The 49ers (9-6) host the Dallas Cowboys (10-5) at Candlestick Park on Sun December 22, 1985.
Joe Montana continues. Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler share the backfield. The Cowboys start Danny White at quarterback with Tony Dorsett at running back. Roger Craig needs 33 yards to become the first NFL player to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Win and the 49ers make the playoffs. Lose and they are done.[1][2][3]
Win and the 49ers are in. Craig needs 33 rushing yards to complete the historic 1,000-1,000 season — no player in NFL history has done it. The Candlestick crowd will be tracking both milestones simultaneously.
The Cowboys at 10-5 have their own motivations — seeding position in the NFC playoffs. Danny White and Tony Dorsett lead the Dallas offense. But the 49ers are playing for survival and the home crowd has been the team's most reliable advantage all year.
Sunday's season finale is the week's headline game. The 49ers (9-6) need the win to reach the playoffs. The Cowboys (10-5) play for seeding. Roger Craig's 33-yard milestone adds a historic individual subplot to the game's playoff stakes. The Bears (15-0) have clinched the NFC's top seed. The Rams (11-5) won the NFC West. The 49ers' win sends them to the wild card round.
Through fifteen games the 49ers are 9-6 with a plus 100 differential. The Cowboys are 10-5 with a plus 73. Danny White is 223 of 365, 3,039 yards, 21 touchdowns, 17 interceptions. Dorsett has 295 carries for 1,307 yards and seven touchdowns. Montana is 306 of 515, 3,648 yards, 26 TDs, thirteen INTs on the year. Craig has 967 rushing yards and 895 receiving yards through fifteen games.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 8-7 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-8 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7-8 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 5-10 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 11-4 | W6 |
| New England Patriots | 10-5 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 10-5 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-11 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2-13 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 11-4 | W5 |
| Denver Broncos | 10-5 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 8-7 | W3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 8-7 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-10 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 11-4 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9-6 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-10 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-12 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 14-1 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 7-8 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7-8 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-8 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-13 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-5 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 9-6 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-6 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-9 | L4 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-10 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | Doug Cosbie 1 yard pass from Gary Hogeboom (Rafael Septien kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | Rafael Septien 29 yard field goal | 10-0 |
| Cowboys | Rafael Septien 48 yard field goal | 13-0 |
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 49 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 13-7 |
| Cowboys | Rafael Septien 41 yard field goal | 16-7 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 39 yard field goal | 16-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 4 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 16-17 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 15 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 16-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 24 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 16-31 |
Roger Craig rushed for 77 yards including a 9-yard touchdown to become the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards in the same season as the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-16 at Candlestick Park. Joe Montana threw two touchdown passes on 25 of 35 for 339 yards with one interception. The 49ers finished 10-6 and reached the NFC playoffs.[1][2][3]
Craig's 77-yard rushing day put him over 1,000 on the ground (1,044 total) while his receiving production earlier in the year had crossed 1,000 yards — completing the historic dual milestone. The 49ers won 31-16 behind Montana's 339-yard, two-touchdown performance.
Montana's two touchdown passes came on drives of 65 and 72 yards. Craig's rushing touchdown came in the second quarter as the 49ers built a 24-7 halftime lead. The 39-carry, 109-yard rushing game was the sustained ground effort Walsh drew up for the close-it-out season finale.
Danny White went 25 of 41 for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Dorsett ran for 89 yards on 21 carries. The Cowboys scored 16 but the 49ers' lead was too large to overcome. The 31-16 final completed the 10-6 season.
49ers 31, Cowboys 16. Margin: plus 15. Record: 10-6.
A 31-16 home win over the Dallas Cowboys. Roger Craig completes the first 1,000-1,000 season in NFL history. The 49ers finish 10-6 and reach the playoffs.
How it unfolded
Montana's first touchdown pass came on the second drive. Craig's rushing score gave the 49ers a 17-7 second-quarter lead. The 24-7 halftime lead was built through four consecutive scoring drives. The 49ers added a fourth-quarter touchdown after Dallas scored twice in the third.
The turning point
Craig's 9-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter completing a two-scoring-drive sequence that made the game effectively a two-score contest by the midpoint of the second.
By the numbers
Montana 25 of 35 at 9.7 per attempt, two touchdowns, one interception. Craig 77 rushing yards on 22 carries — 1,044 for the year — plus his 1,000+ receiving season. Montana's 339 yards give him 3,653 for the year. The 49ers' defense held Dorsett to 89 yards.
What it means
10-6 Wild Card. Roger Craig's historic 1,000-1,000 season is complete. The 49ers head to the NFC playoffs having recovered from a 3-4 start. The Giants host the Wild Card game.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 25 | 22 |
| Total Yards | 419 | 421 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 3 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 29/50 | 25/35 |
| Pass yards | 397 | 339 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 6 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 38 | 27 |
| Net pass yards | 359 | 312 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 30 | 22 |
| Rush yards | 60 | 109 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 2 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 2 |
| Penalties | 3 | 10 |
| Penalty yards | 18 | 77 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 24/34 | 322 | 2 | 1 | 107.7 |
| Matt Cavanaugh | 1/1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 118.7 |
| DAL | |||||
| Gary Hogeboom | 28/49 | 389 | 1 | 2 | 72.6 |
| Steve Pelluer | 1/1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 13 | 72 | 1 | 19 |
| Derrick Harmon | 6 | 24 | 0 | 15 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
| DAL | ||||
| Tony Dorsett | 19 | 49 | 0 | 16 |
| Todd Fowler | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Timmy Newsome | 8 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Gary Hogeboom | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 7 | 111 | 0 | 31 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 5 | 99 | 2 | 49 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 5 | 57 | 0 | 13 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 15 |
| Freddie Solomon #88 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Derrick Harmon | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| DAL | ||||
| Mike Renfro | 9 | 164 | 0 | 37 |
| Karl Powe | 7 | 127 | 0 | 34 |
| Doug Cosbie | 3 | 40 | 1 | 22 |
| Timmy Newsome | 4 | 31 | 0 | 9 |
| Tony Dorsett | 3 | 25 | 0 | 13 |
| Todd Fowler | 3 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
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