The 49ers face the Cincinnati Bengals on 1978-10-01 at Candlestick Park. Steve DeBerg is the starting quarterback. O.J. Simpson is in the running back rotation in his first 49ers year after the Buffalo trade. Freddie Solomon and Paul Hofer are the receivers.
The roster transition under general manager Joe Thomas continues to define the year.[1]
The Sunday matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals is the kind of home game where the roster's offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Joe Thomas front-office tenure continues to be defined by the post-Brodie quarterback room. Steve DeBerg is the listed starter. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line.
Around the conference Week 5 continues to shape the 1978 playoff race. The Cowboys, Eagles, and Redskins share the NFC East projection. The Rams remain the NFC West projected leader. The home matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals is the calendar's sense-check on the rebuilt 49ers roster's pacing. The Sunday closes a week where the playoff race continues to clarify across the divisional standings.
Through 4 games the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1978, defines the roster transition under Joe Thomas. Steve DeBerg's passing line is the offensive identity. O.J. Simpson is in the rushing rotation. The Cincinnati Bengals are tracking their own divisional standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-0 | W4 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-1 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 2-2 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 2-2 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-2 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 2-2 | L2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 1-3 | W1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 1-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 3-1 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 2-2 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-2 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-3 | L3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 4-0 | W4 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-2 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-3 | L3 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 3-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-1 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-2 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-2 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-3 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 4-0 | W4 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-1 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 3-1 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-2 | W2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-4 | L4 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
49ers 7, Cincinnati Bengals 049ers 21, Cincinnati Bengals 049ers 21, Cincinnati Bengals 949ers 28, Cincinnati Bengals 1249ers 28, Cincinnati Bengals 12[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0091212 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 721212828 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Elmo Boyd 24 yard pass from Steve DeBerg ( Ray Wersching kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | O.J. Simpson 9 yard pass from Steve DeBerg ( Ray Wersching kick) | 0-14 |
| 49ers | Tony Leonard 30 yard interception return ( Ray Wersching kick) | 0-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Safety, Burley tackled DeBerg in end zone | 2-21 |
| Bengals | Billy Brooks 9 yard pass from Ken Anderson ( Chris Bahr kick) | 9-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Chris Bahr 46 yard field goal | 12-21 |
| 49ers | Paul Hofer 28 yard rush ( Ray Wersching kick) | 12-28 |
The 49ers won 28-12 at home over the Cincinnati Bengals on 1978-10-01. The first 49ers win of the year. DeBerg threw two touchdowns. Paul Hofer ran in a touchdown. The defensive unit held the Bengals to two field goals and one touchdown. The 49ers' offense scored on four of seven possessions. Steve DeBerg threw the kind of passing line the offense has been working through. The defensive unit produced the kind of pressure that defined the afternoon.[1]
The 49ers won 28-12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The first 49ers win of the year. DeBerg threw two touchdowns. Paul Hofer ran in a touchdown. The defensive unit held the Bengals to two field goals and one touchdown. The 49ers' offense scored on four of seven possessions. The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the calendar's transition year has been working through. Steve DeBerg threw the kind of passing line the offense has been producing across the start.
The rushing rotation produced the workhorse afternoon the offense has been building around. The receiver room caught the routes the playbook has been calling. The defensive unit produced the kind of pressure that, in calendar 1978, defines the rebuild's progress. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture.
49ers 28, Cincinnati Bengals 12. Margin: plus 16. The Sunday's box score reads in line with the calendar's transition-year pacing. Steve DeBerg's passing line came through. The rushing rotation produced the workhorse line. The defensive unit produced its pressure.
A 28-12 home win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The 49ers' transition-year calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
The first 49ers win of the year. DeBerg threw two touchdowns. Paul Hofer ran in a touchdown. The defensive unit held the Bengals to two field goals and one touchdown. The 49ers' offense scored on four of seven possessions. The Sunday's full-sixty produced the kind of game-flow the staff has been working through across the season's first weeks.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1978, 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's transition.
By the numbers
Steve DeBerg's passing line came through. The rushing rotation ran the workhorse line. The receiver room caught the route distribution. The defensive unit produced the pressure that, in transition-year play, defines the calendar's pacing.
Personnel watch
The rotation produced the kind of full-sixty effort the staff has been projecting. The Joe Thomas front-office continues to shape the depth chart. The offensive line's pocket time was the kind that, in calendar 1978, defines the transition-year pace.
What it means
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve DeBerg #17 | 8/17 | 66 | 2 | 2 | |
| CIN | |||||
| Ken Anderson | 13/26 | 183 | 1 | 4 | |
| John Reaves | 4/9 | 52 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Paul Hofer | 7 | 36 | 1 | 28 |
| O.J. Simpson | 10 | 35 | 0 | 11 |
| Greg Boykin | 16 | 32 | 0 | 5 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 17 |
| Bob Ferrell | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
| Dave Williams | 5 | -4 | 0 | 2 |
| Larry Jones | 1 | -9 | 0 | -9 |
| CIN | ||||
| Boobie Clark | 9 | 44 | 0 | 19 |
| Lenvil Elliott | 8 | 23 | 0 | 12 |
| Pete Johnson | 8 | 22 | 0 | 5 |
| Ken Anderson | 4 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| Archie Griffin | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Ken MacAfee | 3 | 25 | 0 | 12 |
| Elmo Boyd | 2 | 23 | 1 | 24 |
| O.J. Simpson | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Greg Boykin | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Dave Williams | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| CIN | ||||
| Jim Corbett | 3 | 77 | 0 | 51 |
| Isaac Curtis | 4 | 46 | 0 | 17 |
| Billy Brooks | 4 | 39 | 1 | 12 |
| Boobie Clark | 2 | 30 | 0 | 23 |
| Pat McInally | 2 | 30 | 0 | 18 |
| Pete Johnson | 2 | 13 | 0 | 10 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1978 W5 - 49ers vs Cincinnati Bengals - Game Thread
