1983 season · Week 1

All seasons › 1983 › Week 1

›
Sunday Sports Section · Week 1

49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Sat September 3, 1983 · Candlestick Park, kickoff 6:00pm

Pregame

Beat report
AI summary based on verified facts

Season opener at Candlestick Park on Sat September 3, 1983. The 49ers host the Philadelphia Eagles in a Saturday night game, aiming to begin the year on the right foot after the 3-6 strike season.

Joe Montana returns. Wendell Tyler, acquired from the Rams, debuts as the starting back. Roger Craig enters as a rookie. Russ Francis continues at tight end. Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon at receiver.

The Eagles come under head coach Marion Campbell in his first year.[1][2][3]

Columnist
AI summary based on verified facts

Wendell Tyler is the acquisition Walsh waited three years for: a consistent back to pair with Montana's arm. Tyler ran 697 yards in a strike-shortened 1982 for the Rams. Saturday night at Candlestick is his debut as a 49er.

The Eagles are in transition from the Vermeil years. Montgomery and Carmichael are the names the defense tracks. For the 49ers, the opener is the first read on whether the 1982 defensive fixes held.

Around the league
AI summary based on verified facts

The league's Saturday opener sets the early conference tone. The NFC's preseason favorites include the Redskins, Cowboys, and Eagles. The AFC contenders are the Dolphins, Steelers, and Raiders. The 49ers enter with quiet title expectations after the 3-6 aberration of the strike year. The Eagles' opening game in Campbell's first year is one of the conference's most-watched matchups.

Trend analyst
AI summary based on verified facts

Through zero games the 49ers reset from a 3-6 1982. Wendell Tyler ran for 697 yards in 1982 for the Rams. Montana threw 3,910 yards and 26 TDs in 1981 before the strike year. Roger Craig enters as the 49th pick of the 1983 draft. The Eagles were 3-6 in the strike-shortened 1982 season. Wilbert Montgomery ran for 515 yards in 1982.

League standings entering Week 1

Standings as of kickoff, Week 1 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Opening week. No games on the books yet.

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Cincinnati Bengals0-0--
Cleveland Browns0-0--
Pittsburgh Steelers0-0--
Houston Oilers0-0--

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
Buffalo Bills0-0--
Baltimore Colts0-0--
Miami Dolphins0-0--
New England Patriots0-0--
New York Jets0-0--

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Denver Broncos0-0--
Kansas City Chiefs0-0--
Los Angeles Raiders0-0--
San Diego Chargers0-0--
Seattle Seahawks0-0--

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
Atlanta Falcons0-0--
Los Angeles Rams0-0--
New Orleans Saints0-0--
San Francisco 49ers0-0--

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Chicago Bears0-0--
Detroit Lions0-0--
Green Bay Packers0-0--
Minnesota Vikings0-0--
Tampa Bay Buccaneers0-0--

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
Dallas Cowboys0-0--
New York Giants0-0--
Philadelphia Eagles0-0--
St. Louis Cardinals0-0--
Washington Redskins0-0--

Game video

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

🔎 Search YouTube for this game🏈 Around the league this week

Game info

Roof
outdoors
Surface
grass
Weather
68°F, 63% humidity, wind 14 mph
Vegas line
49ers -3.5
Over/Under
40.5 (under)

Score

Reveal through:

49ers 0, Philadelphia Eagles 049ers 10, Philadelphia Eagles 349ers 10, Philadelphia Eagles 1949ers 17, Philadelphia Eagles 2249ers 17, Philadelphia Eagles 22[3][1][2]

1234T
Philadelphia Eagles0316303192222
San Francisco 49ers01007010101717

Scoring plays

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

Q1

TeamPlayScore
No scoring this quarter.

Q2

TeamPlayScore
EaglesTony Franklin 32 yard field goal3-0
49ersWendell Tyler 32 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)3-7
49ersRay Wersching 23 yard field goal3-10

Q3

TeamPlayScore
EaglesMichael Haddix 1 yard rush9-10
EaglesTony Franklin 30 yard field goal12-10
EaglesHubie Oliver 17 yard pass from Joe Pisarcik (Tony Franklin kick)19-10

Q4

TeamPlayScore
EaglesTony Franklin 47 yard field goal22-10
49ersEarl Cooper 73 yard pass from Guy Benjamin (Ray Wersching kick)22-17

Recap

Recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Guy Benjamin relieved Joe Montana in the second half and threw a 73-yard touchdown to Earl Cooper in the fourth quarter, but the Philadelphia Eagles held on to beat the 49ers 22-17 at Candlestick Park. Montana started but was pulled after going 10 of 20 for 118 yards with an interception. Wendell Tyler rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown in his 49ers debut. The 49ers fell to 0-1.[1][2][3]

Columnist recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Montana had a rough opener — 10 of 20 for 118 yards — and Guy Benjamin came on in the second half. Benjamin's 73-yard touchdown to Cooper cut the deficit to 22-17 in the fourth quarter. The 49ers could not complete the comeback.

