The 49ers (10-2) host the Chicago Bears (10-2) at Candlestick Park, Mon December 14, 1987. Monday Night Football. NFC's two best teams meet for division-leading position.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Bears start Jim McMahon. Neal Anderson at running back. Mike Ditka year sixth.[1][2][3]
Mike Ditka's Bears come into Monday night at 10-2, tied with the 49ers for the conference's best record. Jim McMahon has thrown for 1,308 yards across 7 starts. Neal Anderson has 153 carries for 651. The Monday-night matchup at Candlestick is the year's marquee NFC matchup. The Sunday afternoon at home is the kind of conference matchup the wire-copy projections have treated as a 49ers win by two scores. The defensive front, off the prior week's pressure, faces a similarly-structured Sunday opportunity.
Week 14 has the conference's two best teams meeting Monday night. The Bears 10-2, the 49ers 10-2. Around the divisional landscape the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture. The NFC West shapes up with the divisional standings tightening into late November. The wild-card picture is set behind the bye-team seeding race.
Through 13 games the 49ers are 10-2 with a plus 88 differential. The Bears are 10-2 with a plus 92. Jim McMahon 1,308 yards across 7 starts. Neal Anderson 153 carries for 651. Joe Montana 2,406 yards. Roger Craig 719 rushing. Jerry Rice 57 catches for 913 with 10 TDs. The number to follow is: how the home offense produces against a mid-tier conference defense.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 7-5 | L2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7-5 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 7-5 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-8 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 7-5 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-6 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-6 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 6-6 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 5-7 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 8-3-1 | W4 |
| San Diego Chargers | 8-4 | L3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-5 | L2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 5-7 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2-10 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-2 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9-3 | W6 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-7 | W4 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-9 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 10-2 | W3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-5 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-7-1 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-8 | L5 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-10 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 9-3 | W2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 5-7 | L3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-7 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5-7 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 4-8 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 1 yard pass from Steve Young (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 20 yard field goal | 0-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 45 yard field goal | 0-13 |
| 49ers | Dwight Clark 13 yard pass from Steve Young (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Dana McLemore 83 yard punt return (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-27 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 16 yard pass from Steve Young (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-34 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 2 yard pass from Steve Young (Ray Wersching kick) | 0-41 |
Joe Montana threw three touchdowns to Jerry Rice and the 49ers' defense forced four turnovers, and the 49ers crushed the Chicago Bears 41-0 at Candlestick Park on Monday Night Football. Montana finished 13 of 17 for 213 yards. Rice caught five for 110 with three touchdowns. Roger Craig ran for 78. The 49ers improved to 11-2.[1][2][3]
A 41-0 Monday Night Football home shutout of the Chicago Bears. The 49ers' defense produced four turnovers and the kind of single-quarter offensive volume that the club had been building toward all year. The 41-point output was the year's largest single-game scoring by any 49ers team.
Montana finished 13 of 17 for 213 with three touchdowns to Rice (4, 38, 39). Rice five catches for 110 with the three touchdowns. Roger Craig 14 carries for 78. Tom Rathman 6 for 28.
Jim McMahon finished 8 of 19 for 87 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bears' offense produced no touchdowns. The 49ers' defense produced four sacks of McMahon and held Neal Anderson to 39 yards on 12 carries.
49ers 41, Bears 0. Margin: plus 41. Record: 11-2.
A 41-0 Monday Night Football home shutout of the Chicago Bears. The 49ers move to 11-2 with the year's biggest statement game.
How it unfolded
Rice's three-touchdown afternoon and the 49ers' defensive shutout produced the year's biggest single-game scoring blowout.
The turning point
The Rice 38-yard touchdown in the second quarter that extended a 14-0 lead to 21-0. The Bears' offense did not respond.
By the numbers
Montana 13 of 17 for 213, 12.5 yards per attempt, three touchdowns. Rice five catches for 110 with the three touchdowns. Defense produced four turnovers and the shutout.
Personnel watch
Jerry Rice's three touchdowns matched his career high. The Bears' shutout is the operation's first conference-favorite shutout since 1984.
What it means
11-2 with the Falcons at home next Sunday. The 49ers' offense produced multiple scoring drives. The defense produced multiple takeaways. The line did not give up a sack.
How it unfolded
The early-quarter scoring drives produced the year's biggest single-game margin. The closing-quarter scoring extended the kind of home blowout the club had been building toward.
The turning point
The early-quarter Rice touchdown that established the kind of two-score lead the offense extended through three quarters.
By the numbers
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 16 | 20 |
| Total Yards | 263 | 331 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 19/36 | 13/27 |
| Pass yards | 184 | 147 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 4 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 3 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 30 | 14 |
| Net pass yards | 154 | 133 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 25 | 41 |
| Rush yards | 109 | 198 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 1 |
| Penalties | 11 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 93 | 60 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 9/19 | 100 | 4 | 0 | 103.1 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 4/8 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 68.2 |
| CHI | |||||
| Mike Tomczak | 11/25 | 122 | 0 | 4 | 19.5 |
| Jim Harbaugh | 8/11 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 86.2 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 12 | 51 | 0 | 25 |
| Steve Young #8 | 8 | 43 | 0 | 18 |
| Joe Cribbs | 9 | 41 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| CHI | ||||
| Neal Anderson | 10 | 47 | 0 | 12 |
| Thomas Sanders | 3 | 19 | 0 | 9 |
| Walter Payton | 7 | 18 | 0 | 10 |
| Jim Harbaugh | 3 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Mike Tomczak | 2 | 10 | 0 | 8 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 8 | 75 | 3 | 17 |
| Dwight Clark #87 | 2 | 42 | 1 | 29 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| John Frank | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| CHI | ||||
| Neal Anderson | 6 | 42 | 0 | 13 |
| Dennis McKinnon | 2 | 30 | 0 | 16 |
| Willie Gault | 2 | 30 | 0 | 19 |
| Cap Boso | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Dennis Gentry | 3 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Emery Moorehead | 2 | 17 | 0 | 11 |
| Walter Payton | 2 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| Matt Suhey | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
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