The 49ers (6-5) host the Washington Redskins (5-6) at Candlestick Park, Sun November 20, 1988.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Redskins start Doug Williams. Art Monk, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders at receiver. Joe Gibbs in year eight as head coach.
Joe Gibbs' Washington Redskins are 5-6 and the defending Super Bowl champions. Doug Williams has thrown for 2,047 across 11 starts. Art Monk has 50 catches for 696. Gary Clark 39 for 542. Ricky Sanders 30 for 481. The Sunday matchup is the kind of cross-conference home game the schedule produced after the three-game losing streak. The 49ers' offense, off the 9-3 Raiders loss and the third straight no-touchdown game, needs a turnaround at home.
Week 12 has the conference's contenders in late November. The Bears 10-1 lead. The Vikings 8-3, the Rams 7-4, the 49ers 6-5. The Bengals 10-2 lead the AFC. The Bills 10-2. The 49ers' Sunday against the Redskins is one of two cross-conference Sunday matchups on the slate; the Vikings at Cowboys is the other. Down the West standings the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture.
Through 11 games the 49ers are 6-5 with a plus 18 differential. The Redskins are 5-6 with a minus 8. Doug Williams has thrown for 2,047 yards. Art Monk 50 catches for 696. Gary Clark 39 for 542. Ricky Sanders 30 for 481. Joe Montana 1,858 yards across 11 games. Roger Craig 1,004 rushing across 11 (91.3 ypg). Jerry Rice 41 catches for 860 with 6 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 3-point home favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-3 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 7-4 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6-5 | L2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-9 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 10-1 | W6 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 6-5 | W5 |
| New England Patriots | 6-5 | W3 |
| New York Jets | 5-5-1 | L2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-6 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 6-5 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 6-5 | W3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-5 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 3-8 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2-8-1 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 8-3 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-4 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6-5 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 9-2 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-4 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-8 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 2-9 | L3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-9 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 7-4 | L1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-4 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-5 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-5 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-9 | L7 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Brent Jones 18 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 0-7 |
| Redskins | Ricky Sanders 15 yard pass from Doug Williams (Chip Lohmiller kick) | 7-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 52 yard field goal | 7-10 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 95 yard punt return (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-17 |
| 49ers | Tom Rathman 1 yard rush | 7-23 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Redskins | Ricky Sanders 4 yard pass from Doug Williams (Chip Lohmiller kick) | 14-23 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Montana 4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-30 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 80 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-37 |
| Redskins | Art Monk 18 yard pass from Doug Williams (Chip Lohmiller kick) | 21-37 |
Joe Montana threw an 80-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice and John Taylor returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown, and the 49ers crushed the Washington Redskins 37-21 at Candlestick Park. Montana finished 15 of 23 for 218. Rice caught three for 105 with the touchdown. Tom Rathman ran in a 1-yard score. Joe Montana ran in a 4-yard touchdown. The 49ers improved to 7-5.[1][2][3]
The 49ers' offense produced four touchdowns Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. Jerry Rice caught an 80-yard touchdown from Montana. John Taylor returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown. Tom Rathman and Joe Montana ran in short touchdowns. The 49ers crushed the Washington Redskins 37-21 in the year's biggest home win and the team's first multi-touchdown game in four weeks.
Montana finished 15 of 23 for 218 with two touchdowns (Brent Jones 18 in the first quarter and Rice 80 in the fourth) plus a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Rice three catches for 105 with the long score. Brent Jones one for 18 with the touchdown. Tom Rathman two for 5 with the rushing score. Roger Craig 24 carries for 75. John Taylor's 95-yard punt return was the year's longest punt-return touchdown.
49ers 37, Redskins 21. Margin: plus 16. Record: 7-5. • Montana: 15 of 23, 218, 2 TDs (Brent Jones 18, Rice 80), 1 INT, 0 sacks; 2 carries for 20, 1 rushing TD (4y). • Young (relief): 0 of 2, 0 TDs, 1 INT. • Rice: 3 catches for 105, 1 TD (80y). • Brent Jones: 1 catch for 18, 1 TD. • Taylor: 1 catch for 22, 95y punt return TD. • Craig: 24 carries for 75, plus 5 for 37. • Rathman: 2 carries for 5, 1 rushing TD (1y), plus 2 for 12. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (52).
A 37-21 home win over the Washington Redskins. The 49ers move to 7-5 with the unit's biggest home win of the year.
How it unfolded
Brent Jones caught an 18-yarder for 7-0. Ricky Sanders caught a 15-yarder to tie it 7-7. Cofer's 52-yarder made it 10-7. Taylor's 95-yard punt return for a touchdown made it 17-7. Rathman's 1-yard rush extended it to 23-7. Ricky Sanders caught a 4-yarder for 23-14. Montana's 4-yard rush made it 30-14. Rice's 80-yard touchdown reception made it 37-14. Art Monk caught an 18-yarder for the final 37-21.
The turning point
The Taylor 95-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. With the 49ers leading 10-7 and the Redskins' offense having produced one touchdown drive, Taylor's punt-return touchdown turned a one-score lead into a 17-7 cushion that ended the closeness of the game.
By the numbers
Montana 15 of 23 for 218, 9.5 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and one interception plus the rushing score. Rice three catches for 105 with the 80-yard touchdown. Brent Jones one for 18 with the touchdown. Craig 75 on 24. Taylor's 95-yard punt return was the club record for return yards on a punt return touchdown.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 20 | 18 |
| Total Yards | 327 | 320 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 27/42 | 15/25 |
| Pass yards | 271 | 218 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 0 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 0 | 10 |
| Net pass yards | 271 | 208 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 25 | 30 |
| Rush yards | 56 | 112 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 2 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 4 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 0 |
| Penalties | 5 | 10 |
| Penalty yards | 51 | 65 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 15/23 | 218 | 2 | 1 | 106.8 |
| Steve Young #8 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| WAS | |||||
| Doug Williams | 27/41 | 271 | 3 | 2 | 88.6 |
| Art Monk | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 24 | 75 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 15 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Doug DuBose | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WAS | ||||
| Mike Oliphant | 4 | 29 | 0 | 20 |
| Jamie Morris | 8 | 19 | 0 | 16 |
| Timmy Smith | 12 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Gary Clark | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 3 | 105 | 1 | 80 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 5 | 37 | 0 | 13 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 11 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 7 |
| Doug DuBose | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| WAS | ||||
| Art Monk | 9 | 89 | 1 | 18 |
| Gary Clark | 5 | 80 | 0 | 22 |
| Ricky Sanders | 6 | 59 | 2 | 15 |
| Mike Oliphant | 5 | 31 | 0 | 16 |
| Joe Caravello | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Don Warren | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1988 W12 - 49ers vs Washington Redskins - Game Thread