The 49ers (1-1) host the New Orleans Saints (0-2) at Candlestick Park on Sun September 21, 1986.
Jeff Kemp continues at quarterback. Roger Craig leads the backfield. The Saints start Dave Wilson at quarterback with George Rogers at running back.
New Orleans is 0-2 under first-year head coach Jim Mora. The 49ers need the home win to stay within one game of the Rams in the NFC West.[1][2][3]
Jim Mora's Saints are 0-2 in his first year as head coach. Wilson has been inconsistent through two starts. The 49ers are at 1-1 back at Candlestick where the home crowd helps timing routes even with Kemp running the offense.
Kemp's 252-yard debut showed the offense can function. The Saints' defense has allowed 30 points in two games. Candlestick in late September is the right environment for Kemp to find rhythm. The run game and Rice are the two weapons Walsh builds around.
Week three is the late September home game. The 49ers (1-1) trail the Rams (2-0) by one game. The Saints (0-2) have lost both games by double figures under first-year coach Jim Mora. The Bears (2-0) lead the NFC early. The Giants (2-0) are the East's early leaders. The 49ers' Sunday home game against New Orleans is the West's divisional result of the week and the first of what needs to be a productive home stand at Candlestick.
Through two games the 49ers are 1-1 with a plus 21 differential. The Saints are 0-2 with a minus 23. Dave Wilson is 32 of 64, 359 yards, three touchdowns, five interceptions. George Rogers has 31 carries for 115 yards. Jeff Kemp is 19 of 24, 252 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions in his one start. Craig has 28 carries for 78 yards in Week 2. Rice has seven catches for 79 yards through two games.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-1 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-1 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-1 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 2-0 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-1 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-1 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0-2 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 2-0 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-0 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-1 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-1 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-0 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2-0 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-1 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 2-0 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-1 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-1 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-2 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-0 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-0 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 1-1 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-2 | L2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-2 | L2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 30 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 4 yard pass from Jeff Kemp (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-10 |
| Saints | Morten Andersen 44 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Eugene Goodlow 29 yard pass from Dalton Hilliard (Morten Andersen kick) | 10-10 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 40 yard field goal | 10-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Mel Gray 101 yard kickoff return (Morten Andersen kick) | 17-13 |
| 49ers | Derrick Harmon 5 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 17-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 28 yard field goal | 17-23 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 32 yard field goal | 17-26 |
Jeff Kemp threw two touchdown passes and Roger Craig rushed 42 times for 136 yards and a score in a 26-17 home win over the New Orleans Saints at Candlestick Park. Kemp finished 29 of 44 for 332 yards with one interception. Ray Wersching kicked three field goals. The 49ers moved to 2-1.[1][2][3]
Kemp's 29-of-44, 332-yard, two-touchdown afternoon showed what the offense produces with a home crowd and a defense generating turnovers. The 26-17 final was controlled by Craig's 42-carry, 136-yard rushing performance — the season's first indicator that the run game would carry the offense through Kemp's starting stretch.
The 42-carry volume was one of the highest single-game rushing totals in the franchise's recent history. Craig ran behind an offensive line dominant at Candlestick; Wilson's 10-of-21, 154-yard performance reflected a Saints offense unable to match the 49ers' physical ground game.
The 49ers moved to 2-1 with the Rams at 3-0. Kemp's third game as the primary quarterback was his most efficient.
49ers 26, Saints 17. Margin: plus 9. Record: 2-1.
A 26-17 home win over the New Orleans Saints. Craig's 42-carry afternoon controls the game.
How it unfolded
Craig scored in the second quarter. Kemp's first touchdown pass gave the 49ers a 14-7 halftime lead. The Saints scored 10 in the third to cut the lead before Wersching's fourth-quarter field goal and Kemp's second touchdown pass closed it.
The turning point
Craig's sustained ground game volume. The 42 carries kept Wilson's offense off the field in the second half. New Orleans ran Rogers for 119 yards but the Saints' passing game produced only one touchdown.
By the numbers
Kemp 29 of 44 at 7.5 per attempt, two touchdowns, one interception. Craig 136 yards on 42 carries. Wilson 154 yards for New Orleans. The 49ers' run game controlled possession in all four quarters.
What it means
2-1 heading to the Miami Orange Bowl. The road game against Marino is Kemp's hardest test so far.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 10 | 30 |
| Total Yards | 229 | 461 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 10/21 | 29/44 |
| Pass yards | 154 | 332 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 4 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 44 | 7 |
| Net pass yards | 110 | 325 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 17 | 42 |
| Rush yards | 119 | 136 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 9 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 71 | 20 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Kemp | 29/44 | 332 | 1 | 1 | 86.6 |
| NOR | |||||
| Dave Wilson | 9/20 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 65.6 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 1/1 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Derrick Harmon | 13 | 43 | 1 | 15 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 19 | 42 | 0 | 13 |
| Tony Cherry | 3 | 17 | 0 | 10 |
| Jeff Kemp | 4 | 15 | 0 | 10 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| NOR | ||||
| Rueben Mayes | 7 | 64 | 0 | 29 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 7 | 44 | 0 | 36 |
| Kelvin Edwards | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Buford Jordan | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 7 | 120 | 0 | 26 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 7 | 100 | 1 | 29 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 18 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 7 | 29 | 0 | 10 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 19 |
| Derrick Harmon | 3 | 25 | 0 | 15 |
| NOR | ||||
| Eugene Goodlow | 2 | 51 | 1 | 29 |
| Hoby Brenner | 2 | 45 | 0 | 30 |
| Buford Jordan | 2 | 24 | 0 | 14 |
| Eric Martin | 2 | 19 | 0 | 11 |
| Kelvin Edwards | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| John Williams | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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