The 49ers (3-1) travel to Schaefer Stadium, Foxboro, for a 1:00 PM ET kickoff against the New England Patriots (1-3) on Sun October 2, 1983.
Joe Montana continues. Wendell Tyler and Roger Craig share the backfield. The Patriots start Tony Eason at quarterback. Tony Collins runs the ball for New England.
The 49ers are the road favorites in a game they need to win before tougher opponents arrive.[1][2][3]
The Patriots (1-3) are rebuilding under Ron Meyer. Tony Eason is a second-year quarterback finding his footing. The 49ers come in at 3-1, averaging over 37 points through four weeks.
October road games in New England carry weather the Metrodome did not. The West Coast offense works best in controlled conditions. Foxboro is already cooling, and the Patriots' defensive line can create the pocket pressure that disrupts timing routes.
Week five is the early October cross-conference schedule. The NFC's dominant teams are the Redskins, Cowboys, and 49ers. The AFC's Dolphins (4-0) and Raiders (4-0) are the undefeated leaders. The Patriots, playing their third home game in four weeks, need a win to stay relevant in the AFC East. The 49ers' cross-conference game is the week's West-East measuring stick.
Through four games the 49ers are 3-1 with a plus 45 differential. The Patriots are 1-3 with a minus 29. Eason is 57 of 98, 719 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions through four games. Collins has 58 carries for 252 yards. Montana is 71 of 100, 750 yards, ten touchdowns, three interceptions on the year. Tyler has three 100-yard games in his last three starts.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 3-1 | W3 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-2 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-3 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 3-1 | W3 |
| Miami Dolphins | 3-1 | W1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2-2 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-2 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 2-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 4-0 | W4 |
| Denver Broncos | 2-2 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-2 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-3 | L3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-3 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-1 | W3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-2 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2-2 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-2 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-1 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-2 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 1-3 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-3 | L3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-0 | W4 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-1 | W3 |
| New York Giants | 2-2 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-2 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 1-3 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Derrick Ramsey 30 yard pass from Steve Grogan | 0-6 |
| 49ers | Russ Francis 8 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 7-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jeff Moore 2 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 14-6 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 45 yard field goal | 17-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 35 yard field goal | 20-6 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 36 yard field goal | 23-6 |
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 13 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 30-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Stanley Morgan 32 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick) | 30-13 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 24 yard field goal | 33-13 |
Joe Montana threw two touchdown passes and Ray Wersching kicked a field goal as the 49ers beat the New England Patriots 33-13 at Foxboro. Montana finished 25 of 38 for 288 yards with no interceptions. Carl Monroe caught a 50-yard touchdown pass. Roger Craig rushed 18 times for 54 yards. The 49ers improved to 4-1.[1][2][3]
The 49ers controlled the New England game from the first quarter and won comfortably at 33-13. Montana's clean 288-yard, two-touchdown, zero-interception performance was the kind of efficient road game Walsh's offense is built to produce.
Carl Monroe's 50-yard touchdown was the game's biggest play — a deep ball on play-action that the Patriots' coverage did not account for in their first defensive possession of the second half. Craig ran 18 times for 54 yards, a steady contribution that kept the chain-moving game alive alongside the passing attack.
Tony Eason managed 18 of 32 for 159 yards and no touchdowns before leaving with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. Matt Cavanaugh came on and went 2 of 3 for 19 yards. Collins rushed for 63 yards on 16 carries as New England's lone consistent weapon. The 49ers' defense produced two interceptions.
49ers 33, Patriots 13. Margin: plus 20. Record: 4-1.
A 33-13 road win at Foxboro. The 49ers move to 4-1 with their third road win in four games.
How it unfolded
Montana's first touchdown pass came on the opening drive. The 49ers scored on four of their first five possessions. Monroe's 50-yard score in the third quarter expanded the lead to three scores. Wersching's field goal closed it at 33-13.
The turning point
Montana's second-quarter efficiency. The 49ers built a 20-7 lead by halftime without turning the ball over, a pace the Patriots' offense could not match.
By the numbers
Montana 25 of 38, 7.6 yards per attempt, two touchdowns, zero interceptions. Third road game of the year with Montana over 280 yards and multiple touchdowns. The 49ers' defense held the Patriots' offense to 178 total yards in the second half.
What it means
4-1 heading home to face the Rams. The road wins at Minnesota, St. Louis, and New England established the 49ers' offense as the NFC's most productive through five weeks.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 29 | 14 |
| Total Yards | 426 | 295 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 25/38 | 16/29 |
| Pass yards | 288 | 251 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 5 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 36 | 31 |
| Net pass yards | 252 | 220 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 42 | 18 |
| Rush yards | 174 | 75 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 0 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 2 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 10 | 53 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 25/38 | 288 | 2 | 0 | 106 |
| NWE | |||||
| Steve Grogan | 16/29 | 251 | 2 | 1 | 92.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 18 | 54 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 5 | 41 | 0 | 16 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 10 | 36 | 0 | 6 |
| Jeff Moore | 3 | 18 | 1 | 13 |
| Carl Monroe | 5 | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| Matt Cavanaugh | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| NWE | ||||
| Mosi Tatupu | 4 | 25 | 0 | 13 |
| Mark van Eeghen | 5 | 22 | 0 | 10 |
| Tony Collins | 7 | 17 | 0 | 9 |
| Robert Weathers | 2 | 11 | 0 | 8 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Carl Monroe | 1 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 3 | 48 | 0 | 21 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 6 | 46 | 1 | 13 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 3 | 44 | 1 | 19 |
| Renaldo Nehemiah #82 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Jeff Moore | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 12 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 12 |
| Eason Ramson | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| NWE | ||||
| Stanley Morgan | 6 | 78 | 1 | 32 |
| Clarence Weathers | 3 | 57 | 0 | 24 |
| Tony Collins | 2 | 32 | 0 | 20 |
| Derrick Ramsey | 1 | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| Stephen Starring | 2 | 29 | 0 | 16 |
| Cedric Jones | 2 | 25 | 0 | 18 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1983 W5 - 49ers at New England Patriots - Game Thread
