Season opener at Three Rivers Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday September 13, 1987. Year nine of Bill Walsh. The 49ers come off a 10-5-1 1986 finish that ended in a 49-3 divisional-round road loss at the Giants. Montana takes the first snap. Roger Craig at lead back. Joe Cribbs in the rotation. Jerry Rice, Mike Wilson, John Frank at the perimeter. The Steelers start Mark Malone. Earnest Jackson and Walter Abercrombie share the backfield.[1][2][3]
Bill Walsh enters his ninth season after the 49-3 1986 divisional disaster at Giants Stadium. The roster returns its core: Montana, Craig, Rice, Lott, Charles Haley. Joe Cribbs joined in the offseason as the backup to Roger Craig. The opener at Three Rivers Stadium is the kind of cross-conference road test the schedule produced for a 10-5-1 NFC West contender.
Opening Sunday begins the year. Around the league the AFC's contenders return: Broncos, Browns, Bengals. The NFC's Bears, Giants, Redskins compete in the conference's tier underneath. The 49ers' Sunday at Pittsburgh is one of two NFC-AFC openers on the slate; the Saints at Browns is the other. The opener is one of the year's first cross-conference matchups.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to the 10-5-1 1986 finish. Joe Montana threw 24 TDs and 13 INTs reg season 1986. Jerry Rice caught 86 catches for 1,570 with 15 TDs (NFL receiving record). Roger Craig 204 carries for 830, plus 81 catches for 624. Mark Malone reg season 1986: 19 TDs, 22 INTs across 13 starts. Earnest Jackson 216 carries for 910. Vegas opens the 49ers as 1-point road favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Houston Oilers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Delton Hall 50 yard defensive fumble return (Gary Anderson kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 43 yard field goal | 3-7 |
| Steelers | Preston Gothard 2 yard pass from Mark Malone (Gary Anderson kick) | 3-14 |
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 50 yard field goal | 3-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 41 yard field goal | 3-20 |
| 49ers | John Frank 1 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 10-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 44 yard field goal | 10-23 |
| Steelers | Walter Abercrombie 28 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick) | 10-30 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 3 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 17-30 |
Mark Malone threw a 2-yard touchdown to Preston Gothard, Walter Abercrombie ran in a 28-yard touchdown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the 49ers 30-17 at Three Rivers Stadium in the season opener. Joe Montana finished 34 of 49 for 316 yards with two touchdowns to John Frank and Jerry Rice and three interceptions. Delton Hall returned a fumble 50 yards for a Steelers touchdown. The 49ers fell to 0-1.[1][2][3]
A 30-17 road opener loss at Three Rivers Stadium. The 49ers' opening Sunday produced three Montana interceptions and a Delton Hall fumble-return touchdown that opened the scoring. Mark Malone's 9-of-33 line by the Steelers was the kind of low-percentage afternoon that did not match the home team's 30-point output.
Montana finished 34 of 49 for 316 with two touchdowns (John Frank 1, Jerry Rice 3) and three interceptions. Rice eight catches for 106 with the touchdown. Roger Craig 10 carries for 16 plus 10 catches for 61. Joe Cribbs 9 for 33 plus 4 for 30. John Frank four for 15 with the touchdown. The 49ers' offensive line did not give up a sack but the run game (45 yards on 22 carries) was held in check.
Mark Malone finished 9 of 33 for 99 with one touchdown (Preston Gothard 2) and no interceptions. Earnest Jackson ran 25 for 103. Walter Abercrombie 7 for 44 with the 28-yard touchdown. The Steelers' offense produced one touchdown drive plus three Gary Anderson field goals plus the Delton Hall fumble-return touchdown.
Steelers 30, 49ers 17. Margin: minus 13. Record: 0-1. • Montana: 34 of 49, 316, 2 TDs (Frank 1, Rice 3), 3 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 8 catches for 106, 1 TD. • Craig: 10 carries for 16, plus 10 for 61. • Cribbs: 9 carries for 33, plus 4 for 30. • Frank: 4 catches for 15, 1 TD. • Wilson: 4 catches for 40. • Heller: 2 catches for 40. • Taylor: 1 catch for 17. • Wersching: 1 FG (43). • Delton Hall (PIT DEF): 50y fumble return TD.
A 30-17 road opener loss at Three Rivers Stadium. The 49ers fall to 0-1 in Bill Walsh's ninth-year opener.
How it unfolded
Delton Hall returned a fumble 50 yards for the opening Steelers touchdown. Ray Wersching's 43-yarder cut it to 3-7. Preston Gothard caught a 2-yard touchdown for 3-14. Gary Anderson's 50-yarder made it 3-17. Anderson's 41-yarder made it 3-20. Frank's 1-yard reception made it 10-20. Anderson's 44-yarder made it 10-23. Walter Abercrombie's 28-yard rush made it 10-30. Rice's 3-yard touchdown made the final 17-30.
The turning point
The Delton Hall 50-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the second 49ers possession. With the road offense looking to produce a sustained drive, the Hall return gave Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead the 49ers chased the rest of the afternoon.
By the numbers
Montana 34 of 49 for 316, 6.4 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Three sacks taken. Rice eight catches for 106 with the touchdown. Craig 16 rushing on 10 plus 61 receiving on 10. The 49ers' offense produced 326 total yards but four turnovers (three INTs, one fumble).
Personnel watch
Montana's three-interception opener was his second three-INT game of his career as a starter. Joe Cribbs' first 49ers game produced 33 rushing on nine carries. John Frank's 1-yard touchdown was the tight end's first scoring catch since 1985. The opener loss is the kind of bad start the unit had not produced in two years.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 24 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 356 | 266 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 34/49 | 9/33 |
| Pass yards | 316 | 99 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 3 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 7 | 16 |
| Net pass yards | 309 | 83 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 20 | 41 |
| Rush yards | 47 | 183 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 6 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 67 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 34/49 | 316 | 2 | 3 | 74.9 |
| PIT | |||||
| Mark Malone | 9/33 | 99 | 1 | 0 | 49.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Joe Cribbs | 9 | 33 | 0 | 9 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 4 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
| PIT | ||||
| Earnest Jackson | 25 | 103 | 0 | 14 |
| Walter Abercrombie | 7 | 44 | 1 | 28 |
| Frank Pollard | 2 | 21 | 0 | 12 |
| Harry Newsome | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Mark Malone | 6 | -1 | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 8 | 106 | 1 | 32 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 61 | 0 | 12 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 4 | 40 | 0 | 14 |
| Ron Heller #85 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 26 |
| Joe Cribbs | 4 | 30 | 0 | 16 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| John Frank | 4 | 15 | 1 | 7 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| PIT | ||||
| Louis Lipps | 3 | 44 | 0 | 16 |
| Merril Hoge | 1 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| John Stallworth | 2 | 26 | 0 | 18 |
| Walter Abercrombie | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Preston Gothard | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Frank Pollard | 1 | -5 | 0 | -5 |
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