"I reminded 'em," said the coach, "that we had been behind before. Today they all were funny. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. The Bengals earned their first playoff win in team history after Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson's fourth-down pass fell incomplete while attempting to drive for the tying touchdown. This was the first postseason meeting between the Bills and Bengals. Todd threw for 377 yards, while Ferguson threw for 268. ", "We had our backs to the wall and bad field position hurt us," added Montana. TSN Archives: 'The Catch' dooms Dallas, lifts 49ers in 1981 NFC 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]. (87) Dwight Clark and (68) John Ayers during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. 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. 1982. (Won 1 Round), Lost Wild Card Round won the Super Bowl 5 times, in 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1994. The NFL did not use a fixed bracket playoff system. 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. [2], The Cowboys crushed the Buccaneers, limiting them to 24 rushing yards and 222 total yards. (AP Photo), San Francisco Wide Receiver Dwight Clark (87) celebrates touchdown during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Cowboys and 49ers. Brunner then made a 17-yard touchdown to Perkins to close out the scoring. 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. NFL playoffs conference championships: Bengals-Chiefs, 49ers-Eagles We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The second best start to a season (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. Despite playing without starting quarterback Phil Simms and linebacker Brad Van Pelt, the Giants jumped to a 200 lead in the first quarter and withstood an Eagles comeback at the end to hold on to a 2721 win. Two key plays allowed the Bengals to start their first two drives in Buffalo territory, and they took advantage of their field position with touchdowns on each one. [2], at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. However, 1982 was strike-shortened, and only nine games were played. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Buffalo struck right back with a 79-yard scoring drive. : Norb Hecker (Linebackers), Milt Jackson (Wide Receivers/ST), Billie Matthews (Running Backs), Bill McPherson (Defensive Line), Ray Rhodes (Asst. "I'd like to see teams squib kick against us all the time," he said. San Francisco 49ers Franchise Encyclopedia - Pro-Football-Reference.com The San Francisco 49ers were established in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. National Football League. "He told us we couldn't let their offense on the field too long or eventually Anderson would burn us. The official source for San Francisco 49ers news, schedules, stats, scores and more. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 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 The Bills converted this turnover into a 24-0 lead as Ferguson completed a 28-yard pass to running back Joe Cribbs before hooking up with Lewis for a 26-yard scoring completion. Then we scored to make it 20-14.". Buttle intercepted another pass from Ferguson on the opening drive of the third quarter, returning this one 11 yards to the Bills 44. We worked like hell on that play. In the third quarter, Miami drove 74 yards and tied it at 24, with Strock's 15-yard touchdown completion to Rose. The improvement was noticeable immediately after Wersching's second-half kickoff. Check out the Top 10 photos from Super Bowl LVII! The image of an exhausted Winslow, who finished the game with 13 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown, being helped off the field by two of his Chargers teammates is now an iconic visual of NFL Films. 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. Take a look at all the action as the 2023 Combine gets underway in Indianapolis. Early in the second quarter, Woodley was replaced by Don Strock who started off his first play with a 17-yard completion to Duriel Harris on a drive that Uwe von Schamann finished with a 34-yard field goal. (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. Do you have a blog? Refresh your browser window to try again. 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! He failed to pick up an audible blocking change. All four AFC playoff games were between teams who had never faced each other in the postseason before. The Catch was the game-winning touchdown reception in the 1981 NFC Championship Game played between the Dallas Cowboys and the eventual Super Bowl XVI champion San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on January 10, 1982, as part of the 1981-82 NFL playoffs. Super Bowl XVI - Wikipedia Later on the drive, Johnson converted a fourth and inches situation with a 7-yard run, and Anderson eventually finished it off with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Bass, making the final score 277. Montana finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to tight end Charle Young. First, defensive back Mike Fuller returned a punt 27 yards to the Bills 42-yard line. The 49ers jumped to a 247 lead in the second quarter, and scored two touchdowns in the final quarter to secure the victory. The 49ers got another chance to score before halftime when they recovered a fumbled punt on the Dallas 42. (Won 0 Rounds), Lost Divisional Round All teams and players mentioned are registered trademarks of the NFL and its respective teams. The 49ers were a sorry sight when Walsh assembled them at Santa Clara for training camp in 1979. The 49ers won the game 28-27. All rights reserved. The Jets took advantage again with another Leahy field goal to bring the team within 11 points at 24-13. All rights reserved. "He told us we would have to score at least two more times," reported the left guard. 