(AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Quarterback Danny White (11) give his team the play instructions during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Find out more. I figured I could go underneath. ", Concerning the decision to pass up the field goal, Gregg said, "I figured that even if we didn't make it, it would put the 49ers on the 1-yard line. This was the first postseason meeting between the Buccaneers and Cowboys.[2]. (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. 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. San Francisco 49ers, American professional gridiron football team based in Santa Clara, California, that plays in the National Football League (NFL). Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p . The 1982 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise 's 33rd season in the National Football League and their 37th overall. The 1982 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 33rd season in the National Football League and their 37th overall. Walsh's coaching talents were not immediately discernible at San Francisco in the fall of 1979. The "long way to go" that Walsh foresaw was covered in six months. But linebacker Keena Turner never got the message as defensive coordinator Chuck Studley's call was lost in the Silverdome noise. ", The difference in the game, said Gregg, "was the four turnovers. Cowboys coach Tom Landry twice rejected long field-goal attempts from the 34 and 37, and each time White (who also played punter) punted the ball out of bounds at the 8.[5]. Cincinnati's horrendous luck continued in the ensuing series of plays. 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. This was the first postseason meeting between the Giants and 49ers.[2]. In addition to his 56-yard punt return touchdown, Chandler caught six passes for 106 yards. ", Then, turning to Gregg, he said: "Congratulations, you had a fine, fine season. The two scoring plays within the space of 13 seconds set a Super Bowl record. In 1973, the division-champion Bengals were beaten by the Miami Dolphins in the playoffs. While Bill Walsh regarded the fourth-down stop of Johnson as "the play that won the game for us," Chuck Studley considered Bunz' tackle of Alexander more significant. 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. Fouts then led his team down to Miami's nine-yard line. "I was pivoting and trying to make more yards when Wright stripped the ball from me," reported Collinsworth. San Francisco 49ers Football 1982 Vintage Sports Ticket Stubs, San Francisco 49ers NFL Tickets, San Francisco 49ers Dwight Clark, 1982 NFC Championship, 1981 NFC Championship Game - Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers - January 10, 1982, Freddie Solomon, Randy Cross, Fred Quillan, John Ayers, Dwight Clark. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Chargers placekicker Rolf Benirschke kicked the winning 29-yard field goal after 13:52 of overtime, ending a game that became known in National Football League lore as the Epic in Miami. On second and 8, Williams was sacked by Harvey Martin for a 9-yard loss, and then turned the ball over with consecutive incompletions. (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. Six plays later (one a 14-yard catch by tight end Dan Ross), Charles Alexander scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. Again the opportunistic 49ers capitalized on the turnover. Tell the fellows they really did win one for the Gipper.". Dallas won all three previous meetings. Two possessions later, the Bengals were at midfield with 6:53 remaining in the third period. This seemed to spark Buffalo's offense, which subsequently picked up three first downs on a drive to the Bengals 30-yard line, but they also came up empty when linebacker Bo Harris intercepted Ferguson's pass and returned it 16 yards to the 24. Muncie rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown. Wersching's squib kickoff was fielded by David Verser on the 5-yard line. won the Super Bowl 5 times, in 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1994. You can't spot 'em 20 points. The 49ers then drove to the Dallas 16-yard line, but once again they failed to score when Montana threw a pass that bounced out of Elliott's hands and was intercepted by Randy White. After 15 games in warm weather climates, the 1982 championship contest was played in the Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome, 25 miles from Detroit. San Diego responded with a drive to the Bengals 33-yard line, but came up empty when defensive back Louis Breeden intercepted a deep pass intended for Charlie Joiner at the 5-yard line. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Montana threw an interception to Bill Currier on the Giants 41-yard line. (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. Three plays later, running back Tony Dorsett scored on a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give Dallas a 1714 lead. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. However, 1982 was strike-shortened, and only nine games were played. It was on that play that the 49ers replaced their pass defense with their goal-line alignment. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 49ers is a registered trademark of the Forty Niners Football Company LLC. 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! 10-0. 