowboys 6 with 58 seconds left, Montana threw a high pass that Clark just managed to break ahead of Walls and reach in the air for the game-winning touchdown reception. Mark Haynes recovered the ball in the end zone to give New York a 200 lead. The game was played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Todd then led the Jets 80 yards in eight plays and completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Jones. The 49ers had a chance to increase their lead before halftime, but Wersching missed a 50-yard field goal attempt with less than a minute left. Their first season was in 1950, and their most recent season was in 2022. Three plays later, running back Tony Dorsett scored on a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give Dallas a 1714 lead. However, the Cowboys needed only a field goal to win, and still had enough time left in the game for one last drive. Brunner completed a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Johnny Perkins on the next play to make it 2417. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49er Kicker Ray Wersching makes kick off during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. "I think Joe was thinking of the Gipper when we won. No questions or answers have been posted about this item. [3] After the ensuing kickoff, the first quarter ended with Giants having a 104 to 1 advantage over Philadelphia in total yards gained. (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. Three of the rookies earned starting assignments-cornerbacks Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright and safety Carlton Williamson. I don't get but four or five good pops a game and I wasn't going to miss my chance. In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the fourth seed wild card hosted the fifth seed. We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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. The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. "He is one of the coolest competitors of all time and he has just started.". Despite a game-time temperature of 9F (23C) and a 35-mile-per-hour wind that sent wind chills as low as 59F, Bengals' quarterback Ken Anderson threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions, and rushed for 39 yards to lead his team to a victory. All rights reserved. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. Past 10 Seasons (2013 - 2022) Championship Years 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994 San Francisco 49ers History Overview The San Francisco 49ers have played a total of 73 seasons. Jan. 24, 1982: 49ers Win Their First Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XVI. West Division (AP Photo/Al Golub), List of Players: (87) Dwight Clark, (68) John Ayers, (56) Fred Quillan during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. NFC West. Free shipping for many products! Reviewing the game and the season, Gregg found much to engender optimism. San Diego responded with a drive to the Bengals 5-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs with less than three minutes left. The three division winners were seeded 1 through 3 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams were seeded 4 and 5. "Rather than run to the same place three times, we felt we could go to the right. When Breech's onside kickoff nestled in the arms of Dwight Clark, however, all that remained to seal the 49ers victory was for Montana to take a snap, retreat four yards and kneel gently on the synthetic turf as time expired. Brooks returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the 43-yard line. 49ers is a registered trademark of the Forty Niners Football Company LLC. From there, Todd led the team 52 yards in five plays to score on his 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mickey Shuler, Shuler's first reception of the season. "There is still a long way to go, but I am certain we have turned the corner and are becoming a well-based, more versatile team that will be a consistent contender in the years to come.". The former offensive tackle of the Green Bay Packers in the heyday of Vince Lombardi had served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before succeeding Homer Rice at the Cincinnati helm in 1980. On Buffalo's ensuing drive, Ken Riley intercepted a pass from Ferguson on the Bills 48-yard line. . Do you have a sports website? . (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli), Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White (11) throws a pass during the NFL football game NFC Championship between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, California on January 10, 1982. 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 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. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. straight losses. Super Bowl, Lost Conference Championship They've been in the playoffs a total of 28 times in their 73 seasons. "The 49ers have been doing that all season and are pretty good at it.". (Won 0 Rounds), Lost Divisional Round (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys punt returner James Jones (23) returns a punt during the NFL football game NFC Championship between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, California on January 10, 1982. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Previously, the 47-year-old Walsh had served as an assistant coach under Al Davis at Oakland and Paul Brown at Cincinnati, where he was instrumental in the development of Ken Anderson as a premium quarterback in the NFL. 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. won the Super Bowl 5 times, in 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1994. season was started the season going 8-0. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) make run against the San Francisco Defensive Line during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. The San Francisco 49ers were established in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. This was the first postseason meeting between the Buccaneers and Cowboys.[2]. 10-0. (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. Much of the post-game talk centered on the 49ers' goal line stand and the general belief that they had only 10 men on the field for two of the plays. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. NBA. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving; Defense; Kick/Punt Returns; Kicking & Punting; 49ers Starters; Full Site Menu; NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at . Their 1981 "gold strike" included five rookies, five more acquisitions by trade and 10 free agents. 1950 San Francisco 49ers, who all Their first season was in 1950, and their most recent season was in 2022. Refresh your browser window to try again. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. . After a Bengals punt, Chandler gave the Chargers good field position with a 7-yard return to the 45-yard line. The third worst starts to a 49ers Montana finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to tight end Charle Young. The second-year running back out of Rice barreled into the end zone, completing a Super Bowl record 92-yard march. With Montana holding, Wersching kicked a 22-yard field goal, increasing the Niners' lead to 17-0. NFC West Division Find out more. 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 next drive, defensive tackle John Dutton deflected Williams' pass into the arms of Ed "Too Tall" Jones for an interception on the Bucs 25-yard line, and the Cowboys scored another touchdown with a 5-yard run by James Jones. 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. But Cincinnati's defense halted the drive at the 18-yard line and it ended with no points when Rolf Benirschke missed a 37-yard field goal attempt. "The Bengals were throwing every conceivable blitz at us," said Walsh. While the 49ers were foundering with 2-14 records in 1978 and '79, the Bengals were posting 4-12 records and finishing at the bottom of the AFC Central Division. For the third time in four years, the San Francisco 49ers have found themselves in the NFC Championship game. [2], The Cowboys crushed the Buccaneers, limiting them to 24 rushing yards and 222 total yards. After a few punts, New York had a great chance to respond when Richard Todd completed a 37-yard pass to tight end Jerome Barkum on the Bills 30-yard line. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. 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! Muncie rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco 49ers Philadelphia Eagles The stage is set for a thrilling NFC championship game on Sunday, as the Eagles host the 49ers, on their home turf at Lincoln Financial Field.. Todd also made several key completions, including a 29-yarder to Shuler and a 26-yard pass to Derrick Gaffney on third and 20. Cincinnati eventually drove inside the 10, but the Bills made a key defensive stand, as defensive end Ken Johnson sacked Anderson at the 15 on third down and then Robb Riddick leaped high in the air to block Jim Breech's 33-yard field goal attempt. Then after both teams exchanged punts twice, the Dolphins reached the San Diego 17-yard line, only to see von Schamann's 34-yard attempt get blocked by Leroy Jones. As Bunz handled lead blocker Alexander on the fourth-down smash, Reynolds led the charge that snuffed out Johnson. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49er Wide Receiver Dwight Clark (87) and Guard Dan Audick (61). But Johnson kept the Bengals moving on those plays, first rushing for eight yards and then gaining 14 yards on a screen pass on third down and 8. In the fourth quarter, Williams completed a 75-yard pass to Jimmie Giles on the Cowboys 5-yard line, but the Buccaneers were still unable to get any points on the drive. After losing two of its first three games, the team breezed the rest of the way, with only a 15-12 loss to Cleveland marring the last 13 weeks of the season. For the second consecutive season, the team finished with a 2-14 record. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49ers (61) Guard Dan Audick and (68) Guard John Ayers during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. The Jets took advantage again with another Leahy field goal to bring the team within 11 points at 24-13.