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 . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Two drives later, the Giants countered when quarterback Scott Brunner threw a pass to wide receiver Earnest Gray, who caught it at his own 40, evaded three 49ers defensive backs, and raced to the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown reception. Cincinnati's horrendous luck continued in the ensuing series of plays. 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 team that ranked 26th in the NFL in points allowed in 1980 soared into second place in 1981, trailing only Philadelphia. We present them here for purely educational purposes. For the third time in four years, the San Francisco 49ers have found themselves in the NFC Championship game. "They double-teamed Archie Reese, but did not block John Choma (tackle) and ran right at the double team," said Studley. On second and 8, Williams was sacked by Harvey Martin for a 9-yard loss, and then turned the ball over with consecutive incompletions. In the United States, NBC broadcast the AFC playoff games, while CBS televised the NFC games and Super Bowl XVI. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. 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. That the 49ers and Bengals were in the Super Bowl was remarkable in itself. 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. Join our linker program. The game was played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Clark finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. 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. The second worst start to a season Get a summary of the San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles football game. After a Bengals punt, Chandler gave the Chargers good field position with a 7-yard return to the 45-yard line. (Won 2 Rounds), Lost Super Bowl Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. ", Then, turning to Gregg, he said: "Congratulations, you had a fine, fine season. 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. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Cowboys head Coach Tom Landry during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Las mejores ofertas para Super Bowl XVI Champions SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS STEIN 1982 Equipo Record en la Espalda estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! The second pass carried to the 1-yard line, from where Montana dived across for the first touchdown. We held and they punted to us. Wersching's kickoff was another squibber. 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. Or write about sports? Brooks returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the 43-yard line. NFL playoffs conference championships: Bengals-Chiefs, 49ers-Eagles 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. The San Francisco 49ers have played a total of 73 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! In the third quarter, San Francisco got another scoring opportunity when Dwight Hicks returned a punt 12 yards to midfield. There are only four teams left in the 2022 NFL season's playoffs as we head to the conference . 1992 SAN FRANCISCO 49ers PLAYOFF & CHAMPIONSHIP TICKET STUB LOT They forced us to change quite a bit on every play. Do you have a sports website? 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. Willie Harper recovered, however, for the 49ers. A few plays later, quarterback Scott Brunner then threw a 9-yard touchdown to running back Leon Bright (the extra point attempt failed). Do you have a sports website? Had Bunz tackled him low, Alexander's momentum would have carried him into the end zone. 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. Their first half drives started from the 21, 20, 8, 20, 8 and 19-yard lines. ", The difference in the game, said Gregg, "was the four turnovers. NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins - January 8th, 1984 NFL Scores Playoffs Washington Redskins 24 16-2 Prev Game Next Game Coach: Joe Gibbs San Francisco 49ers 21 11-7 Prev Game Coach: Bill Walsh Sunday Jan 8, 1984 Start Time: 12:30pm Stadium: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Logos via Sports Logos.net / About logos This was last season that local times were considered in scheduling afternoon playoff games for the first three rounds, and not strictly in the 12:30p.m. and 4:00p.m. EST time slots. (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. Free shipping for many products! 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. 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. In 10 plays, seven of them rushes, the Niners advanced 50 yards and, with 5:25 remaining, Wersching kicked his third field goal, a 40-yarder that raised the NFC club's lead to 23-14. Dallas responded with an 80-yard drive, including a controversial pass interference penalty on 49ers defensive back Ronnie Lott which nullified his interception and gave the Cowboys a 35-yard gain at the San Francisco 12-yard line. "The 49ers have been doing that all season and are pretty good at it.". (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli), San Francisco 49ers running back Bill Ring (30) runs behind a block by 49ers Randy Cross (51) 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 11 plays, the 49ers traveled 68 yards. The 49ers won the game 28-27. 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). started the season with 7 losses. