The home schedule continues against the Atlanta Falcons on 1968-09-29 at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 3.
The roster's lead back rotation and receiver room project the kind of game-script the staff has been working through. The Atlanta Falcons arrive tracking their own divisional standing.[1]
The calendar's next matchup against the Atlanta Falcons is the kind of home game where the offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Atlanta Falcons' offensive line. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the staff has been building toward.
The NFL's Week 3 schedule continues to shape the playoff race. The conference's projected leaders carry through the calendar with the kind of pace the wire copy has been writing into. The home matchup with the Atlanta Falcons is the calendar's sense-check on the 49ers' divisional posture. The Sunday-night and Monday-night games close the week with their own playoff implications.
2 games into the season the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1968, defines the divisional posture. The lead back's rushing workload is the staff's projected call. The receiver room's distribution is the offense's signature. The Atlanta Falcons are tracking their own standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the offensive line's pass-protection rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-0 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 2-0 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-1 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 1-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-1 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-2 | L2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts | 2-0 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2-0 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-1 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-0 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-1 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-1 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 0-2 | L2 |
49ers 7, Atlanta Falcons 049ers 14, Atlanta Falcons 1049ers 21, Atlanta Falcons 1349ers 28, Atlanta Falcons 1349ers 28, Atlanta Falcons 13[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 010131313 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 714212828 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Clifton McNeil 9 yard pass from John Brodie ( Tommy Davis kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Bob Etter 23 yard field goal | 3-7 |
| 49ers | Gary Lewis 18 yard pass from John Brodie ( Tommy Davis kick) | 3-14 |
| Falcons | Bob Long 6 yard pass from Randy Johnson ( Bob Etter kick) | 10-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | John David Crow 23 yard pass from John Brodie ( Tommy Davis kick) | 10-21 |
| Falcons | Bob Etter 27 yard field goal | 13-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Bill Tucker 1 yard rush ( Tommy Davis kick) | 13-28 |
San Francisco's offense produced 28 points at home over the Atlanta Falcons on 1968-09-29. John Brodie went 17 of 20 for 191 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 94 on 24 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 69 with 1 touchdown. On the other side Randy Johnson went 12 of 25 for 139 yards with 1 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Randy Johnson ran for 61 on 3 carries.[1]
The 49ers won 28-13 against the Atlanta Falcons on 1968-09-29. John Brodie went 17 of 20 for 191 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 94 on 24 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 69 with 1 touchdown.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's first weeks. The offensive line's pocket time produced the dropbacks the playbook calls. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway the unit has been generating. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture across the divisional standings.
The Atlanta Falcons produced the kind of game-script the wire copy projected. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check on the 49ers' divisional pacing.
49ers 28, Atlanta Falcons 13. Margin: plus 15. Box score reads: John Brodie went 17 of 20 for 191 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 94 on 24 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 69 with 1 touchdown. Dick Witcher caught 7 for 50. On the Atlanta Falcons' side: Randy Johnson went 12 of 25 for 139 yards with 1 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Randy Johnson ran for 61 on 3 carries.
A 28-13 home win over the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
John Brodie went 17 of 20 for 191 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 94 on 24 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 69 with 1 touchdown. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side Randy Johnson went 12 of 25 for 139 yards with 1 touchdowns and 1 interceptions for the Atlanta Falcons, and Randy Johnson ran for 61 on 3 carries.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1968, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the year. The receiver room's route distribution produced the kind of timing-route conversions the playbook calls.
By the numbers
John Brodie went 17 of 20 for 191 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Ken Willard ran for 94 on 24 carries, plus Gary Lewis ran for 78 on 16 carries. Receiver room: Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 69 with 1 touchdown, and Dick Witcher caught 7 for 50.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| John Brodie | 17/20 | 191 | 3 | 1 | |
| ATL | |||||
| Randy Johnson | 12/25 | 139 | 1 | 1 | |
| Bruce Lemmerman | 2/7 | 22 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Ken Willard | 24 | 94 | 0 | 18 |
| Gary Lewis | 16 | 78 | 0 | 22 |
| John Brodie | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Clem Daniels | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Bill Tucker | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ATL | ||||
| Randy Johnson | 3 | 61 | 0 | 26 |
| Cannonball Butler | 5 | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| Harmon Wages | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| Perry Lee Dunn | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Jerry Simmons | 1 | -6 | 0 | -6 |
| Brendan McCarthy | 6 | -9 | 0 | 6 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Clifton McNeil | 5 | 69 | 1 | 27 |
| Dick Witcher | 7 | 50 | 0 | 13 |
| John David Crow | 2 | 35 | 1 | 23 |
| Gary Lewis | 2 | 29 | 1 | 18 |
| Ken Willard | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| ATL | ||||
| Jerry Simmons | 4 | 68 | 0 | 36 |
| Cannonball Butler | 1 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| Paul Flatley | 3 | 31 | 0 | 21 |
| Ray Ogden | 2 | 18 | 0 | 11 |
| Bob Long | 2 | 12 | 1 | 6 |
| Brendan McCarthy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Harmon Wages | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1968 W3 - 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons - Game Thread