The 49ers (13-2) host the Minnesota Vikings (8-7) at Candlestick Park for the NFC Divisional Round, Sat January 9, 1988. The 49ers come off the bye after clinching the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Montana returns to start. Roger Craig at lead back. The Vikings start Wade Wilson. Anthony Carter at receiver. Darrin Nelson and D.J. Dozier share the backfield. Jerry Burns in year second as head coach.
Minnesota comes off a 44-10 wild-card road win at the Saints.[1][2]
Jerry Burns' Vikings come into Candlestick off the 44-10 wild-card upset at the Superdome. Anthony Carter caught seven for 79 in the wild-card game. The Sunday divisional matchup at Candlestick is the 49ers' first home playoff game since 1984.
The 49ers' 13-2 regular-season finish, the year's best record, includes the Monday Night Football 41-0 shutout of the Bears and the closing-week 48-0 shutout of the Rams. The Vikings come in 8-7 and the wild-card winner. The matchup is the kind of bye-team home playoff game the franchise has been hoping for.
Divisional Round Saturday opens the playoffs' second weekend. The 49ers (NFC #1) host the Vikings (NFC #6 wild-card winner). The Bears (NFC #2) host the Redskins (NFC #5). The Broncos (AFC #1) host the Oilers (AFC #5). The Browns (AFC #2) host the Colts (AFC #4). The Saturday-afternoon NFC matchup is the year's first playoff game.
Through the regular season the 49ers finished 13-2 and the Vikings finished 8-7. Wade Wilson 2,106 reg season yards, 14 TDs, 13 INTs. Anthony Carter 38 catches for 922. Darrin Nelson 131 carries for 642. Joe Montana 3,054 reg season yards, 31 TDs, 13 INTs. Roger Craig 215 carries for 815. Jerry Rice 65 catches for 1,078 with 22 TDs (NFL receiving TD record). The Vikings beat the Saints 44-10 in the wild card.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 10-5 | W3 |
| Houston Oilers | 9-6 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-7 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-11 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 9-6 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-7 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 8-7 | W3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 7-8 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 6-9 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 10-4-1 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 9-6 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 8-7 | L6 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 5-10 | L3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 13-2 | W6 |
| New Orleans Saints | 12-3 | W9 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-9 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-12 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-4 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-7 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 5-9-1 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-11 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-11 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 11-4 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-8 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7-8 | W2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7-8 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 6-9 | W2 |
The GREATEST Playoff Upset! (Vikings vs. 49ers 1987 NFC Divisional)
1987 NFC Divisional Round - Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
1988 NFC Divisional Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
1987 NFC Playoffs Vikings vs 49ers CBS intro
CMGUS VCR CLASSIC: NBC 1987 VIKINGS FLASHBACK PREGAME MINNESOTA VS 49ERS NFL PLAYOFF 11 JAN 2020
1988 NFL on CBS - Vikings vs 49ers - Divisional Playoff Intro
1987 Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers Divisional Football Playoff Highlights
#9: Vikings Upset 49ers in 1987 Divisional Round | Top 10 Upsets of All Time | NFL Films| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Chuck Nelson 21 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 43 yard field goal | 3-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Carl Hilton 7 yard pass from Wade Wilson (Chuck Nelson kick) | 10-3 |
| Vikings | Chuck Nelson 23 yard field goal | 13-3 |
| Vikings | Najee Mustafaa 45 yard interception return (Chuck Nelson kick) | 20-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jeff Fuller 48 yard interception return (Ray Wersching kick) | 20-10 |
| Vikings | Hassan Jones 5 yard pass from Wade Wilson (Chuck Nelson kick) | 27-10 |
| 49ers | Steve Young 5 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 27-17 |
| Vikings | Chuck Nelson 40 yard field goal | 30-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Chuck Nelson 46 yard field goal | 33-17 |
| 49ers | John Frank 16 yard pass from Steve Young (Ray Wersching kick) | 33-24 |
| Vikings | Chuck Nelson 23 yard field goal | 36-24 |
Anthony Carter caught 10 passes for 227 yards and Wade Wilson threw two touchdowns, and the Minnesota Vikings upset the 49ers 36-24 at Candlestick Park in the NFC Divisional Round. Joe Montana finished 12 of 26 for 109 yards with no touchdowns. Steve Young came in for relief and threw for 158 yards. Roger Craig ran for 88. Anthony Carter's 30-yard, 73-yard, and 16-yard touchdowns produced the divisional upset. The 49ers fell to 13-3.[1][2]
Anthony Carter's 10-catch, 227-yard performance and Wade Wilson's two touchdown passes produced the Minnesota Vikings' 36-24 NFC Divisional Round upset of the 49ers at Candlestick Park. The 49ers' 13-2 regular season ended with the home playoff loss. Bill Walsh's potential final game becomes the divisional upset.
