The 49ers (7-6) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-11) at Candlestick Park on Sun December 4, 1983.
Joe Montana continues after the loss in Chicago. Wendell Tyler at running back. The Buccaneers start Jack Thompson at quarterback with James Wilder at running back.
The 49ers need to win out to have any playoff chance. The Buccaneers at 2-11 are the right opponent to start a three-game winning streak.[1][2][3]
After losing three of four, the 49ers host the league's worst team. Tampa Bay is 2-11 and rebuilding under McKay. Jack Thompson starts; James Wilder has been the most consistent weapon. The 49ers need to control from the first quarter and make it about execution.
The real danger is overconfidence. Walsh knows it. The talent gap is real and the home crowd needs a dominant performance before the season's final two games.
Week fourteen continues the December home stretch. The 49ers are in the final three games of the regular season in a must-win streak. Tampa Bay (2-11) is the week's most lopsided matchup on paper. The NFC's Wild Card race is tightening: multiple teams are fighting for the two available spots. The 49ers' home game against the Buccaneers is the kind of game that either confirms a winning run or produces an upset that ends a season.
Through thirteen games the 49ers are 7-6 with a plus 73 differential. The Buccaneers are 2-11 with a minus 120. Thompson is 91 of 170, 1,268 yards, nine touchdowns, 11 interceptions. Wilder has 142 carries for 613 yards. Montana is 276 of 422, 3,042 yards, 21 TDs, ten INTs on the year. Tyler has 800 rushing yards through thirteen games.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-4 | L2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8-5 | W3 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5-8 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-12 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 9-4 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 7-6 | L2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 6-7 | L3 |
| New England Patriots | 6-7 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 6-7 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 10-3 | W4 |
| Denver Broncos | 7-6 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-6 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-8 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 5-8 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 8-5 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7-6 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-6 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 6-7 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 7-6 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-6 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-7 | W3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6-7 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 11-2 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 11-2 | W6 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-7-1 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4-9 | L7 |
| New York Giants | 3-9-1 | L1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 10 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-14 |
| Buccaneers | Theo Bell 9 yard pass from Jack Thompson (Bill Capece kick) | 7-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Montana 12 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 7-21 |
| Buccaneers | Kevin House 74 yard pass from Jack Thompson (Bill Capece kick) | 14-21 |
| 49ers | Bill Ring 3 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 14-28 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 14 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 14-35 |
| Buccaneers | Mel Carver 3 yard pass from Jack Thompson (Bill Capece kick) | 21-35 |
Wendell Tyler rushed for 102 yards and the 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-21 at Candlestick Park. Joe Montana threw for 227 yards on 31 attempts with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Dwight Clark caught six for 90 yards. The 49ers' run game and defense controlled the afternoon. The 49ers moved to 8-6 with two games left.[1][2][3]
The 49ers handled Tampa Bay 35-21 with Tyler's 102 rushing yards leading the run game and the defense producing multiple takeaways. Montana threw clean football — 227 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions — as the run game and defense did the heavy lifting.
Tyler's 100-yard game was the offense's anchor; Clark's six catches for 90 yards were the passing game's consistent thread. The 49ers' ground game had not produced 100-yard output since before the Chicago loss, and the return to that rhythm gave the offense a first-down base to build from.
Thompson went 22 of 40 for 244 yards and one touchdown for Tampa Bay. Wilder ran 16 times for 90 yards. The Buccaneers' offense kept the score from being a blowout but the 49ers' defense forced two turnovers and held Tampa Bay to 21 points. The 49ers need to win the last two games.
49ers 35, Buccaneers 21. Margin: plus 14. Record: 8-6.
A 35-21 home win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 49ers move to 8-6 with two games left in the season.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored first and led 21-7 at halftime. Tyler's running game controlled the third quarter. Two more scores in the second half expanded the lead before Tampa Bay's late touchdown made it 35-21.
The turning point
Tyler's 100-yard game. The run game's return to form in the second quarter established the run-pass balance that the 49ers' offense operates best with. The Buccaneers' defense could not stop the running game and that opened the passing lanes.
By the numbers
Montana 21 of 31, no touchdowns, no interceptions — clean execution game. Tyler 102 on 16 carries. Clark six for 90. The 49ers' defense forced two turnovers. Tampa Bay managed 21 points against a defense that had been giving up too many in the previous three weeks.
What it means
8-6 with two games left. Both must be wins. Buffalo at Rich Stadium, then Dallas at Candlestick in the finale.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 19 | 29 |
| Total Yards | 359 | 460 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 25/46 | 22/32 |
| Pass yards | 337 | 239 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 16 | 6 |
| Net pass yards | 321 | 233 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 19 | 40 |
| Rush yards | 38 | 227 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 5 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 4 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 7 | 8 |
| Penalty yards | 55 | 52 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/31 | 227 | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| Guy Benjamin | 1/1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 116.7 |
| TAM | |||||
| Jack Thompson | 25/46 | 337 | 3 | 2 | 81.5 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 16 | 102 | 0 | 16 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 15 | 71 | 3 | 15 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 4 | 31 | 1 | 12 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 6 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Jeff Moore | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| TAM | ||||
| Mel Carver | 11 | 19 | 0 | 6 |
| James Owens | 6 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Adger Armstrong | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Jack Thompson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Dwight Clark #87 | 6 | 90 | 0 | 33 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 20 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 12 |
| Jeff Moore | 1 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| TAM | ||||
| Kevin House | 6 | 156 | 1 | 74 |
| Gerald Carter | 4 | 52 | 0 | 24 |
| Adger Armstrong | 4 | 44 | 0 | 27 |
| Mel Carver | 5 | 32 | 1 | 10 |
| Jim Obradovich | 2 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
| Theo Bell | 2 | 16 | 1 | 9 |
| Andre Tyler | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| James Owens | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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