The 49ers (15-2) host the Los Angeles Rams (12-6) at Candlestick Park for the NFC Championship game, Sun January 14, 1990. The franchise's second straight conference championship.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Rams come off an overtime road win at Giants Stadium. Jim Everett at quarterback. Greg Bell at running back. Flipper Anderson at receiver.
The two teams split the regular-season series (Rams W4, 49ers W14 Monday night).[1][2]
John Robinson's Rams won the wild card at the Giants on Flipper Anderson's 30-yard overtime touchdown last Sunday. The Rams' offense, off the 19-13 overtime road win, comes to Candlestick with the third 49ers-Rams meeting of the year. The W4 Rams' 13-12 win at Candlestick is the only home loss the 49ers have produced this year.
The NFC Championship at Candlestick is the franchise's second consecutive conference championship game. Jim Everett threw for 315 yards in the W14 Monday-night matchup; the 49ers' defensive front produced two sacks but allowed two touchdowns. The Sunday rematch is the kind of NFC West playoff matchup the conference has been building toward across two seasons.
Conference Championship Sunday is the league's most-watched playoff weekend. The 49ers (NFC #1) host the Rams (NFC #6 survivor). The Broncos (AFC #2) host the Browns (AFC #4) in the AFC Championship. The Sunday-afternoon NFC matchup is the conference championship culmination. The two teams played twice in the regular season.
Through the regular season the 49ers finished 14-2 and the Rams finished 11-5. The two teams met in W4 (Rams 13-12 home win) and W14 (49ers 30-27 Monday-night road win). Jim Everett 3,395 reg season passing yards, 29 TDs, 17 INTs. Greg Bell 272 rushing for 1,137 yards. Henry Ellard 70 catches for 1,382 reg season. Flipper Anderson 44 catches for 1,146. The 49ers won the divisional 41-13 over Minnesota.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 9-6-1 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-7 | W3 |
| Houston Oilers | 9-7 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 9-7 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8-8 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-8 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 5-11 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 4-12 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 11-5 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-7-1 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8-8 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-9 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-10 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 14-2 | W5 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 11-5 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9-7 | W3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-13 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 10-6 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 10-6 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 7-9 | W5 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-10 | L6 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-11 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 12-4 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 11-5 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 10-6 | W5 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 5-11 | L6 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-15 | L7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 23 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Brent Jones 20 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 3-7 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 3-14 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 18 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 3-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 28 yard field goal | 3-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 36 yard field goal | 3-27 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 25 yard field goal | 3-30 |
Joe Montana threw two touchdowns to John Taylor and Brent Jones in the second quarter, Roger Craig ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and the 49ers crushed the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 at Candlestick Park to win the NFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XXIV. Montana finished 26 of 30 for 262 yards. Jerry Rice caught six for 55. Brent Jones caught an 18-yard touchdown. Mike Cofer kicked three field goals. The 49ers improved to 16-2.[1][2]
Joe Montana's 26-for-30 day and Roger Craig's 94 rushing yards and a touchdown were enough for the 49ers to crush the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 in the NFC Championship at Candlestick. The 49ers move to 16-2 and advance to Super Bowl XXIV.
Montana finished 26 of 30 for 262 yards with two touchdowns (Brent Jones 20, John Taylor 18). The 86.7% completion rate was the franchise's highest in any playoff game. Rice six catches for 55. Taylor four for 45 with the touchdown. Brent Jones four for 46 with the touchdown. Roger Craig 24 carries for 94 with the 1-yard touchdown. Rathman 10 for 63 plus 6 catches for 48.
Jim Everett finished 16 of 36 for 141 with no touchdowns and three interceptions. The Rams' offense produced one Mike Lansford 23-yard field goal in the first quarter and no offensive scores from the second quarter on. Buford McGee caught seven for 53. Greg Bell ran 8 for 20. The 49ers' defensive front produced no sacks but the secondary's three interceptions decided the championship game.
49ers 30, Rams 3. Margin: plus 27. NFC Championship.
A 30-3 NFC Championship home win over the Los Angeles Rams at Candlestick Park. The 49ers move to 16-2 and advance to Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana Superdome.
How it unfolded
Mike Lansford's 23-yard field goal opened the scoring. Brent Jones' 20-yard touchdown reception from Montana made it 7-3. Roger Craig's 1-yard rush extended it to 14-3. Taylor's 18-yard touchdown reception made it 21-3 at the half. Cofer kicked field goals of 28, 36, and 25 yards in the second half to make the final 30-3.
The turning point
The Brent Jones 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter. With the Rams holding a 0-3 lead and the 49ers' offense having stalled twice in the first quarter, Montana's third-down throw to Jones on a corner route the Rams' linebacker did not pick up produced the touchdown that gave the 49ers a lead they did not give back.
By the numbers
Montana 26 of 30 for 262, 8.7 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and no interceptions. 86.7% completion rate, the franchise's highest in any playoff game. Brent Jones four catches for 46 with the touchdown. Taylor four for 45 with the touchdown. Rice six for 55. Roger Craig 94 on 24 (3.9 ypc) with the rushing touchdown. Rathman 63 on 10 plus 48 receiving on six. Defense produced three interceptions of Everett by Lott, Eric Wright, and Don Griffin.
Personnel watch
Montana's 26-for-30 NFC Championship game was the conference's highest completion-rate playoff game since 1979. The defensive front (Haley, Holt, Carter, Burt) produced no sacks but the kind of front-seven pressure that forced the three Everett interceptions. Roger Craig played 60 of the offense's 65 snaps; the back's third consecutive playoff game with 90-plus rushing.
What it means
16-2. Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans against the Denver Broncos. The 49ers' second straight Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The Broncos beat the Browns 37-21 in the AFC Championship to advance.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 9 | 29 |
| Total Yards | 156 | 442 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 16/36 | 27/31 |
| Pass yards | 141 | 268 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 3 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 11 | 5 |
| Net pass yards | 130 | 263 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 10 | 44 |
| Rush yards | 26 | 179 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 3 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 1 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 10 | 40 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 26/30 | 262 | 2 | 0 | 125.3 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1/1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 91.7 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 16/36 | 141 | 0 | 3 | 20.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 24 | 94 | 1 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 10 | 63 | 0 | 17 |
| Terrence Flagler | 8 | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Keith Henderson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| RAM | ||||
| Greg Bell | 8 | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| Robert Delpino | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Cleveland Gary | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 55 | 0 | 19 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 6 | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 4 | 46 | 1 | 20 |
| John Taylor #82 | 4 | 45 | 1 | 18 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 3 | 40 | 0 | 16 |
| Mike Sherrard #84 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 15 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| RAM | ||||
| Buford McGee | 7 | 53 | 0 | 17 |
| Pete Holohan | 3 | 26 | 0 | 18 |
| Greg Bell | 2 | 23 | 0 | 18 |
| Henry Ellard | 2 | 18 | 0 | 12 |
| Flipper Anderson | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Damone Johnson | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1989 Conference Championships - Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers - Game Thread