Joe Montana finished 12 of 26 for 109 yards with no touchdowns and one interception before being benched in the third quarter. Steve Young finished 12 of 17 for 158 yards in relief. Rice three catches for 28. Wilson three for 34. Craig 12 carries for 88 plus six catches for 49.
Wade Wilson finished 20 of 34 for 298 with two touchdowns (Anthony Carter 30, Anthony Carter 73) and one interception. Anthony Carter caught 10 for 227, the Vikings' largest single-game receiving performance in 15 years. Allen Rice ran 5 for 16 plus 4 catches for 28 with two short touchdowns. The Vikings' offense produced 36 points across four quarters and the kind of perimeter explosion the 49ers' secondary had not given up in three years.
Vikings 36, 49ers 24. Margin: minus 12. NFC Divisional Round.
A 36-24 NFC Divisional Round home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers finish 13-3. Bill Walsh's 13-2 regular-season team is upset at home in the divisional round.
How it unfolded
Anthony Carter caught a 30-yard touchdown from Wade Wilson to make it 0-7. Wersching's 26-yarder cut it to 3-7. Allen Rice's 1-yard rush made it 3-14. Chuck Nelson's 28-yarder made it 3-17. Carter's 73-yard touchdown made it 3-24. Chuck Nelson's 49-yarder made it 3-27. Young's 5-yard rushing touchdown cut it to 10-27. Rice's 19-yard touchdown from Young made it 17-27. Allen Rice's 1-yard rush made it 17-34. Young's 25-yard run set up a touchdown that made it 24-34. Chuck Nelson's 32-yarder made the final 36-24.
The turning point
The Anthony Carter 73-yard touchdown in the second quarter. With the Vikings ahead 14-3 and the 49ers' secondary in single-high coverage, Carter ran past Eric Wright on a deep post and Wilson hit him in stride. The Vikings ran for 73 yards on the pass play. The seven-point swing turned a two-score game into a three-touchdown deficit the 49ers could not close.
By the numbers
Montana 12 of 26 for 109 with no touchdowns; the worst single-game completion percentage of his career as a starter in any 49ers game. The Vikings' four sacks of Montana led to the third-quarter quarterback change. Young 12 of 17 for 158 in relief with the touchdown. Wade Wilson 20 of 34 for 298 with the two long touchdowns to Carter.
Personnel watch
Anthony Carter's 227 receiving yards was the largest single-game playoff receiving line in NFL history. Joe Montana's third-quarter benching was his first playoff exit. Bill Walsh's possible final game (the wire copy will speculate for two weeks about his retirement). The 13-2 regular-season finish ends with the home playoff loss.
What it means
13-3. Season over. The Vikings advance to the NFC Championship at Washington. The 49ers' three-year playoff frustration (loss in 1985, loss in 1986, loss in 1987) becomes the kind of two-year-window question that the offseason will spend addressing.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 22 | 17 |
| Total Yards | 397 | 358 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 20/34 | 24/44 |
| Pass yards | 298 | 267 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 18 | 24 |
| Net pass yards | 280 | 243 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 34 | 18 |
| Rush yards | 117 | 115 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 0 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 2 | 8 |
| Penalty yards | 20 | 75 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 12/17 | 158 | 1 | 1 | 94.7 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 12/26 | 109 | 0 | 1 | 42 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 |
| MIN | |||||
| Wade Wilson | 20/34 | 298 | 2 | 1 | 95 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 6 | 72 | 1 | 42 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 14 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | -6 | 0 | -6 |
| MIN | ||||
| Darrin Nelson | 11 | 42 | 0 | 12 |
| Wade Wilson | 6 | 30 | 0 | 12 |
| Anthony Carter | 1 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| Alfred Anderson | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| Allen Rice | 6 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| D.J. Dozier | 3 | -2 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 9 | 78 | 0 | 31 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 4 | 50 | 0 | 23 |
| John Taylor #82 | 2 | 48 | 0 | 33 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 13 |
| John Frank | 1 | 16 | 1 | 16 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| MIN | ||||
| Anthony Carter | 10 | 227 | 0 | 63 |
| Allen Rice | 4 | 39 | 0 | 19 |
| Darrin Nelson | 2 | 17 | 0 | 11 |
| Carl Hilton | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Leo Lewis | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Hassan Jones | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Alfred Anderson | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
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