49ers beat Cowboys 28-27 for Conference Championship. This game set playoff records for the most points scored in a playoff game (79), most total yards by both teams (1,036), and most passing yards by both teams (809). NFC West. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals - January 24th, 1982 NFL Scores Playoffs Cincinnati Bengals 21 14-5 Prev Game Coach: Forrest Gregg San Francisco 49ers 26 16-3 Prev Game Coach: Bill Walsh Sunday Jan 24, 1982 Start Time: 4:00pm Stadium: Pontiac Silverdome Logos via Sports Logos.net / About logos Team Stats Offense [2], at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California. Thurman had two interceptions and 50 return yards. A key aspect that had worked against Tampa Bay in the first half was starting field position. Montana, selected the game's most valuable player, completed 14 of 22 passes, ran for 18 yards in six carries and scored a touchdown. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Bruce Coslet, the special teams coach for Cincinnati, welcomed the squib kicks. New York was shut out in the second half, while the Eagles opened the third quarter by marching 82 yards in 15 plays on a drive that consumed 7:58 and ended on running back Wilbert Montgomery's 6-yard rushing touchdown. Finally Keena realized I'd called for the goal-line defense.". I referred to our first game of the season when we came from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit to beat Seattle. Get a summary of the San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams football game. Dallas took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 80-yards, including a 25-yard gain on a screen pass reception by Tony Dorsett, to score on running back Ron Springs' 1-yard rushing touchdown. Maybe if it had been 24-0, the Bengals might have caved in, but not with the score 20-0.". 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. Three of the rookies earned starting assignments-cornerbacks Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright and safety Carlton Williamson. However, Reece returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the 38-yard line, where the Giants proceeded to drive 62 yards in 5 plays to score on Brunner's 22-yard touchdown pass to Tom Mullady, giving them a 277 halftime lead. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) make run in open field during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. . This was the first postseason meeting between the Chargers and Bengals.[2]. But after forcing a Dallas punt, Montana threw a 20-yard touchdown to Clark to retake the lead, 1410. "Here's a guy (Alexander) who weighs 220 pounds and can run and he has only a yard to go for the end zone . Search through thousands of plays from pro football history using our Event Finder tool. (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. Check out all the best photos from Rihanna's halftime performance! (Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated/Getty Images), Wide receiver Dwight Clark of the San Francisco 49ers makes "The Catch" in the end zone to defeat the Dallas Cowboys 28-27 during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. All rights reserved. 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. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. 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 content and information from other sites is the property of their respective owners. (Won 1 Round), Lost Divisional Round (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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Joe Montana, selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1979 National Football League Draft, had a stellar career with the 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.A master of late-game comebacks, Montana directed his teams to 31 fourth quarter come-from-behind wins during his illustrious career, including a 92-yard drive in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXIII. The team that ranked 26th in the NFL in points allowed in 1980 soared into second place in 1981, trailing only Philadelphia. In the third quarter, San Francisco got another scoring opportunity when Dwight Hicks returned a punt 12 yards to midfield. This was the first postseason meeting between the Chargers and Dolphins.[2]. 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. 49ers running back Amos Lawrence returned the following kickoff 47 yards to the Giants 48-yard line. In 1980 the 49ers drafted two players who stuck for more than one season, signed two key free agents, and added another key player by trade -- tight end Charle Young. Anderson's final pass was a three-yard heave to tight end Ross which, with Jim Breech's third extra point, narrowed the Cincinnati deficit to 26-21. San Francisco took the opening kickoff and advanced 85 yards in 13 plays, assisted by a defensive holding penalty on a punt that allowed them to keep the drive going. In the United States, NBC broadcast the AFC playoff games, while CBS televised the NFC games and Super Bowl XVI. A few plays later, quarterback Scott Brunner then threw a 9-yard touchdown to running back Leon Bright (the extra point attempt failed). While surrounding areas shivered in below zero chill factors, 81,270 enjoyed 72-degree comfort in the huge, 5-year-old stadium. Brunner completed a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Johnny Perkins on the next play to make it 2417. 