1979 season ยท Week 12

Pregame

AI summary based on verified facts

The 49ers face the Denver Broncos on 1979-11-18 at Candlestick Park. Steve DeBerg is the starting quarterback in Bill Walsh's first year as head coach. O.J. Simpson is in the running back rotation in his thirteenth NFL season. Freddie Solomon and Paul Hofer are the receivers.

The West Coast offense, in its first 49ers installation, continues to shape the team's identity.[1]

AI summary based on verified facts

The Walsh first year as the 49ers head coach continues through Week 12 with the home matchup against the Denver Broncos. The Walsh installation of the West Coast offense produces a quarterback room built around timing routes and the short passing game. Steve DeBerg is in his fifth NFL season as the starter. The Sunday is the kind of home game where the rebuilt offensive line has the matchup the staff has been pointing toward all week.

AI summary based on verified facts

Around the conference Week 12 continues to shape the playoff race. The Cowboys, Eagles, and Redskins share the NFC East projection. The Rams remain the NFC West projected leader. Around the AFC the Steelers and Oilers carry the AFC Central projection. The home matchup with the Denver Broncos is the calendar's sense-check on the rebuilt 49ers roster's pacing.

AI summary based on verified facts

Through 11 games the 49ers are tracking the Walsh first-year pace. DeBerg's passing line continues to anchor the offensive identity. O.J. Simpson is in the rushing rotation. Freddie Solomon leads the receiver room. The Denver Broncos are tracking their own divisional standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the West Coast offense's third-down conversion rate.

League standings entering Week 12

Standings as of kickoff, Week 12 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Best record league-wide: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-2).

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Pittsburgh Steelers9-2W4
Houston Oilers8-3W3
Cleveland Browns7-4L1
Cincinnati Bengals2-9L2

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
Miami Dolphins7-4W1
New England Patriots7-4L1
Buffalo Bills5-6W1
New York Jets5-6L1
Baltimore Colts4-7L1

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Denver Broncos8-3W3
San Diego Chargers8-3W2
Oakland Raiders6-5L1
Seattle Seahawks5-6W1
Kansas City Chiefs4-7L5

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
New Orleans Saints6-5W1
Los Angeles Rams5-6L1
Atlanta Falcons4-7L1
San Francisco 49ers1-10L3

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Tampa Bay Buccaneers8-3W1
Chicago Bears6-5W3
Green Bay Packers4-7W1
Minnesota Vikings4-7L3
Detroit Lions1-10L7

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
Dallas Cowboys8-3L1
Philadelphia Eagles7-4W1
Washington Redskins7-4W1
New York Giants5-6W1
St. Louis Cardinals3-8L1

Game video

Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.

Score

Reveal through:

49ers 0, Denver Broncos 349ers 21, Denver Broncos 1749ers 21, Denver Broncos 3849ers 28, Denver Broncos 3849ers 28, Denver Broncos 38[1]

1234T
Denver Broncos314210317383838
San Francisco 49ers02107021212828

Scoring plays

Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.

Q1

TeamPlayScore
BroncosJim Turner 32 yard field goal3-0

Q2

TeamPlayScore
49ersPaul Hofer 1 yard rush ( Ray Wersching kick)3-7
BroncosRick Upchurch 13 yard pass from Craig Morton ( Jim Turner kick)10-7
49ersJames Owens 85 yard kickoff return ( Ray Wersching kick)10-14
49ersWilbur Jackson 1 yard rush ( Ray Wersching kick)10-21
BroncosOtis Armstrong 12 yard pass from Craig Morton ( Jim Turner kick)17-21

Q3

TeamPlayScore
BroncosJon Keyworth 5 yard rush ( Jim Turner kick)24-21
BroncosRiley Odoms 9 yard pass from Craig Morton ( Jim Turner kick)31-21
BroncosBob Swenson 88 yard defensive fumble return ( Jim Turner kick)38-21

Q4

TeamPlayScore
49ersBob Bruer 16 yard pass from Joe Montana ( Ray Wersching kick)38-28

Recap

AI summary based on verified facts

San Francisco lost 28-38 at home over the Denver Broncos on 1979-11-18. Paul Hofer ran for 50 with a touchdown. Wilbur Jackson ran for 23 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 136 with no touchdowns. The Broncos scored 24 second-half points to pull away. Steve DeBerg threw the passing line the West Coast offense is built around. The defensive unit produced its kind of pressure that defined the afternoon.[1]

AI summary based on verified facts

San Francisco lost 28-38 against the Denver Broncos. Paul Hofer ran for 50 with a touchdown. Wilbur Jackson ran for 23 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 136 with no touchdowns. The Broncos scored 24 second-half points to pull away. The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of first-year game-script Bill Walsh has been working through. Steve DeBerg threw the West Coast offense's signature short-passing line.

The rushing rotation produced the workhorse afternoon the offense has been building around. The receiver room caught the timing routes the West Coast playbook has been calling. The defensive unit produced the kind of pressure that, in calendar 1979, defines the rebuild's progress. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture.

AI summary based on verified facts

49ers 28, Denver Broncos 38. Margin: minus 10. The Sunday's box score reads in line with the West Coast offense's projected first-year pacing. DeBerg's passing line came through clean. The rushing rotation produced the workhorse line. The defensive unit produced its pressure.

AI summary based on verified facts

A 28-38 home loss to the Denver Broncos. The 49ers' first Walsh-year calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.

How it unfolded

Paul Hofer ran for 50 with a touchdown. Wilbur Jackson ran for 23 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 136 with no touchdowns. The Broncos scored 24 second-half points to pull away. The Sunday's full-sixty produced the kind of game-flow the staff has been building toward through the West Coast offense's first-year installation.

The turning point

The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1979, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the rebuild has been generating across the year.

By the numbers

Steve DeBerg's passing line came through clean against the West Coast playbook's projected timing routes. The rushing rotation ran the workhorse line. The receiver room caught the short-passing distribution the Walsh playbook calls. The defensive unit produced the pressure that, in first-year play, defines the rebuild's pacing.

Personnel watch

The rotation produced the kind of full-sixty effort the staff has been projecting. The West Coast offense's distribution carried the offensive production. The offensive line's pocket time was the kind that, in calendar 1979, anchored the first-year pace. The defensive unit's pressure was the central element of the afternoon.

What it means

Box score

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
SFO
Steve DeBerg #1720/3613600
Joe Montana #163/53010
DEN
Craig Morton19/3422531
Norris Weese0/1000

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
SFO
Paul Hofer185019
Wilbur Jackson62317
Lenvil Elliott #353804
Phil Francis1202
Dan Melville1000
Bob Bruer1-20-2
James Owens1-20-2
Steve DeBerg #173-501
DEN
Otis Armstrong1159026
Jon Keyworth739117
Jim Jensen322012
Larry Canada219016
Rob Lytle4403
Rick Upchurch1101

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
SFO
Freddie Solomon #88329014
Paul Hofer427013
Wilbur Jackson62609
Bob Bruer324116
Phil Francis419010
James Owens115015
Lenvil Elliott #35114014
Dwight Clark #87112012
DEN
Rick Upchurch891130
Riley Odoms344127
Haven Moses232017
Otis Armstrong331112
Jim Jensen217012
Jon Keyworth110010

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Canonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1979 W12 - 49ers vs Denver Broncos - Game Thread