The 49ers (7-1) travel to Anaheim Stadium for a 1:00 PM PT kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams (5-3) on Sun October 28, 1984.
Joe Montana continues. Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler share the backfield. The Rams start Vince Ferragamo at quarterback with Eric Dickerson in his second year.
Dickerson is on pace for the NFL single-season rushing record. The 49ers' defense will face the most dangerous ground game in the conference.[1][2][3]
Eric Dickerson is threatening Jim Brown's single-season rushing record midway through the year. The Rams are 5-3 and the NFC West's second-place team. Dickerson against the 49ers' front is the matchup the league is watching.
Montana has not thrown an interception in the last two games. The 49ers' defense is the NFC's most efficient by points allowed. This is the season's most high-profile divisional road game — Dickerson, Ferragamo, and Anaheim against the 49ers' defense and Montana.
Week nine is the late-October divisional matchup. The 49ers (7-1) lead the NFC West by three games over the Rams (5-3). The Dolphins remain the AFC's leader at 9-0. The NFC's other strong teams are the Cowboys and the Bears. The 49ers' road game at Anaheim is the week's NFC West signature game and the Dickerson-versus-the-defense subplot makes it nationally significant.
Through eight games the 49ers are 7-1 with a plus 82 differential. The Rams are 5-3 with a plus 44. Dickerson has 166 carries for 908 yards and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Ferragamo is 136 of 218, 1,650 yards, nine touchdowns, five interceptions. Montana is 148 of 247, 1,961 yards, 16 TDs, three INTs on the year. The 49ers held Dickerson to 99 yards in the 1983 meeting.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-4 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-6 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-7 | L4 |
| Houston Oilers | 0-8 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 8-0 | W8 |
| New York Jets | 6-2 | W3 |
| New England Patriots | 5-3 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 3-5 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0-8 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 7-1 | W6 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-1 | W3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-2 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-4 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-4 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-1 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-3 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-5 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-5 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 5-3 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-5 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-5 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-6 | L4 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-7 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 5-3 | W1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-3 | W3 |
| Washington Redskins | 5-3 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 4-4 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4-4 | W3 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 46 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 46 yard field goal | 6-0 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 64 yard pass from Joe Montana (pass failed) | 12-0 |
| 49ers | Freddie Solomon 6 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 19-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 6 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 26-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 44 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 33-0 |
Joe Montana threw three touchdown passes and finished with 376 yards as the 49ers shut out the Los Angeles Rams 33-0 at Anaheim Stadium. Montana finished 22 of 32 with no interceptions. The 49ers' defense held Eric Dickerson to 72 yards on 19 carries. Vince Ferragamo was intercepted twice and sacked twice. The 49ers moved to 8-1.[1][2][3]
The 49ers shut out the Rams 33-0 while holding Eric Dickerson to 72 yards. Montana threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers' most dominant performance of the season through nine weeks.
Montana found Dwight Clark, Russ Francis, and the running backs for his three scoring passes. The 49ers scored on their first four possessions and the game's outcome was decided before halftime. Ferragamo went 14 of 30 for 180 yards and two interceptions — no touchdowns.
The 49ers' defense was the performance that stood out. Dickerson, averaging over 100 yards per game coming in, was limited to 3.8 yards per carry. The defensive front stopped the outside runs that Dickerson had been bouncing for 10-yard gains against other NFC defenses. The 33-0 shutout road win at Anaheim was the 1984 season's defining performance.
49ers 33, Rams 0. Margin: plus 33. Record: 8-1.
A 33-0 road shutout at Anaheim Stadium — the 49ers' most dominant win of the 1984 season.
How it unfolded
Montana's first touchdown pass came on the second drive. The 49ers scored in the first, second, and third quarters. The Rams' offense never reached the end zone and did not sustain a drive beyond midfield until the fourth quarter.
The turning point
The 49ers' defense holding Dickerson to 72 yards. The Rams' game plan was built around Dickerson's production. When the front seven limited him to 3.8 per carry, the offense had no second dimension to fall back on.
By the numbers
Montana 22 of 32 at 11.75 yards per attempt — the year's most efficient passing game. Three touchdowns, zero interceptions. Dickerson held 72 yards below his season average. The shutout road win against a division rival.
What it means
8-1 heading home for Cincinnati. The Rams shutout is the 1984 season's signature game. The 49ers have beaten the NFC's best division rival without allowing a point.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 23 | 12 |
| Total Yards | 472 | 206 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 5 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 22/32 | 14/30 |
| Pass yards | 376 | 180 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 5 |
| Sack yards lost | 15 | 46 |
| Net pass yards | 361 | 134 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 39 | 19 |
| Rush yards | 111 | 72 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 5 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 3 |
| Penalties | 6 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 41 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/31 | 365 | 3 | 0 | 139.9 |
| Matt Cavanaugh | 1/1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 112.5 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jeff Kemp | 14/30 | 180 | 0 | 2 | 38.2 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 13 | 27 | 0 | 8 |
| Derrick Harmon | 5 | 25 | 0 | 14 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 24 | 1 | 7 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| RAM | ||||
| Eric Dickerson | 13 | 38 | 0 | 15 |
| Jeff Kemp | 4 | 27 | 0 | 12 |
| Henry Ellard | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Barry Redden | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 6 | 94 | 1 | 38 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 4 | 90 | 1 | 44 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 83 | 1 | 64 |
| Renaldo Nehemiah #82 | 3 | 48 | 0 | 26 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 16 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 16 |
| John Frank | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| RAM | ||||
| Henry Ellard | 4 | 94 | 0 | 30 |
| David Hill | 4 | 31 | 0 | 22 |
| Ron Brown | 2 | 26 | 0 | 15 |
| Eric Dickerson | 3 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
| Mike Guman | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
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