The 49ers (6-4-1) host the Atlanta Falcons (5-5-1) at Candlestick Park on Sun November 23, 1986.
Joe Montana continues. Roger Craig leads the backfield. The Falcons start David Archer at quarterback with Gerald Riggs at running back.
Atlanta is 5-5-1. The 49ers played to a 10-10 tie at Atlanta in Week 7. Candlestick in late November is the revenge game — and a must-win for the wild card.[1][2][3]
Riggs ran 52 times for 217 yards in the Week 7 overtime tie. The rematch comes at Candlestick where the 49ers' defense shut out the Cardinals. Montana's post-surgery starts have alternated between efficient home games and turnover road losses. The Falcons are the right matchup for a resetting performance.
Riggs is the NFC South's most productive back but the 49ers' Candlestick run defense has been disciplined. Archer manages a ground-game team. Limit Riggs and the Falcons have limited scoring options.
Week twelve is the late November home game. The 49ers (6-4-1) are in the NFC wild card race. The Falcons (5-5-1) are below .500. The Giants (11-1) have clinched the NFC East. The Bears (11-1) are the NFC's dominant team. The Rams (10-4) lead the NFC West. The 49ers' Sunday home game against Atlanta is a must-win — lose and the wild card path becomes very narrow with four games left.
Through eleven games the 49ers are 6-4-1 with a plus 82 differential. The Falcons are 5-5-1. Riggs has 213 carries for 1,202 yards through eleven games. Archer is 132 of 244, 1,694 yards, eight touchdowns, nine interceptions. Joe Montana is 56 of 102, 1,073 yards, seven touchdowns, six interceptions in four post-surgery starts. Craig has 318 carries for 1,160 yards. Rice has 55 catches for 813 yards and eleven touchdowns.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-4 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-7 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 2-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 10-1 | W9 |
| New England Patriots | 8-3 | W5 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-6 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3-8 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-11 | L11 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 9-2 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-4 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-4 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5-6 | L4 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-4 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6-4-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-5 | W3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-5-1 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 9-2 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-5 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-7 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-9 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-9 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 9-2 | W4 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-2 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-4 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-8 | L3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2-9 | L2 |
Video missing for this game. If you find one, please report it.
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 2 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 36 yard field goal | 0-10 |
| 49ers | Don Griffin 76 yard punt return (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-17 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 26 yard field goal | 0-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
Joe Montana threw one touchdown pass and the 49ers' defense shut out the Atlanta Falcons 20-0 at Candlestick Park. Montana finished 23 of 34 for 246 yards with no interceptions. Roger Craig rushed for 155 yards on 36 carries. Gerald Riggs was held to 75 yards on 18 carries. The 49ers moved to 7-4-1.[1][2][3]
The 49ers shut out the Falcons 20-0 at Candlestick, holding Riggs to 75 yards after his 217-yard overtime performance in Atlanta. Montana's 23-of-34, 246-yard, zero-interception game was the clean performance after the three-interception disaster at RFK. The defense's shutout was the year's first.
The 155-yard rushing day on 36 carries was Craig's most sustained Candlestick performance in the closing stretch. The run game's clock control kept Archer's offense off the field. Archer went 22 of 38 for 234 yards and zero touchdowns — unable to create scoring opportunities against a defense playing with urgency.
The 20-0 shutout moved the 49ers to 7-4-1. With four games remaining, every win counted in the wild card race.
49ers 20, Falcons 0. Margin: plus 20. Record: 7-4-1.
A 20-0 home shutout of the Atlanta Falcons. The defense reverses the Monday Night loss with its most complete performance.
How it unfolded
Wersching's field goal opened the scoring. Montana's touchdown pass in the second quarter gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead. Two more scoring drives built the shutout. Riggs' 75 yards reflected the defensive adjustment from the tie game.
The turning point
The defense's shutdown of Riggs. After 217 yards and 52 carries in Week 7, holding him to 75 yards on 18 carries in the rematch was the defensive staff's most significant single-game adjustment of the year.
By the numbers
Montana 23 of 34 at 7.2 per attempt, one touchdown, zero interceptions. Craig 155 yards on 36 carries. Defense: shutout, Riggs held 142 yards below his Week 7 output, Archer zero touchdowns on 38 attempts.
What it means
7-4-1 heading home for the Giants on Monday Night Football. The shutout resets the team after Washington. The Giants come to Candlestick as the NFC's best team.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 12 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 229 | 365 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 22/38 | 23/34 |
| Pass yards | 234 | 246 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 8 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 80 | 36 |
| Net pass yards | 154 | 210 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 18 | 36 |
| Rush yards | 75 | 155 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 4 | 5 |
| Penalty yards | 24 | 40 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/32 | 233 | 1 | 0 | 97.5 |
| Jeff Kemp | 2/2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 93.7 |
| ATL | |||||
| Turk Schonert | 21/35 | 227 | 0 | 1 | 67.2 |
| Scott Campbell | 1/3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.4 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 17 | 101 | 0 | 25 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| Joe Cribbs | 8 | 15 | 0 | 6 |
| Derrick Harmon | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| ATL | ||||
| Sylvester Stamps | 3 | 36 | 0 | 20 |
| Gerald Riggs | 10 | 25 | 0 | 9 |
| Turk Schonert | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Scott Campbell | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| William Andrews | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cliff Austin | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Dwight Clark #87 | 4 | 83 | 0 | 26 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 4 | 47 | 1 | 17 |
| Derrick Harmon | 3 | 36 | 0 | 15 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 9 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Bill Ring #39 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Ken Margerum | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| ATL | ||||
| Joey Jones | 4 | 86 | 0 | 41 |
| Charlie Brown | 5 | 45 | 0 | 23 |
| Sylvester Stamps | 3 | 31 | 0 | 16 |
| Floyd Dixon | 3 | 31 | 0 | 21 |
| Ken Whisenhunt | 2 | 21 | 0 | 18 |
| Gerald Riggs | 2 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Cliff Austin | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Ron Middleton | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Arthur Cox | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
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 W12 - 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons - Game Thread
