The 49ers (7-5) travel to Soldier Field for a 1:00 PM CT kickoff against the Chicago Bears (6-6) on Sun November 27, 1983.
Joe Montana continues. Wendell Tyler and Roger Craig share the backfield. The Bears start Jim McMahon at quarterback with Walter Payton at running back.
Chicago is the NFC's physical team and Soldier Field in late November is among the league's toughest road environments. The 49ers need a win to stay in the division race.[1][2][3]
Walter Payton and the Bears' defense. That is what Sunday at Soldier Field looks like in November. McMahon starts but this Bears team wins with Payton's runs and a defense that takes Montana off schedule.
The 49ers have lost two of three. Chicago's Buddy Ryan defense will be the week's most-watched unit. If Montana can avoid early pressure and establish the run, the 49ers have the tools. If the Bears get to him in the first half, the road game becomes very difficult.
Week thirteen is the Thanksgiving weekend road slate. The NFC West race intensifies with four weeks left. The Falcons lead at 8-4; the 49ers and Rams are at 7-5. The Bears (6-6) are fighting for NFC wildcard position. The Redskins (10-2) are the NFC's clear frontrunner. Soldier Field on the Thanksgiving Sunday is one of the league's signature outdoor settings.
Through twelve games the 49ers are 7-5 with a plus 83 differential. The Bears are 6-6 with a minus 12. McMahon is 134 of 230, 1,891 yards, eight touchdowns, nine interceptions. Payton has 178 carries for 859 yards. Montana is 250 of 379, 2,787 yards, 21 TDs, eight INTs on the year. The 49ers are 2-1 all-time at Soldier Field.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-3 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-5 | W2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5-7 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-11 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 8-4 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 7-5 | L1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 6-6 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 6-6 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 5-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 9-3 | W3 |
| Denver Broncos | 7-5 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-6 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-7 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-5 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-5 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-6 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-5 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-6 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6-6 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 5-7 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-11 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-2 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 10-2 | W5 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-6-1 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4-8 | L6 |
| New York Giants | 3-8-1 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Bob Thomas 29 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 24 yard field goal | 3-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Dennis McKinnon 49 yard pass from Jim McMahon (Bob Thomas kick) | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Bob Thomas 23 yard field goal | 3-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
The Chicago Bears held the 49ers to three points on a cold, windy day at Soldier Field, winning 13-3. Joe Montana threw for 255 yards on 43 attempts but was intercepted twice and produced no touchdowns. Walter Payton rushed for 130 yards. Bob Thomas kicked three field goals. The 49ers fell to 7-6 and their NFC West hopes are now in crisis.[1][2][3]
The Bears won with defense and Walter Payton. Montana threw 43 passes in a cold Soldier Field wind and produced zero touchdowns. Two interceptions and the Bears' pressure combined for the 13-3 result.
Payton ran 29 times for 130 yards. McMahon managed 11 of 22 for 133 yards and one touchdown. Bob Thomas kicked field goals from 18, 29, and 23 yards to account for most of Chicago's scoring.
Montana's 43 attempts reflected a game where the 49ers' running game produced only 21 yards on 10 Craig carries. Mike Wilson's six catches for 81 yards were the offensive bright spot. The Bears' defensive front and the wind at Soldier Field in late November created the kind of environment where the West Coast timing routes lose their margin. The 49ers produced one scoring drive all day.
Bears 13, 49ers 3. Margin: minus 10. Record: 7-6.
A 13-3 road loss at Soldier Field. The 49ers fall to 7-6 with three games left and their NFC West hopes nearly gone.
How it unfolded
Wersching opened the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter. Thomas matched it. McMahon's touchdown pass gave the Bears a 10-3 halftime lead. Thomas kicked two more field goals in the third quarter to make it 13-3 and the 49ers could not answer.
The turning point
Montana's zero-touchdown game. With the 49ers in a critical division race, the offense managed 255 yards and three points. The Bears' pressure and the wind conditions were factors, but the red-zone conversion failure was the game's defining stat.
By the numbers
Montana 26 of 43 at 5.9 yards per attempt — the year's lowest output. Craig and Tyler combined for 36 yards rushing. Payton 130 on 29 carries controlled the clock for Chicago. The 49ers' 255 yards produced three points.
What it means
7-6 with three home games left. The 49ers need to win all three and get help to reach the playoffs. The home stretch begins at Candlestick against Tampa Bay.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 20 | 16 |
| Total Yards | 290 | 324 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 26/43 | 11/19 |
| Pass yards | 255 | 159 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 5 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 37 | 26 |
| Net pass yards | 218 | 133 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 25 | 41 |
| Rush yards | 72 | 191 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 1 |
| Penalties | 2 | 5 |
| Penalty yards | 18 | 33 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 26/43 | 255 | 0 | 2 | 57.8 |
| CHI | |||||
| Jim McMahon | 11/19 | 159 | 1 | 0 | 102.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 10 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 8 | 18 | 0 | 8 |
| Tom Orosz | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 6 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CHI | ||||
| Jim McMahon | 9 | 74 | 0 | 32 |
| Walter Payton | 16 | 68 | 0 | 23 |
| Matt Suhey | 14 | 47 | 0 | 23 |
| Brian Baschnagel | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Mike Wilson #85 | 6 | 81 | 0 | 38 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 7 | 57 | 0 | 12 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 3 | 42 | 0 | 26 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 9 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 11 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 5 |
| Renaldo Nehemiah #82 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Eason Ramson | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| CHI | ||||
| Dennis McKinnon | 3 | 65 | 1 | 49 |
| Walter Payton | 3 | 34 | 0 | 15 |
| Matt Suhey | 3 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Emery Moorehead | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Willie Gault | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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