The 49ers (8-5) travel to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) on Sun December 4, 1988.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Falcons start Chris Miller. Gerald Riggs at running back. The two teams met at Candlestick in W3 where Atlanta won 34-17.
Marion Campbell's Falcons are 4-9 and rebuilding after the W3 49ers home upset. Chris Miller has thrown for 1,973 yards across 13 starts. Gerald Riggs has 216 carries for 855. The Sunday game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium is the year's second 49ers-Falcons matchup and the kind of divisional road game the schedule produces. The 49ers' offense, off the 48-10 Chargers road blowout and the Rice 96-yard touchdown, needs the kind of mid-tier divisional road win the operation had been producing all year.
Week 14 has the conference's contenders in December form. The Bears 12-1 lead. The Vikings 10-3, the Rams 9-4, the 49ers 8-5. The Bengals 11-2 lead the AFC. The Bills 12-2. The 49ers' Sunday at Atlanta is one of two NFC matchups on the slate; the Vikings at Bears is the other Sunday game. The NFC West's race the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture.
Through 13 games the 49ers are 8-5 with a plus 72 differential. The Falcons are 4-9 with a minus 75. Chris Miller has thrown for 1,973 yards. Gerald Riggs 216 carries for 855. Floyd Dixon 33 catches for 477. Joe Montana 2,347 yards across 13. Roger Craig 1,166 rushing across 13. Jerry Rice 50 catches for 1,136 with 9 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 7-point road favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 10-3 | W2 |
| Houston Oilers | 9-4 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8-5 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 11-2 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 7-6 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 7-6 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 6-6-1 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-8 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 7-6 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-6 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 6-7 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-9 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3-9-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 9-4 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 8-5 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7-6 | L4 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-8 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-2 | W4 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 9-4 | W4 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-10 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-10 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-11 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 8-5 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8-5 | W4 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-6 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-7 | L3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-11 | L9 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 20 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Greg Davis 21 yard field goal | 7-3 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 31 yard field goal | 10-3 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 23 yard field goal | 13-3 |
Joe Montana threw a 20-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice in the second quarter, Mike Cofer made two field goals, and the 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons 13-3 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Montana finished 20 of 34 for 230. Roger Craig ran for 103 yards. The 49ers' defense held the Falcons to one Greg Davis field goal. The 49ers improved to 9-5.[1][2][3]
A 13-3 road win at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The 49ers' defense held the Falcons to one Greg Davis field goal across four quarters. The 49ers' offense produced one Rice touchdown and two Mike Cofer field goals. The 49ers move to 9-5 in the year's second defensive shutout-style win.
Montana finished 20 of 34 for 230 with the touchdown to Rice (20-yarder in the second quarter). Rice caught five for 63 with the touchdown plus a 14-yard rushing attempt for 9 yards and one pass for 14. Roger Craig ran 23 for 103 plus seven catches for 73. Tom Rathman seven for 20. The 49ers' offensive line did not give up a sack.
Chris Miller finished 13 of 27 for 156 with no touchdowns and one interception. Gerald Riggs ran 12 for 17. John Settle 8 for 16. The Falcons' offense produced 13 first downs and converted 3 of 12 third downs. The 49ers' defensive front produced no sacks but the secondary's interception and the line's pressure on Miller's dropbacks decided the game.
49ers 13, Falcons 3. Margin: plus 10. Record: 9-5. • Montana: 20 of 34, 230, 1 TD (Rice 20), 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 5 catches for 63, 1 TD (20y), plus 1 rush for 9 and 1 pass for 14. • Craig: 23 carries for 103, plus 7 for 73. • Rathman: 7 carries for 20. • Wilson: 3 catches for 49. • Frank: 3 catches for 33. • Cofer: 2-for-2 (31, 23). • Chris Miller (ATL): 13 of 27, 156, 0 TDs, 1 INT. • Gerald Riggs (ATL): 12 carries for 17.
A 13-3 road win at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The 49ers move to 9-5 with the year's second defensive-shutout-style win.
How it unfolded
Rice caught a 20-yard touchdown from Montana in the second quarter for the only first-half score. Greg Davis kicked a 21-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Cofer added 31-yard and 23-yard field goals to make the final 13-3.
The turning point
The defense's second-half coverage on the Falcons' three perimeter targets. After Atlanta scored its only points in the fourth quarter on a Greg Davis field goal, the 49ers' defensive front produced two sacks of Miller across the closing 8 minutes to close the game.
By the numbers
Montana 20 of 34 for 230 with one touchdown. Rice five catches for 63 with the touchdown. Craig 103 on 23 plus 73 receiving on seven. Defense produced one interception of Miller and one sack. Held the Falcons to 3 of 12 on third down.
Personnel watch
The 49ers' defensive front (Haley, Holt, Carter, Burt) produced one sack but the kind of pressure that limited Miller to 5.8 yards per attempt. Charles Haley's sack of Miller pushed his year total to 11. The 9-5 record stays in the divisional race.
What it means
9-5 with the Saints at home next Sunday. The Atlanta road win is the kind of mid-tier divisional win the team needed for the closing-stretch playoff push. The home Saints game will tell whether the offense can produce against a divisional contender.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 20 | 8 |
| Total Yards | 378 | 177 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 21/35 | 13/27 |
| Pass yards | 244 | 156 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 6 | 22 |
| Net pass yards | 238 | 134 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 37 | 21 |
| Rush yards | 140 | 43 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 7 | 2 |
| Penalty yards | 65 | 21 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 20/34 | 230 | 1 | 0 | 89.1 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1/1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 118.7 |
| ATL | |||||
| Chris Miller | 13/27 | 156 | 0 | 1 | 50.8 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 23 | 103 | 0 | 14 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ATL | ||||
| Gerald Riggs | 12 | 17 | 0 | 7 |
| John Settle | 8 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| Floyd Dixon | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 7 | 73 | 0 | 18 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 5 | 63 | 1 | 20 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 3 | 49 | 0 | 19 |
| John Frank | 3 | 33 | 0 | 14 |
| Terry Greer #84 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Terrence Flagler | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ATL | ||||
| Gene Lang | 2 | 56 | 0 | 50 |
| John Settle | 6 | 40 | 0 | 9 |
| Floyd Dixon | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| James Milling | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Michael Haynes | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Ken Whisenhunt | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Gerald Riggs | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
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