The 49ers (4-2) travel to Anaheim Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams (4-2) on Sun October 16, 1988.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Rams start Jim Everett. Greg Bell at running back. Henry Ellard and Aaron Cox at receiver. John Robinson in year five as head coach.
John Robinson's Rams come into the divisional matchup at 4-2 with Jim Everett's offense ranking eighth in the conference. Henry Ellard has 23 catches for 366 across six games. Greg Bell has 76 carries for 297. The Rams' Sunday at Anaheim is the year's first NFC West rivalry game. The 49ers' road trip to Anaheim is the kind of divisional test the team needed after the Denver home overtime loss.
Week 7 has the conference's contenders in mid-October. The Bears 7-0 lead. The 49ers 4-2, the Rams 4-2, the Vikings 5-2. The Bengals 6-1, the Bills 6-1. The 49ers' Sunday at Anaheim is one of two NFC West matchups on the slate; the Saints at Falcons is the other. The Sunday-afternoon matchup is the kind of divisional rivalry game the conference produces twice a year.
Through six games the 49ers are 4-2 with a plus 22 differential. The Rams are 4-2 with a plus 12. Jim Everett has thrown for 1,338 yards. Henry Ellard 23 catches for 366. Greg Bell 76 carries for 297. Joe Montana 1,327 yards across six. Roger Craig 507 rushing across six (84.5 ypg). Jerry Rice 25 catches for 589 with four touchdowns. Vegas lists the 49ers as 3-point road favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 6-0 | W6 |
| Houston Oilers | 4-2 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-3 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 5-1 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 3-2-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 3-3 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-4 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-5 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 4-2 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 3-3 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 2-4 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-4 | L2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-4-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-1 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-1 | W5 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4-2 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-5 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 5-1 | W3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 4-2 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-4 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-5 | L5 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Cardinals | 4-2 | W4 |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-3 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-3 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-4 | L2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 46 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-0 |
| Rams | Aaron Cox 44 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 7-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 2 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-7 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 40 yard field goal | 17-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Henry Ellard 18 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 17-14 |
| Rams | Buford McGee 8 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 17-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 16 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 24-21 |
Roger Craig ran for 190 yards and three touchdowns including a 46-yard score in the first quarter, and the 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-21 at Anaheim Stadium. Joe Montana finished 21 of 31 for 203 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Craig finished with 22 carries. Jim Everett threw three touchdowns. The 49ers improved to 5-2.[1][2][3]
Roger Craig ran for 190 yards and three touchdowns Sunday at Anaheim Stadium. The 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-21 in the year's biggest road divisional win. Craig's 46-yard rushing touchdown on the second offensive play opened the scoring; his 2-yard and 16-yard rushes added the second and third scores.
Montana finished 21 of 31 for 203 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Rice four catches for 65 with no touchdowns. Brent Jones two for 4. Rathman nine for 19 plus four for 44 receiving. The 49ers' offensive line opened lanes for Craig's 190-yard, 8.6-yards-per-carry afternoon, the club's biggest single-game rushing total in the Walsh-Montana era.
Jim Everett finished 20 of 33 for 199 with three touchdowns (Aaron Cox 44, Henry Ellard 18, Buford McGee 8). Greg Bell ran 13 for 28. The Rams' offense produced three touchdown drives and the kind of three-quarter scoring pace that lost the divisional matchup to the 49ers' run-game dominance.
49ers 24, Rams 21. Margin: plus 3. Record: 5-2. • Montana: 21 of 31, 203, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 0 sacks. • Craig: 22 carries for 190 (8.6 ypc), 3 rushing TDs (46, 2, 16). Franchise's biggest single-game rushing total since 1978. • Rathman: 9 carries for 19, plus 4 for 44. • DuBose: 5 carries for 16, plus 2 for 22. • Rice: 4 catches for 65. • Wilson: 1 catch for 11. • Brent Jones: 2 catches for 4. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (40).
A 24-21 road win at Anaheim Stadium. The 49ers move to 5-2 with Roger Craig's franchise-leading 190-yard rushing performance.
How it unfolded
Craig opened with a 46-yard rushing touchdown. Aaron Cox caught a 44-yarder to tie it 7-7. Craig's 2-yard rush made it 14-7. Cofer's 40-yarder made it 17-7. Henry Ellard caught an 18-yarder for 17-14. Buford McGee caught an 8-yarder for 17-21. Craig's 16-yard rushing touchdown made the final 24-21.
The turning point
The Craig 16-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. With the Rams ahead 17-21 and the 49ers offensive line generating the kind of front-five push Walsh's run schemes had been producing all year, Craig's 16-yard touchdown run was the year's biggest individual offensive play.
By the numbers
Montana 21 of 31 for 203, 6.5 yards per attempt, no touchdowns and one interception. Craig 190 rushing on 22 carries (8.6 ypc); the operation's biggest single-game rushing total since O.J. Simpson's 1978 against the Bengals. Three rushing touchdowns. Defense produced two interceptions of Everett.
Personnel watch
Roger Craig's 190-yard performance becomes the team record for the Walsh-Montana era. Three rushing touchdowns tied his career single-game best. The Rams' three perimeter receivers (Cox, Ellard, McGee) all scored touchdowns; the secondary's three-touchdown afternoon was the unit's worst since 1986.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 24 | 14 |
| Total Yards | 429 | 236 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 21/33 | 20/33 |
| Pass yards | 203 | 199 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 3 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 19 | 5 |
| Net pass yards | 184 | 194 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 40 | 17 |
| Rush yards | 245 | 42 |
| Rush TD | 3 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 4 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 7 | 5 |
| Penalty yards | 73 | 35 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/31 | 203 | 0 | 1 | 72.4 |
| Steve Young #8 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 20/33 | 199 | 3 | 2 | 82.8 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 22 | 190 | 3 | 46 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 6 |
| Doug DuBose | 5 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RAM | ||||
| Greg Bell | 13 | 28 | 0 | 8 |
| Gaston Green | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Robert Delpino | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Jim Everett | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 4 | 65 | 0 | 38 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 4 | 44 | 0 | 24 |
| Terry Greer #84 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| Doug DuBose | 2 | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Ron Heller #85 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RAM | ||||
| Henry Ellard | 7 | 83 | 1 | 18 |
| Aaron Cox | 1 | 44 | 1 | 44 |
| Damone Johnson | 3 | 24 | 0 | 9 |
| Pete Holohan | 2 | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| Robert Delpino | 2 | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| Greg Bell | 3 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| Buford McGee | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Charles White | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1988 W7 - 49ers at Los Angeles Rams - Game Thread
