The 49ers (7-5) travel to Jack Murphy Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the San Diego Chargers (4-8) on Sun November 27, 1988.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Chargers start Mark Malone. Gary Anderson at running back. Anthony Miller and Quinn Early at receiver. Al Saunders in year second as head coach.
Al Saunders' Chargers are 4-8 and a year-two rebuild. Mark Malone has thrown for 1,743 yards across 12 starts. Gary Anderson has 113 carries for 372. Anthony Miller has 27 catches for 386. The Sunday matchup at Jack Murphy Stadium is the kind of soft-stretch cross-conference road game the schedule produces in late November for a 7-5 NFC West contender.
Week 13 has the conference's contenders in late November. The Bears 11-1 lead. The Vikings 9-3, the Rams 8-4, the 49ers 7-5. The Bengals 10-2, the Bills 11-2 lead the AFC. The 49ers' Sunday at San Diego is one of two NFC-AFC road games on the slate; the Saints at Jets is the other Sunday matchup. The divisional reading the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture.
Through 12 games the 49ers are 7-5 with a plus 34 differential. The Chargers are 4-8 with a minus 35. Mark Malone has thrown for 1,743 yards. Gary Anderson 113 carries for 372. Anthony Miller 27 catches for 386. Joe Montana 2,076 yards across 12 games. Roger Craig 1,079 rushing across 12 (89.9 ypg). Jerry Rice 44 catches for 965 with 7 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 9-point road favorites with the total at 42.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 9-3 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 8-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-5 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-10 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 11-1 | W7 |
| New England Patriots | 7-5 | W4 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 6-6 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 5-6-1 | L3 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-7 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 6-6 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 6-6 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-6 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-8 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-8-1 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 9-3 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-5 | L3 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-5 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-8 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 10-2 | W3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-4 | W3 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-9 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-9 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-10 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 7-5 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7-5 | W3 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-5 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-6 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-10 | L8 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 96 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-0 |
| Chargers | Mark Malone 36 yard rush (Steve DeLine kick) | 14-7 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 2 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 21-7 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 45 yard field goal | 24-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 41 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 31-7 |
| Chargers | Steve DeLine 23 yard field goal | 31-10 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 7 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 38-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 32 yard field goal | 41-10 |
| 49ers | Doug DuBose 37 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 48-10 |
Joe Montana threw three touchdowns including a 96-yard score to Jerry Rice and a 41-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice, and the 49ers crushed the San Diego Chargers 48-10 at Jack Murphy Stadium. Montana finished 14 of 22 for 271 yards. Rice caught six for 171 with two touchdowns. Roger Craig ran for 87 with two touchdowns. Doug DuBose ran in a 37-yard touchdown. The 49ers improved to 8-5.[1][2][3]
Joe Montana threw a 96-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice on the first play from scrimmage and the 49ers crushed the San Diego Chargers 48-10 at Jack Murphy Stadium. The 49ers' 48-point total was the unit's biggest road scoring output of the year. The 96-yard Rice touchdown was the club record for longest passing play from scrimmage.
Montana finished 14 of 22 for 271 with three touchdowns (Rice 96, Craig 2, Rice 41). Rice caught six for 171 with the two long touchdowns. Roger Craig ran 17 for 87 with two short rushing touchdowns plus a 2-yard receiving touchdown. Doug DuBose added a 37-yard rushing touchdown. Tom Rathman five for 20. The 49ers ran 31 times for 169 yards.
Mark Malone finished 17 of 32 for 136 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Malone added a 36-yard scrambling touchdown in the second quarter. Gary Anderson ran 14 for 61. The Chargers' offense produced one offensive touchdown plus a Steve DeLine 23-yard field goal. The 49ers' defensive front produced no sacks but the secondary's two interceptions decided the game.
49ers 48, Chargers 10. Margin: plus 38. Record: 8-5. • Montana: 14 of 22, 271, 3 TDs (Rice 96 from scrimmage, Craig 2, Rice 41), 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 6 catches for 171, 2 TDs (96 — franchise record from scrimmage, 41). • Craig: 17 carries for 87, 2 rushing TDs (1, 7), plus 2 for 8 receiving with 1 receiving TD (2y). • DuBose: 7 carries for 60, 1 rushing TD (37y). • Frank: 1 catch for 38. • Cofer: 2-for-2 (45, 32).
A 48-10 road win at Jack Murphy Stadium. The 49ers move to 8-5 with the year's biggest road blowout and the operation's longest pass from scrimmage.
How it unfolded
Rice caught a 96-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Craig's 1-yard rush made it 14-0. Mark Malone scrambled 36 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7. Craig caught a 2-yarder for 21-7. Cofer's 45-yarder made it 24-7. Rice's 41-yard touchdown made it 31-7. Craig's 7-yard rush extended it to 38-10 in the third quarter. Cofer's 32-yarder made it 41-10. Doug DuBose's 37-yard rushing touchdown closed it at 48-10.
The turning point
The Rice 96-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. With the offense having opened the game from its own 4-yard line, Montana's deep ball to Rice on a post route turned the first 49ers possession into a 7-0 lead and the kind of explosive start the team had been building toward all year.
By the numbers
Montana 14 of 22 for 271, 12.3 yards per attempt, three touchdowns. Rice six catches for 171 with the two long touchdowns. Craig 87 rushing with two touchdowns plus the receiving touchdown. DuBose 60 on seven with the 37-yard score. The 49ers' offense produced 460 total yards. Defense produced two interceptions.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 24 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 475 | 312 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 16/25 | 23/45 |
| Pass yards | 285 | 179 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 13 | 3 |
| Net pass yards | 272 | 176 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 36 | 23 |
| Rush yards | 203 | 136 |
| Rush TD | 3 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 8 | 9 |
| Penalty yards | 79 | 93 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 14/22 | 271 | 3 | 0 | 146 |
| Steve Young #8 | 2/3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 77.1 |
| SDG | |||||
| Mark Malone | 17/32 | 136 | 0 | 2 | 38 |
| Babe Laufenberg | 6/13 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 54.3 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 17 | 87 | 2 | 21 |
| Doug DuBose | 7 | 60 | 1 | 37 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 9 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 6 |
| Steve Young #8 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| SDG | ||||
| Gary Anderson | 14 | 61 | 0 | 26 |
| Mark Malone | 2 | 40 | 1 | 36 |
| Babe Laufenberg | 2 | 17 | 0 | 15 |
| Lionel James | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Tim Spencer | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| Barry Redden | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 171 | 2 | 96 |
| John Frank | 1 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 35 | 0 | 16 |
| Terry Greer #84 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 15 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| SDG | ||||
| Rod Bernstine | 9 | 80 | 0 | 22 |
| Darren Flutie | 2 | 27 | 0 | 15 |
| Jamie Holland | 3 | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| Gary Anderson | 3 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| Tim Spencer | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Anthony Miller | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 |
| Quinn Early | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Lionel James | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1988 W13 - 49ers at San Diego Chargers - Game Thread