San Francisco hosts the Atlanta Falcons on 1972-10-29 at Atlanta Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 7.
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 49ers' season continues with the matchup against the Atlanta Falcons is the kind of road 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 7 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 road 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.
6 games into the season the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1972, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-2 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-2 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-3 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-5 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 6-0 | W6 |
| New York Jets | 4-2 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-4 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-4 | L3 |
| Baltimore Colts | 1-5 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 3-2-1 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-3 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-3-1 | L2 |
| Denver Broncos | 2-4 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 4-1-1 | W3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-2 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-3-1 | T1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-5-1 | T1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 4-2 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-2 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-3-1 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-4 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 5-1 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-2 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 4-2 | W4 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2-4 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-5 | W1 |
49ers 14, Atlanta Falcons 749ers 21, Atlanta Falcons 1449ers 35, Atlanta Falcons 1449ers 49, Atlanta Falcons 1449ers 49, Atlanta Falcons 14[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 1421354949 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 714141414 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Vic Washington 98 yard kickoff return ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 7-0 |
| Falcons | Art Malone 2 yard rush ( Bill Bell kick) | 7-7 |
| 49ers | Ted Kwalick 10 yard pass from Steve Spurrier ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 14-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ken Willard 1 yard rush ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 21-7 |
| Falcons | Jim Mitchell 40 yard pass from Bob Berry ( Bill Bell kick) | 21-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Gene Washington 43 yard pass from Steve Spurrier ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 28-14 |
| 49ers | Preston Riley 28 yard pass from Steve Spurrier ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 35-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Skip Vanderbundt 37 yard interception return ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 42-14 |
| 49ers | Vic Washington 2 yard rush ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 49-14 |
San Francisco's offense produced 49 points on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on 1972-10-29. Steve Spurrier went 8 of 18 for 159 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 56 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 77 with 1 touchdown. On the other side Bob Berry went 11 of 24 for 147 yards with 1 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Dave Hampton ran for 30 on 12 carries.[1]
The 49ers won 49-14 against the Atlanta Falcons on 1972-10-29. Steve Spurrier went 8 of 18 for 159 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 56 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 77 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 49, Atlanta Falcons 14. Margin: plus 35. Box score reads: Steve Spurrier went 8 of 18 for 159 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 56 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 77 with 1 touchdown. Vic Washington caught 2 for 11. On the Atlanta Falcons' side: Bob Berry went 11 of 24 for 147 yards with 1 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Dave Hampton ran for 30 on 12 carries.
A 49-14 road win at the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Steve Spurrier went 8 of 18 for 159 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 56 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 77 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 Bob Berry went 11 of 24 for 147 yards with 1 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for the Atlanta Falcons, and Dave Hampton ran for 30 on 12 carries.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1972, 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
Steve Spurrier went 8 of 18 for 159 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Vic Washington ran for 56 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown, plus Jimmy Thomas ran for 43 on 7 carries. Receiver room: Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 77 with 1 touchdown, and Vic Washington caught 2 for 11.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Spurrier | 8/18 | 159 | 3 | 1 | |
| ATL | |||||
| Bob Berry | 11/24 | 147 | 1 | 2 | |
| Pat Sullivan | 1/11 | 12 | 0 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Vic Washington | 15 | 56 | 1 | 13 |
| Jimmy Thomas | 7 | 43 | 0 | 12 |
| Ken Willard | 10 | 42 | 1 | 23 |
| Larry Schreiber | 10 | 31 | 0 | 9 |
| Steve Spurrier | 2 | 14 | 0 | 12 |
| Ted Kwalick | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Joe Reed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ATL | ||||
| Dave Hampton | 12 | 30 | 0 | 13 |
| Art Malone | 7 | 24 | 1 | 7 |
| Bob Berry | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Ted Kwalick | 4 | 77 | 1 | 28 |
| Gene Washington | 1 | 43 | 1 | 43 |
| Preston Riley | 1 | 28 | 1 | 28 |
| Vic Washington | 2 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| ATL | ||||
| Art Malone | 6 | 70 | 0 | 29 |
| Jim Mitchell | 3 | 61 | 1 | 40 |
| Dave Hampton | 2 | 14 | 0 | 9 |
| Wes Chesson | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1972 W7 - 49ers at Atlanta Falcons - Game Thread