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Dallas Cowboys Defensive End Too Tall Jones (72) sacks San Francisco Quarterback Joe Montana (16) during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park in San Fransisco on January 10, 1982. Find out more. "They figured Choma would overpenetrate. We went to our running game and our trapping game and that made the difference. 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. San Francisco won despite losing six turnovers. Miami's defense subsequently recovered a fumble from Fouts, giving their offense the ball on the Chargers 39-yard line, and Strock took advantage, leading them to score on his 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joe Rose. They've been in the playoffs a total of 28 times in their 73 seasons. The content and information from other sites is the property of their respective owners. By the time Verser completed his lateral sprint, the ball was on the 4. (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. started the season with 6 Although they finished last again in 1980, the Bengals improved their record to 6-10 under the first-year leadership of Forrest Gregg. Aided by an 18-yard completion from Anderson to tight end Dan Ross, Cincinnati scored first with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Jim Breech. Clapping his other hand over an ear to muffle the shrieks of exuberant players, Walsh said, "I thought it might be you calling. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli). One cited reason for this was the last second substitution of receivers Piccone and Ron Jessie into the huddle. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Joe Montana | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site - pfhof "He is one of the coolest competitors of all time and he has just started.". Simpson recorded two interceptions, while Lewis caught seven passes for a franchise postseason record 158 yards and two touchdowns. Check out all the best photos from Rihanna's halftime performance! 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. However, Buffalo was called for a delay of game penalty, and Ferguson's pass attempt on the next snap fell incomplete. Eleven plays carried the Niners to the Cincinnati 11, from where Montana passed to Earl Cooper on the 3. What they didn't know was that we worked our tails off all week on that play, too.". Cribbs was injured and knocked out of the game on the first play, but his replacement Roland Hooks rushed five times for 24 yards and caught a pass for 6, while Ferguson finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Butler, tying the game back up at 21 on the first play of the fourth quarter. I don't get but four or five good pops a game and I wasn't going to miss my chance. (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. All rights reserved. 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. started the season John Ayers revealed that the coach had instructed the Niners to treat the second half as though the score was 0-0. The emergence of the two teams into title form was unexpected and unprecedented. Ferguson threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, but completed only 15 of 31 passes and was intercepted twice. This year has been a bit different, however, as the 49ers used a third-string . but owner Jerry Jones is not fixated on the championship drought; just the . (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. 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. Cowboys kicker Rafael Septin later added a 32-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 100 halftime lead. The San Francisco 49ers last missed the playoffs in 2020. All-time Scoring Leader: Jerry Rice 1,130 points On third down Anderson passed to Charles Alexander in the right flat, but linebacker Dan Bunz came up fast, grabbed the receiver around the waist, and hurled him backward before he could break the plane of the goal line. 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. The location of the game also set a precedent. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Then with just over 10 minutes left in the game, Cribbs ran for a 45-yard touchdown, increasing the Bills lead to 3113. Anderson finished the game with 14 of 21 completions for 192 yards and a touchdown. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving; Defense; Kick/Punt Returns; Kicking & Punting; 49ers Starters; Full Site Menu; NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at . One minute into the fourth quarter, Septin kicked a 22-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 21-20. "We weren't even picked for third in our division," he noted. NFL. 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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 Bengals' second-down play from the one-yard line did not surprise Studley. 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. 49ers' Brock Purdy hopes to join championship fraternity of backup Montana subsequently led the 49ers 83 yards to the Dallas 6-yard line. Dallas Cowboys 27 at San Francisco 49ers 28 on January 10th, 1982 - Full team and player stats and box score . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. "The only thing we could do was run the ball and hope we could get it out and punt.". "The Catch" Cowboys vs. 49ers 1981 NFC Championship | NFL Full Game The 49ers won the game 28-27. For that, San Francisco has an amazing run in the 1980s, plus an extra. [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]. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. In 1973, the division-champion Bengals were beaten by the Miami Dolphins in the playoffs. According to offensive coordinator Lindy Infante, "It was a staff decision to go for the touchdown. 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. As Bunz handled lead blocker Alexander on the fourth-down smash, Reynolds led the charge that snuffed out Johnson.