The 49ers (1-2) host the New Orleans Saints (1-2) at Candlestick Park on Sun November 28, 1982, 1:00 PM.
Ken Stabler starts at quarterback for the Saints. George Rogers and Jimmy Rogers share the New Orleans backfield. Joe Montana returns to Candlestick after the road win in St. Louis. Russ Francis and Dwight Clark lead the target group.
Both teams are fighting for Super Bowl Tournament position with five games left in the short season.[1][2][3]
Ken Stabler with a Saints run game built around George Rogers: that is the matchup the 49ers' defensive front will spend Sunday trying to control. The 49ers have the passing advantage; the Saints have the run advantage. Walsh has to limit the ground game or find himself chasing a lead Stabler can protect.
The 49ers are 1-2. Sunday at Candlestick is exactly the kind of divisional home game that sorts contenders from survivors in a nine-game year.
Week twelve is the midpoint of the compressed season. The NFC picture is taking shape: the Cowboys and Redskins lead the conference; the Falcons and Saints compete in the South. The 49ers and Rams are the NFC West's most complex stories. The AFC West is wide open. The Chargers are the offensive powerhouse. Every game this week has playoff-seeding implications in the tournament format.
Through three games the 49ers are 1-2 with a plus 2 differential. The Saints are 1-2 with a minus 9. George Rogers has averaged 22 carries for 93 yards through three games. Stabler is 41 of 65, 484 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions. Montana is 53 of 78, 744 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs for the year. Wersching has kicked four field goals. Clark has 15 catches for 230 yards.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-0 | W3 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-1 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-1 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-2 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 3-0 | W3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-1 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 2-1 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 1-2 | L2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 3-0 | W3 |
| Denver Broncos | 1-2 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-2 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-2 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-1 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-1 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-2 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 3-0 | W3 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-1 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 1-2 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-2 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 3-0 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-1 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-2 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 1-2 | L2 |
| New York Giants | 0-3 | L3 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Wayne Wilson 10 yard pass from Ken Stabler (Toni Fritsch kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 40 yard field goal | 7-3 |
| Saints | Jimmy Rogers 2 yard rush | 13-3 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 45 yard field goal | 13-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Toni Fritsch 27 yard field goal | 16-6 |
| Saints | George Rogers 1 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick) | 23-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jeff Moore 12 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 23-13 |
| 49ers | Russ Francis 17 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 23-20 |
Ken Stabler managed the pocket and George Rogers ran for 97 yards as New Orleans beat the 49ers 23-20 at Candlestick. Montana threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Jeff Moore and Russ Francis to make it close, but the Saints led wire-to-wire. The 49ers fell to 1-3 and their Super Bowl Tournament hopes faded.[1][2][3]
The Saints ran the ball and managed the clock and the 49ers could not climb back from a 23-6 third-quarter hole. Final 23-20 at Candlestick.
George Rogers ran 17 times for 97 yards; his 1-yard touchdown in the third made it 23-6. Stabler threw for 154 yards on 20 attempts with one touchdown to Wayne Wilson. Montana threw for over 300 yards but converted late and came close: a 12-yard touchdown to Moore and a 17-yard strike to Francis made it 23-20. The comeback ended there.
New Orleans rushed for 170 yards combined. The Saints' ground game controlled the third quarter. Wersching kicked two field goals (40 and 45 yards) but the 49ers produced only three points in the first three quarters.
Saints 23, 49ers 20. Margin: minus 3. Record: 1-3.
A 23-20 home loss to the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers fall to 1-3 with four games left in the shortened season.
How it unfolded
Wayne Wilson's 10-yard reception from Stabler opened the scoring. Wersching's 40-yard field goal cut it to 7-3. Jimmy Rogers' 2-yard rush made it 13-3. Wersching added a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter. A Fritsch field goal and George Rogers' 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter pushed New Orleans to 23-6. Montana hit Moore on a 12-yard score and then Francis for 17 yards to make it 23-20, but the 49ers could not get the ball back.
The turning point
George Rogers' third-quarter touchdown run. The Saints entered the fourth quarter ahead 23-6, which was enough cushion to absorb the 49ers' late passing surge. Montana's two touchdown throws made the final respectable but could not undo the lead the Saints built through the ground game.
By the numbers
Montana threw for over 300 yards but the 49ers managed only three points in the first three quarters. The Saints' 170 rushing yards combined from two backs was the game's defining stat. Wersching's two field goals were the offense's only production through 45 minutes of play.
What it means
1-3 with three games to go and a near-impossible path to the Super Bowl Tournament. The 49ers need to win out and get help. The defense's inability to stop the Saints' run game is the season's defining failure.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 17 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 324 | 376 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 11/20 | 27/42 |
| Pass yards | 154 | 334 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 0 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 0 | 13 |
| Net pass yards | 154 | 321 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 45 | 16 |
| Rush yards | 170 | 55 |
| Rush TD | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 6 | 7 |
| Penalty yards | 44 | 35 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 27/42 | 334 | 2 | 1 | 94.7 |
| NOR | |||||
| Ken Stabler | 11/20 | 154 | 1 | 1 | 75.8 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jeff Moore | 8 | 23 | 0 | 7 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 9 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 7 |
| NOR | ||||
| George Rogers | 17 | 97 | 1 | 38 |
| Jimmy Rogers | 14 | 49 | 1 | 13 |
| Wayne Wilson | 8 | 25 | 0 | 6 |
| Hokie Gajan | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Ken Stabler | 2 | -4 | 0 | -2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Dwight Clark #87 | 6 | 90 | 0 | 29 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 6 | 68 | 0 | 20 |
| Jeff Moore | 4 | 65 | 1 | 15 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 3 | 46 | 0 | 18 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 17 |
| Charle Young | 4 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| NOR | ||||
| Wayne Wilson | 3 | 53 | 1 | 34 |
| Hoby Brenner | 3 | 49 | 0 | 25 |
| Jeff Groth | 2 | 24 | 0 | 16 |
| Kenny Duckett | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Jimmy Rogers | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| George Rogers | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1982 W12 - 49ers vs New Orleans Saints - Game Thread