Wendell Tyler had 73 yards on 11 carries and a rushing touchdown in his first game as a 49er. Cooper caught two for 83 yards including the long score from Benjamin. Russ Francis caught three for 42. The 49ers moved the ball but stalled inside the Eagles' 20 multiple times in the first half.

The Eagles scored on a 42-yard Wilbert Montgomery run and two Harold Carmichael touchdown catches from Ron Jaworski. Jaworski went 18 of 30 for 243 yards. The 49ers allowed 353 total yards in a home loss to start the year.

By the numbers
AI summary based on verified facts

Eagles 22, 49ers 17. Margin: minus 5. Record: 0-1.

  • Montana: 10 of 20, 118 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT (replaced in 2nd half).
  • Benjamin: completed 73y TD to Cooper in Q4.
  • Tyler: 11 carries for 73 yards, 1 rushing TD.
  • Cooper: 2 catches for 83 yards, 1 TD.
  • Jaworski (PHI): 18 of 30, 243 yards, 2 TDs.
  • Montgomery (PHI): 1 rushing TD, 42 yards.
  • Quarter scoring SF: 7-3-0-7. PHI: 7-8-7-0.
  • 49ers 0-1; Eagles 1-0.
Film room
AI summary based on verified facts

A 22-17 home loss to open the 1983 season. Montana was replaced by Guy Benjamin after an uncharacteristic first half.

How it unfolded

The 49ers scored first on Tyler's rushing touchdown. The Eagles answered with Carmichael's touchdown from Jaworski and Montgomery's 42-yard run. The 49ers' offense went quiet in the second half until Benjamin's 73-yard strike to Cooper in the fourth quarter. The comeback drive stalled on the next possession.

The turning point

Montana's first-half struggles. The 49ers' offense could not sustain drives with Montana at 118 yards through 20 attempts. Walsh pulled him for Benjamin; the backup's long touchdown showed what the offense could produce but arrived too late.

By the numbers

Tyler's debut: 11 carries for 73 yards and the touchdown. Cooper's 73-yard catch was the day's longest play. Montana's 5.9 yards per attempt was below his normal output. The Eagles' 353 total yards showed the defense also had work to do.

What it means

0-1 is recoverable. Tyler is the piece Walsh wanted; Thursday night at Minnesota is the reset.

Box score

SFOpp
Team totals
First Downs2017
Total Yards281336
Turnovers13
Passing
Comp/Att15/1915/30
Pass yards186219
Pass TD11
Interceptions01
Sacks taken41
Sack yards lost309
Net pass yards156210
Rushing
Rushes4128
Rush yards125126
Rush TD11
Discipline
Fumbles13
Fumbles lost12
Penalties77
Penalty yards6644

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
SFO
Joe Montana #1610/201180147.5
Guy Benjamin5/1010110119.2
PHI
Joe Pisarcik8/1010110142.1
Ron Jaworski7/98500106

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
SFO
Wendell Tyler #261173132
Roger Craig #33144207
Joe Montana #1621007
Guy Benjamin1101
PHI
Michael Haddix2476111
Hubie Oliver938013
Michael Williams610010
Major Everett1202
Joe Pisarcik1-10-1

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
SFO
Earl Cooper #49283173
Dwight Clark #87457026
Roger Craig #33324013
Freddie Solomon #88224014
Wendell Tyler #26218011
Renaldo Nehemiah #821909
Russ Francis #811404
PHI
Mike Quick682033
Hubie Oliver233117
Harold Carmichael225017
Michael Haddix119019
Michael Williams1909
Ron Smith1808
Vyto Kab1606
Al Dixon1404

Discuss on Reddit

Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.

Find the thread Start the thread

Canonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1983 W1 - 49ers vs Philadelphia Eagles - Game Thread