The 49ers (7-4-1) host the New York Giants (11-1) at Candlestick Park on Mon December 1, 1986. Monday Night Football.
Joe Montana continues. Roger Craig leads the backfield. Jerry Rice at receiver. The Giants start Phil Simms with Joe Morris at running back.
New York is 11-1 and the NFC's best team. Candlestick on Monday Night is the season's marquee matchup.[1][2][3]
Phil Simms leads the NFC's most complete team entering December. The Giants' line is the conference's most physical unit; Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks anchor the defense. The Monday Night matchup at Candlestick is the year's defining regular-season game.
Montana shut out Atlanta last week in his cleanest game since returning. The Giants are different: Belichick's scheme eliminates the quick-passing game's rhythm. The home advantage is the Candlestick crowd. Everything else tilts toward New York.
Week thirteen is the Monday Night Football home game against the NFC's best team. The Giants (11-1) have the NFC's best record alongside the Bears. The 49ers (7-4-1) are the wild card contenders. The Giants and Bears compete for the NFC's top playoff seed. The 49ers' Monday Night home game is the season's biggest audience nationally and the NFC's marquee regular-season matchup of the final month.
Through twelve games the 49ers are 7-4-1 with a plus 102 differential. The Giants are 11-1 with a plus 133. Phil Simms is 191 of 299, 2,612 yards, nineteen touchdowns, fourteen interceptions. Joe Morris has 219 carries for 1,161 yards and fourteen touchdowns. Joe Montana is 79 of 136, 1,319 yards, eight touchdowns, six interceptions in five post-surgery starts. Craig has 354 carries for 1,315 yards. Rice has 61 catches for 897 yards and twelve touchdowns.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-4 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8-4 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-8 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 3-9 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 10-2 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 9-3 | W6 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-6 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3-9 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-12 | L12 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 9-3 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8-4 | W3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-5 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-6 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-10 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 8-4 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-4-1 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-6 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-6-1 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 10-2 | W3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-6 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 5-7 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-10 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-10 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-2 | W5 |
| Washington Redskins | 10-2 | W4 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-5 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-9 | L4 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3-9 | W1 |
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 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 11 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-10 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 1 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Giants | Joe Morris 17 yard pass from Phil Simms (Raul Allegre kick) | 7-17 |
| Giants | Stacy Robinson 34 yard pass from Phil Simms (Raul Allegre kick) | 14-17 |
| Giants | Ottis Anderson 1 yard rush (Raul Allegre kick) | 21-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
Phil Simms threw two touchdown passes and the New York Giants beat the 49ers 21-17 at Candlestick Park on Monday Night Football. Joe Montana threw one touchdown pass on 32 of 52 for 251 yards with one interception. Roger Craig rushed for 116 yards on 27 carries. The Giants' defense produced four sacks. The 49ers fell to 7-5-1.[1][2][3]
The Giants won 21-17 at Candlestick on Simms' two touchdown passes and the defense's four sacks that disrupted Montana's fourth-quarter comeback attempt. Montana's 251-yard, one-touchdown performance produced a lead — the 49ers led 17-14 entering the fourth — but Simms' go-ahead drive and Montana's fourth-quarter interception sealed the result.
Morris ran for 13 yards on 19 carries — the 49ers' most effective individual defensive performance against any running back all year. But Simms threw 388 yards on 27 of 38 with two touchdowns. Montana's interception in the fourth stopped the best comeback drive.
The 21-17 loss confirmed the Giants' status as the NFC's most complete team. The 49ers' 7-5-1 record left three games to secure the wild card.
Giants 21, 49ers 17. Margin: minus 4. Record: 7-5-1.
A 17-21 Monday Night Football home loss to the New York Giants. The NFC's best team wins at Candlestick.
How it unfolded
Both teams scored touchdowns in the first and second quarters. Montana's rushing score gave the 49ers a 17-14 lead entering the fourth. Simms' go-ahead touchdown drive took the lead back. Montana's answering drive ended in the fourth-quarter interception.
The turning point
Simms' go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. The Giants' most experienced quarterback led the series under the biggest lights of the regular season. The 49ers held Morris to 13 yards but Simms' arm was sufficient.
By the numbers
Montana 32 of 52 at 4.8 per attempt, one touchdown, one interception. Craig 116 yards and a rushing score. Morris held to 13 yards on 19 carries. Simms 388 yards and two touchdowns.
What it means
7-5-1 with three games left. Win all three — Jets, Patriots, Rams — and the 49ers reach the playoffs.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 20 | 26 |
| Total Yards | 397 | 367 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 27/38 | 32/52 |
| Pass yards | 388 | 251 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 0 |
| Sack yards lost | 4 | 0 |
| Net pass yards | 384 | 251 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 19 | 27 |
| Rush yards | 13 | 116 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 1 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 5 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 32/52 | 251 | 1 | 1 | 71.9 |
| NYG | |||||
| Phil Simms | 27/38 | 388 | 2 | 2 | 99.5 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Wendell Tyler #26 | 13 | 59 | 0 | 12 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 43 | 0 | 10 |
| Joe Cribbs | 2 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NYG | ||||
| Joe Morris | 13 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
| Maurice Carthon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ottis Anderson | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Phil Simms | 3 | -3 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 9 | 86 | 1 | 15 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 12 | 75 | 0 | 11 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 5 | 39 | 0 | 12 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 15 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| John Frank | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Derrick Crawford | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| NYG | ||||
| Stacy Robinson | 5 | 116 | 1 | 49 |
| Mark Bavaro | 7 | 98 | 0 | 31 |
| Phil McConkey | 2 | 46 | 0 | 32 |
| Joe Morris | 4 | 42 | 1 | 17 |
| Tony Galbreath | 3 | 35 | 0 | 19 |
| Bobby Johnson | 2 | 26 | 0 | 18 |
| Maurice Carthon | 3 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Ottis Anderson | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1986 W13 - 49ers vs New York Giants - Game Thread