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. However, 1982 was strike-shortened, and only nine games were played. All-time Rushing Leader: Frank Gore 2,442 att, 11,073 yds, 64 TD . As Bunz handled lead blocker Alexander on the fourth-down smash, Reynolds led the charge that snuffed out Johnson. West Division The National Football League playoffs for the 1981 season began on December 27, 1981. The San Francisco 49ers were established in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. Record: 3-6-0, 3rd in National Football League. The Chargers defense quickly gave the offense another scoring opportunity, forcing a punt from Pat McInally that went just 32 yards to the Bengals 45. Then Miami defensive back Lyle Blackwood's interception set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Nathan, giving Miami their first lead of the game, 3831, on the first play of the fourth quarter. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Ray Wersching (14) of the 49ers kicks the extra point, as Joe Montana (16) holds the ball, that gave them a 28-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys and a trip to the Super Bowl, Jan. 10, 1982, San Francisco, Calif. (AP Photo), San Francisco Line Backer Jack "hacksaw" Reynolds set his sites on Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Danny White (11) during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Then we scored to make it 20-14.". Philadelphia then drove 80 yards, 44 of them coming from 3 Giants penalties, in 9 plays to score on Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run, cutting their deficit to 27-21 with 2:51 left in the game. Do you have a blog? SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Moments after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo broke his left foot in a Dec. 4 win against the Miami Dolphins, general manager John Lynch's phone pinged. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [2], This was the first Super Bowl meeting between the 49ers and Bengals.[2]. 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 wide receiver on the left clears out so I can come underneath the zone coverage.". Eleven plays carried the Niners to the Cincinnati 11, from where Montana passed to Earl Cooper on the 3. The best start to a 49ers season We had great success with that play all season, but the 49ers got great penetration. (Won 0 Rounds), Lost Divisional Round NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 1982 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Previous Season Next Season Record: 3-6-0, 3rd in NFC West Division ( Schedule and Results ) Coach: Bill Walsh (3-6-0) Points For: 209 (23.2/g) 7th of 28 Points Against: 206 (22.9/g) 23rd of 28 Expected W-L: 4.6-4.4 SRS: -2.43 (18th of 28), SOS: -2.77 ", Middle linebacker Jack Reynolds, in his 12th consecutive playoff season, "thought Johnson would carry the ball in all those short-yardage situations.". Faced with third down and 7 inside the red zone later in the drive, Anderson kept the drive going with a 16-yard completion to Isaac Curtis on the Chargers 1-yard line, and fullback Pete Johnson scored a touchdown run on the next play, giving them a 177 lead. (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. CBS's broadcast of the Giants-49ers NFC Divisional Playoff game also featured the introduction of the telestrator to a national audience. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2:32PM. 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. The team was loose all week and never tensed up. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1982 Topps NFC Championship #6 San Francisco 49ers/Dallas Cowboys at the best online prices at eBay! 49ers beat Cowboys 28-27 for Conference Championship. 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. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli), Dallas Cowboys kicker Rafael Septien (1) attempts a field goal during the NFL football game NFC Championship between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, California 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. Todd also made several key completions, including a 29-yarder to Shuler and a 26-yard pass to Derrick Gaffney on third and 20. The second-year running back out of Rice barreled into the end zone, completing a Super Bowl record 92-yard march. Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990) and was named the Super Bowl's Most . 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. Miami took over on their own 40-yard line following Benirschke's squib kick, needing only a field goal to win. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. 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. 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. 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. The San Francisco 49ers currently play in the at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California. Or write about sports? After Commissioner Pete Rozelle's presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy to 49ers Owner Edward DeBartolo, Jr., a telephone was thrust into Walsh's hand. Later on, a pass interference penalty in the end zone against Tampa Bay defensive back Cedric Brown set up the final score of the game on Timmy Newsome's 1-yard run. Join our linker program. 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. Find out more. