The 49ers (0-1) travel to Riverfront Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) on Sun September 20, 1987.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Bengals start Boomer Esiason. Larry Kinnebrew at running back. Cris Collinsworth and Rodney Holman at receiver. Sam Wyche in year fourth.
Sam Wyche's Bengals come into Sunday at 1-0 with Boomer Esiason's offense ranking sixth in the AFC. Rodney Holman caught a 46-yard touchdown in the W1 win. Larry Kinnebrew has 15 carries for 35 reg season. The Sunday matchup at Riverfront is the kind of cross-conference rematch the schedule produced for an 0-1 NFC West contender. The 49ers' offense, off the 316-yard Pittsburgh loss, needs the kind of bounce-back road performance Montana had been producing in 1986.
Week 2 has the conference's openers in second-week sort. The Bears 2-0, the Vikings 1-1. The Rams 2-0, the Saints 1-1. The Bills 2-0 lead the AFC East. The Broncos 2-0. The 49ers' Sunday at Cincinnati is one of two NFC-AFC matchups on the slate; the Cowboys at Bills is the other. Inside the division the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture.
Through one game the 49ers are 0-1 with a minus 13 differential. The Bengals are 1-0 with a plus 14. Boomer Esiason 25 of 36, 271 in W1 with 2 TDs. Cris Collinsworth 5 catches for 86. Rodney Holman 3 catches for 81. Joe Montana 316 in W1. Jerry Rice 8 catches for 106. Vegas lists the 49ers as a 3-point road favorite with the total at 43. Number to track today: 49ers' explosive pass production against a Bengals secondary that allowed 271 yards.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-0 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 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 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 1-0 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 1-0 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-1 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0-1 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1-0 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-0 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 1-0 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-0 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-1 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 0-1 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-1 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Larry Kinnebrew 2 yard rush (Jim Breech kick) | 0-7 |
| Bengals | Jim Breech 23 yard field goal | 0-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Wilson 38 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 7-10 |
| Bengals | Rodney Holman 46 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) | 7-17 |
| Bengals | Jim Breech 42 yard field goal | 7-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 34 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 14-20 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 24 yard field goal | 17-20 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 31 yard field goal | 20-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Jim Breech 41 yard field goal | 20-23 |
| Bengals | Jim Breech 46 yard field goal | 20-26 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 25 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 27-26 |
Jerry Rice caught two touchdowns including a 25-yard score with 0:14 left and the 49ers came back from a 20-7 halftime deficit to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-26 at Riverfront Stadium. Joe Montana finished 31 of 49 for 366 yards. Rice caught nine for 161 with the two touchdowns. Mike Wilson caught a 38-yard score. The 49ers improved to 1-1.[1][2][3]
Jerry Rice caught a 25-yard touchdown from Joe Montana with 0:14 remaining and the 49ers came back from a 20-7 halftime deficit to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-26 at Riverfront Stadium. The walk-off touchdown was the kind of comeback Montana had been producing for two years.
Montana finished 31 of 49 for 366 with three touchdowns to Mike Wilson (38), Rice (34), and Rice (25 GW). Rice nine catches for 161 with the two touchdowns. Wilson three for 44 with the touchdown. Roger Craig 18 carries for 47 plus six catches for 27. Joe Cribbs 5 for 24. Tom Rathman 2 for 7.
Boomer Esiason finished 25 of 38 for 348 with one touchdown to Rodney Holman (46 yards) and one interception. Larry Kinnebrew ran 13 for 36 with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. Cris Collinsworth caught five for 116. Rodney Holman two for 67 with the touchdown. Jim Breech kicked four field goals (23, 42, 41, 46). The 49ers' offense produced the year's first walk-off win.
49ers 27, Bengals 26. Margin: plus 1. Record: 1-1. • Montana: 31 of 49, 366, 3 TDs (Wilson 38, Rice 34, Rice 25 GW with 0:14 left), 2 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 9 catches for 161, 2 TDs. • Wilson: 3 catches for 44, 1 TD (38y). • Craig: 18 carries for 47, plus 6 for 27. • Cribbs: 5 carries for 24, plus 3 for 14. • Rathman: 2 carries for 7. • Wersching: 2 FGs (24, 31). • Esiason (CIN): 25 of 38, 348, 1 TD (Rodney Holman 46), 1 INT.
A 27-26 road comeback win at Riverfront Stadium. The 49ers move to 1-1 in Joe Montana's first 1987 walk-off finish.
How it unfolded
Larry Kinnebrew's 2-yard rush opened the scoring. Jim Breech kicked a 23-yarder. Wilson's 38-yard touchdown reception made it 7-10. Rodney Holman caught a 46-yarder for 7-17. Breech's 42-yarder made it 7-20. Rice's 34-yard touchdown made it 14-20. Wersching's 24-yarder made it 17-20. Wersching's 31-yarder tied it 20-20. Breech added 41 and 46-yarders for 20-26. Rice's 25-yard touchdown with 0:14 left made the final 27-26.
The turning point
The Rice 25-yard touchdown with 0:14 left. With the 49ers trailing 20-26 and 1:54 remaining, Montana led a 6-play 75-yard drive that ended with Rice catching the slant for the touchdown. Wersching's PAT made the final 27-26.
By the numbers
Montana 31 of 49 for 366, 7.5 yards per attempt, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Rice nine catches for 161 with the two touchdowns including the winner. Wilson three for 44 with the 38-yard touchdown. Craig 47 on 18 plus 27 receiving on six. Defense produced one interception of Esiason.
Personnel watch
Montana's walk-off drive was his fourth career game-winning touchdown drive in the final two minutes. Rice's two-touchdown game was his fifth career multi-touchdown game. Jim Breech's four field goals matched his career best. Charles Haley produced no sacks.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 16 | 19 |
| Total Yards | 261 | 292 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 21/37 | 14/29 |
| Pass yards | 250 | 180 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 5 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 45 | 16 |
| Net pass yards | 205 | 164 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 20 | 50 |
| Rush yards | 56 | 128 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 3 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 25 | 30 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/37 | 250 | 3 | 0 | 104.6 |
| CIN | |||||
| Boomer Esiason | 14/29 | 180 | 1 | 1 | 65.3 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 12 | 35 | 0 | 7 |
| Joe Cribbs | 5 | 14 | 0 | 8 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Terrence Flagler | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| CIN | ||||
| Larry Kinnebrew | 22 | 84 | 1 | 11 |
| James Brooks | 16 | 31 | 0 | 9 |
| Stanford Jennings | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Boomer Esiason | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Bill Johnson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Mike Wilson #85 | 7 | 104 | 1 | 38 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 4 | 86 | 2 | 34 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| Ron Heller #85 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Cribbs | 2 | 11 | 0 | 12 |
| Terrence Flagler | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| CIN | ||||
| Rodney Holman | 2 | 55 | 1 | 46 |
| Cris Collinsworth | 3 | 32 | 0 | 20 |
| Eddie Brown | 2 | 32 | 0 | 23 |
| James Brooks | 3 | 28 | 0 | 20 |
| Anthony Munoz | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Mike Martin | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Stanford Jennings | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Larry Kinnebrew | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1987 W2 - 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals - Game Thread
