The 49ers (8-2) host the Cleveland Browns (4-6) at Candlestick Park, a Sunday kickoff in the afternoon on Sun November 15, 1981.
Montana continues at quarterback. Brian Sipe starts for Cleveland. Mike Pruitt at running back. Ozzie Newsome at tight end. The 49ers' six-game winning streak meets the Kardiac Kids of a year ago.
The Browns come off a Monday-night loss to Pittsburgh.[1][2][3]
Brian Sipe was the league MVP a year ago. The Cleveland Browns went 11-5 in 1980 and lost in the divisional round on the Red Right 88 interception in Oakland. They sit at 4-6 in 1981. Sipe is still the quarterback. Mike Pruitt and Reggie Rucker remain. The kind of cross-conference home game where the 49ers' offense needs to keep the streak alive.
The defense has produced 13 interceptions in 10 games. Lott has three. Hicks has three. Wright has two. Williamson has two.
Week eleven is the November cross-conference sort. The 49ers (8-2) lead the NFC West. The Eagles (9-1), Cowboys (8-2), Falcons (7-3), and Rams (5-5) compete in the NFC. The AFC's Chargers (8-2), Bengals (8-2), Steelers (5-5), Browns (4-6) compete. The 49ers' Sunday home game against the Browns is the kind of cross-conference test where the win streak can extend.
Through 10 games the 49ers are 8-2 with a plus 51 differential. The Browns are 4-6 with a minus 11. Brian Sipe 152 of 250, 1,917, 10 touchdowns, 17 interceptions (the league's interception leader). Mike Pruitt 168 carries for 562. Ozzie Newsome 41 catches for 466. Montana 191 of 304, 2,338, 12 touchdowns, eight interceptions through 10. The 49ers' defense leads the NFC in interceptions (13).
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-3 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-5 | L2 |
| Houston Oilers | 5-5 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4-6 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 7-2-1 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-4 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 5-4-1 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-8 | L3 |
| Baltimore Colts | 1-9 | L9 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 7-3 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6-4 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-4 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-6 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 8-2 | W7 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-5 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-5 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-4 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-5 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-6 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-6 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 8-2 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8-2 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 5-5 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 4-6 | W3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3-7 | L2 |
On the call: John Brodie (via MJSIII)
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Browns | Safety, intentional grounding by Montana in end zone | 2-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 28 yard field goal | 2-3 |
| Browns | Matt Bahr 28 yard field goal | 5-3 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 29 yard field goal | 5-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 28 yard field goal | 5-9 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 28 yard field goal | 5-12 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Browns | Reggie Rucker 21 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Matt Bahr kick) | 12-12 |
| Browns | Matt Bahr 24 yard field goal | 15-12 |
Brian Sipe threw a 21-yard touchdown to Reggie Rucker in the fourth quarter and Matt Bahr kicked a 24-yard field goal as Cleveland beat the 49ers 15-12 at Candlestick Park. Joe Montana finished 24 of 42 for 213 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The 49ers fell to 8-3 in their first loss of the streak.[1][2][3]
The 49ers' six-game winning streak ended Sunday at Candlestick. The Cleveland Browns won 15-12 in the kind of low-scoring grind where the 49ers' offense produced six possessions inside Browns territory and walked away with field goals and a safety. The Cleveland answer was the closing 12 minutes: a Brian Sipe touchdown to Reggie Rucker plus a Matt Bahr field goal.
Montana went 24 of 42 for 213 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The intentional grounding safety in the end zone in the first quarter gave Cleveland two points and the kind of negative play that the 49ers' offense had not produced over the previous month. Walt Easley led the ground game with 16 carries for 59. Paul Hofer ran for 33. The two-back rotation produced 92 yards on 30 carries but the offense could not push the run game into the Browns' end zone.
Wersching kicked four field goals (28, 29, 28, 28). The 49ers' defense generated one sack and one interception of Sipe but the late Rucker touchdown was the only sustained Cleveland scoring drive of the day. Pruitt ran for 76 on 18 carries.
Browns 15, 49ers 12. Margin: minus 3. Record: 8-3.
A 15-12 home loss to the Cleveland Browns at Candlestick. The 49ers fall to 8-3 with the winning streak ended.
How it unfolded
The game's first score was a safety, the intentional grounding by Montana in the end zone in the first quarter. Wersching's 28-yard field goal answered. Matt Bahr made a 28-yarder. Wersching kicked a 29-yarder. Wersching kicked another 28-yarder. Wersching kicked another 28-yarder, all of them inside the Cleveland 30 on possessions that should have produced touchdowns. The 49ers led 12-5 entering the fourth. Sipe threw a 21-yard touchdown to Reggie Rucker to make it 12-12. Bahr's 24-yard field goal in the closing minutes gave the Browns the lead.
The turning point
The Rucker 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. With the 49ers up 12-5 and Cleveland needing two scores to win, Sipe's drive ending in the touchdown to Rucker turned a comfortable game into a tied one. The Bahr field goal three drives later closed it.
By the numbers
Montana 24 of 42 for 213, 5.1 yards per attempt, no touchdowns and two interceptions. The intentional grounding safety. Easley 59 on 16. Hofer 33 on 10 plus seven catches for 64. The 49ers' four-field-goal day with no touchdowns was the year's largest red-zone failure. Sipe 16 of 33 for 180 with one touchdown and one interception. Pruitt 76 on 18.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 14 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 267 | 305 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 16/33 | 24/42 |
| Pass yards | 180 | 213 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 19 | 26 |
| Net pass yards | 161 | 187 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 26 | 35 |
| Rush yards | 106 | 118 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 7 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 55 | 29 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 24/42 | 213 | 0 | 2 | 51 |
| CLE | |||||
| Brian Sipe | 16/33 | 180 | 1 | 1 | 62.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Walt Easley | 16 | 59 | 0 | 9 |
| Paul Hofer | 10 | 33 | 0 | 6 |
| Ricky Patton #27 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Johnny Davis | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLE | ||||
| Mike Pruitt | 18 | 76 | 0 | 19 |
| Greg Pruitt | 5 | 26 | 0 | 15 |
| Charles White | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Brian Sipe | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Paul Hofer | 7 | 64 | 0 | 16 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 6 | 52 | 0 | 15 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 3 | 35 | 0 | 18 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 9 |
| Charle Young | 2 | 16 | 0 | 12 |
| Ricky Patton #27 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Mike Shumann | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Walt Easley | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| CLE | ||||
| Reggie Rucker | 3 | 77 | 1 | 38 |
| Ozzie Newsome | 3 | 36 | 0 | 39 |
| Greg Pruitt | 4 | 33 | 0 | 11 |
| Charles White | 2 | 12 | 0 | 8 |
| Mike Pruitt | 3 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| Ricky Feacher | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1981 W11 - 49ers vs Cleveland Browns - Game Thread