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In the club's 1981 media guide, Walsh was quoted as saying: "We have been able to add slowly potentially better athletes to our squad, especially with this year's draft, and that's working to make us potentially better overall. (AP Photo/Al Golub), 49er fans mock effigy of Dallas Quarterback Danny White during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Super Bowl, Lost Conference Championship at Shea Stadium, Flushing, Queens, New York. (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. ", "We had our backs to the wall and bad field position hurt us," added Montana. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco Linebacker Keena Turner (58) recovers Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett (33) fumble. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. After forcing Dallas to punt on the opening drive, San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana completed a 17-yard pass to Charle Young and a 24-yarder to Lenvil Elliott before throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Brunner then made a 17-yard touchdown to Perkins to close out the scoring. Their defense would shift as late as possible before the snap of the ball and we often didn't know who or where a guy would come into the gap. (AP Photo/Al Golub), San Francisco 49er Wide Receiver Dwight Clark (87) and Guard Dan Audick (61). According to offensive coordinator Lindy Infante, "It was a staff decision to go for the touchdown. The 49ers have won five Super Bowl titles (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, and 1995) and seven National Football Conference (NFC) championships. That was enough time for Anderson to complete six consecutive passes, none of which was run out of bounds to stop the clock. Cribbs rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 4 passes for 64 yards. "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. Harris caught six passes for 106 yards. [3] After the ensuing kickoff, the first quarter ended with Giants having a 104 to 1 advantage over Philadelphia in total yards gained. Bills coach Chuck Knox later explained this was an attempt to prevent the defense from adjusting to new personnel, an attempt that would have paid off if the ball had been snapped on time, as Piccone did make a first down catch on the ensuing play.[6]. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. "It was the first time all season we were stopped on that play," asserted Forrest Gregg. San Diego then drove 55 yards and cut their deficit to 107 when Fouts, desperately trying to avoid a hit from Eddie Edwards, managed to fire a pass to Kellen Winslow at the line of scrimmage, who subsequently raced 33 yards down the right sideline for a score. The 49ers and Eagles don't have a rich playoff history, with Philadelphia and San Francisco meeting only one time in the postseason (49ers won 14-0 in 1996 NFC Wild Card round). Reagan, a Californian, had portrayed legendary George Gipp, a Notre Dame star of more than six decades earlier, in a 1940 movie version of the life of Knute Rockne. The 49ers finished 36, thus missing the playoffs despite the expanded sixteen team format. One play later, Pillers sacked White, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Stuckey, and the 49ers had their victory. Clapping his other hand over an ear to muffle the shrieks of exuberant players, Walsh said, "I thought it might be you calling. 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. But once again this amounted to nothing as Fouts was intercepted in the end zone by rookie safety Bobby Kemp. the For that, San Francisco has an amazing run in the 1980s, plus an extra. Following a 4-yard run by Charles Alexander, the Bengals scored a touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Anderson to tight end M. L. Harris, increasing their lead to 100. 49ers Defensive end Dwaine Board (76) moves up to make tackle during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. "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.". Early in the third quarter, the Bills advanced 69 yards in five plays, starting with Ferguson's 15-yard pass to Frank Lewis and ending with a 44-yard touchdown run by Cribbs to tie the game. "Nine times out of 10 we'd wind up with good field position. The San Francisco 49ers last made the playoffs in 2022, when they lost the Conference Championship. (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. Nathan rushed for 48 yards, caught nine passes for 114 yards, and scored two touchdowns. 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. 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. The second best start to a season The 49ers won the game 28-27. Jan. 24, 1982: 49ers Win Their First Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XVI. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [1] The 49ers were the fifth team in NFL history to enter a season as the defending Super Bowl champion and miss the playoffs.[2]. NHL. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1982_San_Francisco_49ers_season&oldid=1132463114, Director of College Scouting Tony Razzano, LA Marcus Allen 4 receptions, 64 yards, This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 00:39. Henry muffed the ensuing kickoff, and as he tried to pick it up, he lost the ball while being hit by Mike Dennis.