The 49ers face the New Orleans Saints on 1978-10-15 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 New Orleans Saints 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 New Orleans Saints' offensive line.
Around the conference Week 7 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 New Orleans Saints is the calendar's sense-check on the rebuilt 49ers roster's pacing. The Monday-night game closes the week with playoff implications that affect the conference seeding.
Through 6 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 New Orleans Saints are tracking their own divisional standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-0 | W6 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4-2 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 3-3 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-6 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 4-2 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 4-2 | W3 |
| New York Jets | 3-3 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-4 | L1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2-4 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 4-2 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-2 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-4 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-0 | W6 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-4 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-4 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-5 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 5-1 | W3 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-3 | L3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-3 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-3 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-5 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 6-0 | W6 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-2 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-3 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-6 | L6 |
49ers 0, New Orleans Saints 749ers 0, New Orleans Saints 1449ers 0, New Orleans Saints 1449ers 7, New Orleans Saints 1449ers 7, New Orleans Saints 14[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 714141414 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 00077 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Mike Strachan 2 yard rush ( Tom Jurich kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Ike Harris 15 yard pass from Archie Manning ( Tom Jurich kick) | 14-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Freddie Solomon 22 yard pass from Steve DeBerg ( Ray Wersching kick) | 14-7 |
San Francisco lost 7-14 at home over the New Orleans Saints on 1978-10-15. The Saints' defensive line produced four sacks of DeBerg. Simpson ran for 37 on 17 carries. DeBerg threw for 147 with one touchdown and two interceptions. The 49ers' offense scored on one 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 team lost 7-14 against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints' defensive line produced four sacks of DeBerg. Simpson ran for 37 on 17 carries. DeBerg threw for 147 with one touchdown and two interceptions. The 49ers' offense scored on one 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 7, New Orleans Saints 14. Margin: minus 7. 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 7-14 home loss to the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers' transition-year calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
The Saints' defensive line produced four sacks of DeBerg. Simpson ran for 37 on 17 carries. DeBerg threw for 147 with one touchdown and two interceptions. The 49ers' offense scored on one 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 | 16/37 | 147 | 1 | 2 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Archie Manning | 2/4 | 31 | 1 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| O.J. Simpson | 17 | 37 | 0 | 9 |
| Greg Boykin | 9 | 32 | 0 | 15 |
| Paul Hofer | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| NOR | ||||
| Tony Galbreath | 18 | 82 | 0 | 17 |
| Chuck Muncie | 18 | 50 | 0 | 8 |
| Mike Strachan | 15 | 33 | 1 | 7 |
| Archie Manning | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Ike Harris | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 5 | 70 | 1 | 23 |
| Greg Boykin | 4 | 27 | 0 | 11 |
| Elmo Boyd | 2 | 25 | 0 | 18 |
| Ken MacAfee | 2 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Paul Seal | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| O.J. Simpson | 2 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| NOR | ||||
| Chuck Muncie | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Ike Harris | 1 | 15 | 1 | 15 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1978 W7 - 49ers vs New Orleans Saints - Game Thread
