The 49ers (1-0) travel to Anaheim Stadium for a 1:00 PM PT kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams (1-0) on Sun September 14, 1986.
Jeff Kemp starts at quarterback in place of the injured Joe Montana. Roger Craig leads the backfield. Jerry Rice at receiver. The Rams start Dieter Brock with Eric Dickerson at running back.
Both teams opened 1-0. The West's first divisional game comes with the 49ers running a backup quarterback.[1][2][3]
Jeff Kemp's first start comes in the hardest venue: a division road game at Anaheim. Dickerson is the conference's best runner; the Rams' front seven can disrupt a first-start quarterback's rhythm.
The offense was built for Montana's timing routes. Kemp is capable but not the system's architect. Rice makes the passing game viable, but the run game and defensive turnovers carry Kemp's starts. The 1984 NFC Championship win at Anaheim is the franchise's most recent divisional benchmark.
Week two is the first NFC West divisional game of the year. The 49ers (1-0) and Rams (1-0) enter after identical openers. The Bears (1-0) and Giants (1-0) lead their conferences. The 49ers' road game at Anaheim Stadium is the West's week-two headline. Kemp starting the first division game is the year's first major storyline beyond the opener result.
Through one game the 49ers are 1-0 with a plus 24 differential. The Rams are 1-0. Dickerson ran 30 carries for 122 yards in the Rams' opener. Montana threw before injury in W1; Kemp threw 10-yard TD in relief. Craig ran 30 carries for 108 yards in W1. Rice caught two passes in W1. The 49ers are 2-1 against the Rams in the last three meetings including the 1984 NFC Championship win.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-1 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-1 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-0 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0-1 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 1-0 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-0 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-0 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-0 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1-0 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-0 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1-0 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-0 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-1 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-0 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 0-1 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-1 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-1 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 24 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | LeRoy Irvin 65 yard blocked field goal return (Mike Lansford kick) | 0-10 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 46 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 32 yard field goal | 3-13 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 66 yard pass from Jeff Kemp (Ray Wersching kick) | 10-13 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 29 yard field goal | 13-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 18 yard field goal | 13-16 |
Eric Dickerson ran for 103 yards and Mike Lansford kicked a field goal as time expired as the Los Angeles Rams beat the 49ers 16-13 at Anaheim Stadium. Jeff Kemp finished 19 of 24 for 252 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Roger Craig ran for 78 yards on 28 carries. The 49ers fell to 1-1.[1][2][3]
The Rams edged the 49ers 16-13 on Lansford's field goal as time expired in Jeff Kemp's first NFL start. Kemp's 19-of-24, 252-yard performance was efficient by completion rate, but two interceptions gave the Rams the field position they converted into the winning score.
Dickerson ran for 103 yards against the 49ers' front seven. Brock went 13 of 24 for 114 yards — no touchdowns, no turnovers — managing the game conservatively. The Rams ran the ball, kicked field goals, and made the one they needed.
Craig's 78 yards on 28 carries were not enough to overcome a two-interception day at a difficult division road venue. The 49ers' defense held the Rams to six first downs but the turnovers were the game.
Rams 16, 49ers 13. Margin: minus 3. Record: 1-1.
A 13-16 road loss at Anaheim Stadium. Kemp's first start produces a one-point loss to the division leader.
How it unfolded
Wersching's two field goals and Kemp's touchdown pass gave the 49ers a 13-13 tie late. Lansford's field goal as time expired ended it. Neither offense scored touchdowns in the second half.
The turning point
Kemp's two interceptions. Each converted into Rams field position. The defense held Brock to zero touchdowns but Dickerson's ground game controlled enough clock for the Lansford game-winner.
By the numbers
Kemp 19 of 24 at 10.5 per attempt but two interceptions. Craig 78 yards on 28 carries. Dickerson 103 on 22 carries. Defense allowed zero Brock touchdowns but the Lansford kick was the final word.
What it means
1-1 heading home for New Orleans. The Rams lead the West at 2-0. Kemp's first start showed the offense can move the ball with the backup, but turnovers are the critical variable.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 13 | 14 |
| Total Yards | 325 | 192 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 19/24 | 13/24 |
| Pass yards | 252 | 114 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 5 | 25 |
| Net pass yards | 247 | 89 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 28 | 27 |
| Rush yards | 78 | 103 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 3 | 2 |
| Penalty yards | 25 | 10 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Kemp | 19/24 | 252 | 1 | 2 | 89.6 |
| RAM | |||||
| Steve Bartkowski | 13/24 | 114 | 0 | 0 | 67 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 15 | 44 | 0 | 17 |
| Joe Cribbs | 10 | 38 | 0 | 19 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Derrick Harmon | 1 | -5 | 0 | -5 |
| RAM | ||||
| Eric Dickerson | 19 | 78 | 0 | 20 |
| Barry Redden | 5 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| Ron Brown | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Steve Bartkowski | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 157 | 1 | 66 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 4 | 48 | 0 | 14 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 4 | 28 | 0 | 11 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Carl Monroe | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| RAM | ||||
| Barry Redden | 5 | 42 | 0 | 12 |
| Bobby Duckworth | 2 | 42 | 0 | 32 |
| Ron Brown | 4 | 22 | 0 | 9 |
| David Hill | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Eric Dickerson | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1986 W2 - 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - Game Thread
