The 49ers (14-1) host the Los Angeles Rams (10-5) at Candlestick Park on Fri December 14, 1984, to close the regular season.
Joe Montana continues. Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler share the backfield. The Rams start Vince Ferragamo with Eric Dickerson, who is chasing the NFL single-season rushing record.
Dickerson needs 95 yards to break Jim Brown's record. The 49ers hold him to 98 yards — the record falls at Candlestick.[1][2][3]
Eric Dickerson enters Friday night 94 yards from Jim Brown's single-season record. The 49ers' defense will not stop him — Dickerson runs for 98 and the record falls.
The 49ers' narrative is protecting home field and finishing 15-1. Montana manages 219 yards and two touchdowns on 20 of 31 with zero interceptions. The defense holds the Rams to 16 despite the record-breaking night.
Friday night in December closes the regular season. The 49ers (14-1) have the NFC's top seed. The Rams (10-5) have the NFC West's second-place finish. The Dolphins (14-1) and 49ers are the league's best records. The NFC's Bears (10-5) await in the playoffs. The 49ers' season finale features Dickerson's push for Jim Brown's single-season rushing record in the game's primary subplot.
Through fifteen games the 49ers are 14-1 with a plus 256 differential. The Rams are 10-5 with a plus 75. Dickerson has 279 carries for 1,792 yards — 94 yards from Jim Brown's 1963 record. Ferragamo is 213 of 359, 2,590 yards, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions. Montana is 292 of 465, 3,733 yards, 28 TDs, ten INTs on the year.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-7 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-8 | W3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4-11 | L2 |
| Houston Oilers | 3-12 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 13-2 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 8-7 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 7-8 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-11 | L4 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-13 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 12-3 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 12-3 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 11-4 | W4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-8 | W2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 7-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 14-1 | W8 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 10-5 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-9 | L3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-12 | L9 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 9-6 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7-8 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-10 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-10-1 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-12 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 10-5 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 9-6 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 9-6 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 9-6 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-8-1 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 41 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| 49ers | Freddie Solomon 47 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 3-7 |
| 49ers | Earl Cooper 1 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 3-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 38 yard field goal | 3-17 |
| Rams | Eric Dickerson 4 yard rush (Mike Lansford kick) | 10-17 |
| Rams | Mike Lansford 28 yard field goal | 13-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 42 yard field goal | 16-17 |
| 49ers | Safety, Johnson tackled Kemp in end zone | 16-19 |
Eric Dickerson broke Jim Brown's single-season rushing record with 98 yards at Candlestick Park but the 49ers held on to beat the Los Angeles Rams 19-16. Joe Montana threw two touchdown passes on 20 of 31 for 219 yards with no interceptions. Ray Wersching kicked a field goal. The Rams scored 16 points but could not overcome the 49ers' scoring drives. The 49ers finished the regular season 15-1.[1][2][3]
Dickerson's record fell at Candlestick — 98 yards gave him 1,879 for the year, breaking Jim Brown's 1963 mark — but the 49ers won 19-16 to finish 15-1. Montana's two-touchdown, zero-interception game provided the scoring edge.
Montana's 219 yards were modest for a season finale but the quality of the throws was not. Two touchdown passes and a clean completion percentage on 20 of 31 gave the offense enough production to hold the lead.
Ferragamo went 11 of 22 for 180 yards without a touchdown. Dickerson's 98 yards were the game's defining statistic historically but the 49ers' defense held the Rams to 16 total points. The 19-16 final was the year's closest win after Pittsburgh; the 49ers earned it through steady execution.
49ers 19, Rams 16. Margin: plus 3. Record: 15-1.
A 19-16 regular-season-closing home win over the Los Angeles Rams. Eric Dickerson breaks Jim Brown's record at Candlestick; the 49ers finish 15-1.
How it unfolded
Montana's first touchdown came in the opening quarter. The 49ers led 10-7 at halftime. Two field goals in the third expanded the lead to 19-7. The Rams scored twice in the fourth to cut it to 19-16 but could not complete the comeback.
The turning point
Dickerson's record-breaking run. The moment shifted the crowd's attention but not the scoreboard. After the record fell, the 49ers held on without yielding a touchdown. The defense's containment of Ferragamo to zero touchdowns made the difference.
By the numbers
Montana 20 of 31 at 7.1 per attempt, two touchdowns, zero interceptions. Dickerson 98 yards and the all-time record. Ferragamo 180 yards and zero touchdowns. The 49ers' 19 points were the season's lowest winning total outside the Atlanta defensive game.
What it means
15-1, NFC's top seed. The 49ers host the NFC divisional round. Montana's 28 touchdowns and 3,630 yards are the year's best passing line in the conference. The postseason begins at Candlestick.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 19 | 15 |
| Total Yards | 355 | 289 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 11/22 | 20/31 |
| Pass yards | 180 | 219 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 10 | 19 |
| Net pass yards | 170 | 200 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 37 | 20 |
| Rush yards | 185 | 89 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 6 | 8 |
| Penalty yards | 57 | 75 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 20/31 | 219 | 2 | 0 | 106.8 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jeff Kemp | 11/22 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 77.8 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 8 | 59 | 0 | 28 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 8 | 32 | 0 | 10 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | -6 | 0 | -6 |
| RAM | ||||
| Eric Dickerson | 26 | 98 | 1 | 22 |
| Barry Redden | 5 | 54 | 0 | 14 |
| Dwayne Crutchfield | 4 | 20 | 0 | 12 |
| Jeff Kemp | 2 | 13 | 0 | 9 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 3 | 87 | 1 | 47 |
| Earl Cooper #49 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 17 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 16 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 12 |
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 12 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| RAM | ||||
| Ron Brown | 3 | 55 | 0 | 34 |
| Drew Hill | 2 | 43 | 0 | 23 |
| David Hill | 1 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| Henry Ellard | 2 | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| James McDonald | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Eric Dickerson | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Mike Guman | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
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