The 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams on 1979-11-25 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]
The Walsh first year as the 49ers head coach continues through Week 13 with the home matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. 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.
Around the conference Week 13 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 Los Angeles Rams is the calendar's sense-check on the rebuilt 49ers roster's pacing.
Through 12 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 Los Angeles Rams are tracking their own divisional standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the West Coast offense's third-down conversion rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers | 9-3 | W4 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-3 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8-4 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-10 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 8-4 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7-5 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-6 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 5-7 | L2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 4-8 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 9-3 | W4 |
| San Diego Chargers | 9-3 | W3 |
| Oakland Raiders | 6-6 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-6 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-6 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-6 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-8 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-11 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9-3 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 7-5 | W4 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-7 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-8 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-11 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 8-4 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8-4 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 8-4 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 5-7 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3-9 | L2 |
49ers 7, Los Angeles Rams 349ers 17, Los Angeles Rams 1349ers 17, Los Angeles Rams 2649ers 20, Los Angeles Rams 2649ers 20, Los Angeles Rams 26[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 313262626 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 717172020 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Paul Hofer 2 yard rush ( Ray Wersching kick) | 0-7 |
| Rams | Frank Corral 23 yard field goal | 3-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Sid Justin 80 yard blocked field goal return ( Frank Corral kick) | 10-7 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 43 yard field goal | 10-10 |
| Rams | Frank Corral 24 yard field goal | 13-10 |
| 49ers | Freddie Solomon 38 yard pass from Steve DeBerg ( Ray Wersching kick) | 13-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Wendell Tyler 71 yard pass from Vince Ferragamo ( Frank Corral kick) | 20-17 |
| Rams | Ron Smith 30 yard pass from Bob Lee | 26-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 19 yard field goal | 26-20 |
San Francisco lost 20-26 at home over the Los Angeles Rams on 1979-11-25. Wilbur Jackson caught 5 for 74. Paul Hofer ran for 76 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 257 with one touchdown. The Rams scored 17 second-half points to seal the home loss. 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]
San Francisco lost 20-26 against the Los Angeles Rams. Wilbur Jackson caught 5 for 74. Paul Hofer ran for 76 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 257 with one touchdown. The Rams scored 17 second-half points to seal the home loss. 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.
49ers 20, Los Angeles Rams 26. Margin: minus 6. 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.
A 20-26 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers' first Walsh-year calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Wilbur Jackson caught 5 for 74. Paul Hofer ran for 76 with a touchdown. DeBerg threw for 257 with one touchdown. The Rams scored 17 second-half points to seal the home loss. 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
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve DeBerg #17 | 21/34 | 257 | 1 | 2 | |
| RAM | |||||
| Vince Ferragamo | 9/20 | 149 | 1 | 2 | |
| Bob Lee | 3/4 | 58 | 1 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Paul Hofer | 14 | 76 | 1 | 19 |
| O.J. Simpson | 5 | 30 | 0 | 15 |
| Wilbur Jackson | 8 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Phil Francis | 6 | 12 | 0 | 4 |
| Steve DeBerg #17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Lenvil Elliott #35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| RAM | ||||
| Wendell Tyler | 27 | 94 | 0 | 14 |
| Cullen Bryant | 12 | 35 | 0 | 13 |
| Bob Lee | 2 | -5 | 0 | -2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Wilbur Jackson | 5 | 74 | 0 | 34 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 38 |
| Mike Shumann | 2 | 30 | 0 | 17 |
| Paul Hofer | 3 | 29 | 0 | 18 |
| Phil Francis | 3 | 28 | 0 | 16 |
| Ken MacAfee | 2 | 22 | 0 | 18 |
| Lenvil Elliott #35 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Bob Bruer | 3 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
| O.J. Simpson | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| RAM | ||||
| Wendell Tyler | 4 | 95 | 1 | 71 |
| Ron Smith | 2 | 50 | 1 | 30 |
| Preston Dennard | 2 | 31 | 0 | 20 |
| Cullen Bryant | 2 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| Terry Nelson | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Billy Waddy | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
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