The 49ers (2-4) host the Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at Candlestick Park on Sun December 19, 1982, 1:00 PM.
Steve Bartkowski starts at quarterback for Atlanta. William Andrews runs for the Falcons. Gerald Riggs provides depth. Joe Montana continues for the 49ers. The Falcons enter as NFC contenders; the 49ers are out of the tournament race.
Atlanta can clinch a Super Bowl Tournament berth with a win. The 49ers are playing for pride and finish position.[1][2][3]
Atlanta comes to Candlestick as an NFC South leader. Andrews is the most complete back in the conference; Bartkowski is the steadiest quarterback in the division. The Falcons need a win; the 49ers are playing out the string.
The defense gave up 170 rushing yards to the Saints. If Andrews and Riggs get going early, the game is over by the third quarter. Sunday is the kind of game where motivation gaps show up in the film.
Week fifteen is the penultimate week of the regular season. The Cowboys and Redskins have locked up the NFC's top two seeds. The Falcons, Saints, and Cardinals compete for the NFC South and wildcard spots. The Chargers lead the AFC West. The 49ers' home game against Atlanta is a test of the Falcons' tournament-readiness and a window into how much the defending champions have left in a lost season.
Through six games the 49ers are 2-4 with a minus 3 differential. The Falcons are 4-2 with a plus 51. Bartkowski is 79 of 134, 1,021 yards, eight touchdowns through six games. Andrews has 99 carries for 442 yards. Montana's year line: 136 of 200, 1,739 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs. The 49ers have been outscored in three of their last four games.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5-1 | W4 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-2 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-4 | L3 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-5 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 5-1 | W5 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-2 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 4-2 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 3-3 | W1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 0-6 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 5-1 | W2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-2 | W3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 2-4 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-5 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-2 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-3 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-4 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1-5 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 4-2 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-3 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-3 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 2-4 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-4 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 5-1 | W5 |
| Washington Redskins | 5-1 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | W3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3-3 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-5 | L4 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Mick Luckhurst 22 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 7 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 3-7 |
| Falcons | Steve Bartkowski 1 yard rush (Mick Luckhurst kick) | 10-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Gerald Riggs 1 yard rush (Mick Luckhurst kick) | 17-7 |
William Andrews ran for 108 yards and two backs combined for 231 yards rushing as the Atlanta Falcons beat the 49ers 17-7 at Candlestick Park. Joe Montana threw a 7-yard touchdown to Dwight Clark — Clark's 8-catch, 101-yard afternoon — but the 49ers' offense was bottled up everywhere else. Bartkowski threw for 176 yards and managed the game. The 49ers fell to 2-5 with one game left.[1][2][3]
Atlanta came to Candlestick and ran the ball. William Andrews carried 24 times for 108 yards, Gerald Riggs added 15 for 55, and Bo Robinson contributed 9 for 55. Three backs, 231 yards combined, and the 49ers' defense could not produce a stop in the second half.
Montana finished 16 of 31 for 177 yards and one touchdown — a 7-yard pass to Clark in the second quarter. Clark caught eight for 101 and was the 49ers' only offensive weapon to reach a double-figure yard total. Bartkowski managed the game well despite two interceptions: 12 of 21 for 176 yards with no passing touchdowns.
The game settled into a pattern by the second quarter: Atlanta ran, the 49ers' defense adjusted too slowly, the 49ers' offense could not extend drives. The final 17-7 made it five losses in the last six games for the defending champion.
Falcons 17, 49ers 7. Margin: minus 10. Record: 2-5.
A 17-7 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers fall to 2-5 with one game remaining in the strike-shortened season.
How it unfolded
Luckhurst's 22-yard field goal opened the scoring in the second quarter. Clark's 7-yard touchdown from Montana gave the 49ers a 7-3 lead. Bartkowski's 1-yard quarterback sneak made it 10-7 at halftime. The 49ers did not score again. Gerald Riggs' 1-yard rush in the fourth quarter closed it at 17-7.
The turning point
Atlanta's second-half ground game. The 49ers held the lead at 7-3 through the first quarter. Bartkowski's sneak flipped it, and the second-half script was Atlanta running the clock while the 49ers' offense could not convert third downs. Montana was held without a third-quarter throw that reached the end zone.
By the numbers
Atlanta's three-back combination combined for 48 carries and 218 rushing yards — the second-highest rushing total against the 49ers' defense this season. Clark's eight catches were the lone bright spot in the offense. Montana's 177 passing yards was his lowest since the pre-strike opener against the Raiders. The 49ers produced 219 total yards against a Falcons defense ranked third in the NFC.
What it means
2-5 heading into the final game in Kansas City. The 49ers will finish below .500 as defending Super Bowl champions — the first defending champion to miss the playoffs since 1963. One game remains.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 23 | 11 |
| Total Yards | 391 | 219 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 12/21 | 16/31 |
| Pass yards | 176 | 177 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 16 | 13 |
| Net pass yards | 160 | 164 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 57 | 16 |
| Rush yards | 231 | 55 |
| Rush TD | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 9 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 75 | 34 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 16/31 | 177 | 1 | 1 | 66.2 |
| ATL | |||||
| Steve Bartkowski | 12/21 | 176 | 0 | 2 | 45 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Bill Ring #39 | 7 | 23 | 0 | 5 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 9 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Jeff Moore | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Amos Lawrence | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Renaldo Nehemiah #82 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| ATL | ||||
| William Andrews | 24 | 108 | 0 | 11 |
| Gerald Riggs | 15 | 55 | 1 | 18 |
| Bo Robinson | 9 | 55 | 0 | 16 |
| Lynn Cain | 5 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Steve Bartkowski | 4 | -2 | 1 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Dwight Clark #87 | 8 | 101 | 1 | 26 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 22 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 9 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Jeff Moore | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Amos Lawrence | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| ATL | ||||
| William Andrews | 4 | 68 | 0 | 44 |
| Alfred Jackson | 2 | 53 | 0 | 40 |
| Gerald Riggs | 2 | 21 | 0 | 14 |
| Alfred Jenkins | 2 | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| Lynn Cain | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Junior Miller | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1982 W15 - 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons - Game Thread