The 49ers (2-1) travel to the Kingdome for a Sunday kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks (1-2) on Sun September 25, 1988.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Seahawks start Kelly Stouffer and Jeff Kemp in rotation. Curt Warner at running back. Steve Largent at receiver. Chuck Knox in year sixth as head coach.
Chuck Knox's Seahawks are 1-2 with a two-quarterback rotation that has not produced consistency. Kelly Stouffer has thrown for 388 across three games; Jeff Kemp 121 in relief. Steve Largent, the 14-year veteran, has 9 catches for 142. The Seattle defense ranks 22nd in points allowed and has not produced a multi-takeaway game across three weeks. The 49ers' Sunday at the Kingdome is the kind of cross-conference road game the schedule produced after the Atlanta home loss.
Week 4 has the conference's contenders all 3-1 or better. The Bears 4-0, the Vikings 3-1, the 49ers 2-1. The Bengals 4-0 lead the AFC. The Bills 4-0. The 49ers' Sunday at Seattle is one of two NFC-AFC road games on the slate; the Eagles at the Steelers is the other. The home AFC West Seahawks are a 3-point home underdog according to the wire-copy line.
Through three games the 49ers are 2-1 with a minus 13 differential. The Seahawks are 1-2 with a minus 15. Kelly Stouffer has thrown for 388 across three games. Curt Warner 39 carries for 127. Steve Largent 9 catches for 142. Joe Montana 652 yards across three games, 6 TDs, 4 INTs. Roger Craig 167 rushing across three. Jerry Rice 14 catches for 313 with one touchdown. Vegas lists the 49ers as 6-point road favorites with the total at 38.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3-0 | W3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-1 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 2-1 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-2 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 3-0 | W3 |
| New York Jets | 2-1 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-2 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 1-2 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-1 | L1 |
| Denver Broncos | 1-2 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-2 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 1-2 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 3-0 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-1 | W2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-1 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 2-1 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-1 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-2 | L2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-2 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 2-1 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-1 | W2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-2 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-2 | L2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 1-2 | W1 |
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| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 1 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | John Frank 13 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-0 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 21 yard field goal | 17-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 69 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 24-0 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 60 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 31-0 |
| Seahawks | Ray Butler 46 yard pass from Kelly Stouffer (Norm Johnson kick) | 31-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Wilson 16 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 38-7 |
Joe Montana threw four touchdowns including three to Jerry Rice (1, 69, 60), and the 49ers crushed the Seattle Seahawks 38-7 at the Kingdome. Montana finished 20 of 29 for 302 yards. Rice caught six for 163 with three touchdowns. John Frank caught a 13-yard score. Mike Wilson caught a 16-yard touchdown from Steve Young. Roger Craig ran for 107. The 49ers improved to 3-1.[1][2][3]
Joe Montana threw four touchdowns including three to Jerry Rice and the 49ers crushed the Seattle Seahawks 38-7 at the Kingdome. The 24-point first half plus a 14-0 third quarter produced the year's biggest road win by margin. Montana finished 20 of 29 for 302 with the four touchdowns.
Rice caught six for 163 with three touchdowns (1, 69, 60). The two long touchdowns were both deep posts the Seahawks' single-high safety did not get to. Frank caught a 13-yard touchdown. Steve Young added a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wilson in the fourth quarter. Roger Craig ran 21 for 107. Tom Rathman 15 for 79. Harry Sydney 3 for 16.
Kelly Stouffer finished 11 of 15 for 133 with one touchdown to Ray Butler (46) and one interception before being benched. Jeff Kemp went 1 of 12 for 6 with three interceptions in relief. Curt Warner ran 9 for 29. The 49ers' defensive front produced two sacks of Stouffer and limited the Seahawks' run game to 51 yards on 14 carries.
49ers 38, Seahawks 7. Margin: plus 31. Record: 3-1. • Montana: 20 of 29, 302, 4 TDs (Rice 1, Frank 13, Rice 69, Rice 60), 1 INT, 0 sacks. • Rice: 6 catches for 163, 3 TDs. • Frank: 1 catch for 13, 1 TD. • Young (relief): 4 of 6, 49, 1 TD (Wilson 16), 0 INTs. • Wilson: 4 catches for 62, 1 TD. • Craig: 21 carries for 107, plus 6 for 38. • Rathman: 15 carries for 79, plus 3 for 37. • DuBose: 8 carries for 38, plus 3 for 29. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (21).
A 38-7 road win at the Kingdome. The 49ers move to 3-1 with the year's biggest road blowout.
How it unfolded
Rice caught a 1-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Frank caught a 13-yarder for 14-0. Cofer's 21-yarder made it 17-0. Rice's 69-yard touchdown extended it to 24-0. Rice's 60-yard score made it 31-0. Ray Butler caught a 46-yarder for the Seahawks' only touchdown. Wilson's 16-yard touchdown from Young made the final 38-7.
The turning point
The Rice 69-yard touchdown in the third quarter. With the 49ers leading 17-0 and the Seahawks' offense having produced two punts in the half, Montana's deep ball to Rice was the kind of explosive play that ended the comeback hopes before the third quarter was over.
By the numbers
Montana 20 of 29 for 302, 10.4 yards per attempt, four touchdowns. Rice six catches for 163 with three touchdowns. Craig 107 on 21. Rathman 79 on 15. Young 4 of 6 for 49 with the touchdown. Seahawks combined for 11 of 27 across both quarterbacks with one touchdown and four interceptions.
Personnel watch
Montana's four-touchdown afternoon was the club's first four-TD game since 1986. Rice's three-touchdown afternoon was his third career three-touchdown game. Doug DuBose's eight carries for 38 was the rookie's biggest workload of the year. The defensive front (Haley, Holt, Carter) produced two sacks and four turnovers.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 27 | 8 |
| Total Yards | 580 | 154 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 5 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 24/35 | 12/27 |
| Pass yards | 351 | 139 |
| Pass TD | 5 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 4 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 10 | 14 |
| Net pass yards | 341 | 125 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 48 | 12 |
| Rush yards | 239 | 29 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 6 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 70 | 17 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 20/29 | 302 | 4 | 1 | 128.2 |
| Steve Young #8 | 4/6 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 131.2 |
| SEA | |||||
| Kelly Stouffer | 11/15 | 133 | 1 | 1 | 94.6 |
| Jeff Kemp | 1/12 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 21 | 107 | 0 | 24 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 15 | 79 | 0 | 12 |
| Doug DuBose | 8 | 38 | 0 | 9 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 13 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| SEA | ||||
| Curt Warner | 9 | 29 | 0 | 16 |
| Jeff Kemp | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| John Williams | 2 | -1 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 163 | 3 | 69 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 4 | 62 | 1 | 31 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 6 | 38 | 0 | 17 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 14 |
| Doug DuBose | 3 | 29 | 0 | 13 |
| John Frank | 1 | 13 | 1 | 13 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| SEA | ||||
| Ray Butler | 2 | 52 | 1 | 46 |
| Tommie Agee | 2 | 23 | 0 | 13 |
| Paul Skansi | 2 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Tommy Kane | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Curt Warner | 2 | 14 | 0 | 12 |
| Steve Largent | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Mike Tice | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
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