The 49ers (9-5) host the New Orleans Saints (9-5) at Candlestick Park, Sun December 11, 1988. NFC West divisional matchup.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Saints start Bobby Hebert. Dalton Hilliard at running back. Eric Martin at receiver. Jim Mora in year three as head coach.
Jim Mora's Saints come into Sunday at 9-5 and tied with the 49ers in the NFC West. Bobby Hebert has thrown for 2,765 yards across 14 starts. Dalton Hilliard has 178 carries for 824. Eric Martin has 50 catches for 731. The Sunday matchup is the year's deciding NFC West home game; the Saints' Sunday-after-Thanksgiving win at home against Atlanta was a 31-0 statement.
Week 15 has the conference's contenders in mid-December. The Bears 12-2 lead. The Vikings 10-4, the Rams 9-5, the 49ers 9-5, the Saints 9-5. The Bengals 12-2 lead the AFC. The Bills 12-3. The 49ers' Sunday at home against the Saints is one of two NFC West Sunday matchups; the Rams at Falcons is the other. The conference's divisional race comes down to the closing two weeks.
Through 14 games the 49ers are 9-5 with a plus 82 differential. The Saints are 9-5 with a plus 32. Bobby Hebert has thrown for 2,765 yards across 14 starts. Dalton Hilliard 178 carries for 824. Eric Martin 50 catches for 731. Joe Montana 2,577 yards across 14. Roger Craig 1,269 rushing across 14. Jerry Rice 55 catches for 1,199 with 9 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 3-point home favorites with the total at 42.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11-3 | W3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 9-5 | W3 |
| Houston Oilers | 9-5 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-10 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 11-3 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8-6 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 8-6 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 6-7-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 5-9 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 7-7 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-7 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-7 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-9-1 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-10 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 9-5 | L2 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9-5 | W3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 8-6 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-3 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 10-4 | W5 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-10 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-10 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-12 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 9-5 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8-6 | L1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-7 | L3 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-7 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-12 | L10 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Morten Andersen 38 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 3-7 |
| Saints | Lonzell Hill 27 yard pass from Dalton Hilliard (Morten Andersen kick) | 10-7 |
| 49ers | Joe Montana 2 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 10-14 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 66 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 10-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 40 yard field goal | 10-24 |
| Saints | Greg Scales 6 yard pass from Bobby Hebert (Morten Andersen kick) | 17-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 47 yard field goal | 17-27 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 19 yard field goal | 17-30 |
Joe Montana threw a 66-yard touchdown to John Taylor in the second quarter, Roger Craig ran for 115 yards and a touchdown, and the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 30-17 at Candlestick Park. Montana finished 18 of 29 for 233. Taylor caught two for 77 with the long touchdown. Mike Cofer kicked two field goals. The 49ers improved to 10-5 and took the lead in the NFC West.[1][2][3]
John Taylor caught a 66-yard touchdown from Montana in the second quarter and Roger Craig ran for 115 yards and a touchdown, and the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 30-17 at Candlestick Park. The home divisional win pushes the 49ers to 10-5 and a one-game lead in the NFC West with one game to play.
Montana finished 18 of 29 for 233 with one touchdown plus a 2-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Taylor two catches for 77 with the long touchdown. Rice six for 78. John Frank five for 45. Brent Jones one for 6. Roger Craig 22 carries for 115 with the 1-yard rushing touchdown. Tom Rathman seven for 19.
Bobby Hebert finished 19 of 34 for 170 with one touchdown to Greg Scales and one interception. Dalton Hilliard added a 27-yard halfback option touchdown pass to Lonzell Hill. Hilliard ran 9 for 35. Rueben Mayes 8 for 10. The Saints' offense produced two touchdown drives and one Morten Andersen field goal. The 49ers' defensive front produced no sacks but the secondary's coverage on the Saints' three perimeter targets held them to one touchdown.
49ers 30, Saints 17. Margin: plus 13. Record: 10-5; NFC West lead. • Montana: 18 of 29, 233, 1 TD (Taylor 66), 1 INT, 0 sacks; 6 carries for 18, 1 rushing TD (2y). • Taylor: 2 catches for 77, 1 TD (66y). • Rice: 6 catches for 78. • Frank: 5 catches for 45. • Brent Jones: 1 catch for 6. • Craig: 22 carries for 115, 1 rushing TD (1y), plus 2 for 7. • Rathman: 7 carries for 19, plus 2 for 20. • Cofer: 2 FGs (40, 47).
A 30-17 home win over the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers move to 10-5 and take the lead in the NFC West.
How it unfolded
Morten Andersen kicked a 38-yarder for the Saints. Craig's 1-yard rush made it 3-7. Lonzell Hill caught a 27-yarder from Hilliard on a halfback option to make it 10-7. Montana's 2-yard rush made it 10-14. Taylor's 66-yard touchdown reception made it 10-21. Cofer's 40-yarder made it 10-24. Greg Scales caught a 6-yard touchdown for 17-24. Cofer's 47-yarder made it 17-27. Cofer added a 19-yarder for the final 17-30.
The turning point
The Taylor 66-yard touchdown in the second quarter. With the Saints holding a 10-7 lead and the 49ers' offense having stalled twice in the first quarter, Montana's deep ball to Taylor on a slant produced the touchdown that gave the 49ers a 14-10 lead they did not give back.
By the numbers
Montana 18 of 29 for 233 with one touchdown plus the rushing score. Taylor two catches for 77 with the long touchdown. Rice six for 78. Craig 115 on 22 with the rushing touchdown; the back's biggest single-game rushing total in five weeks. Defense produced one interception and no sacks.
Personnel watch
The NFC West lead is the 49ers'. Roger Craig's 115-yard rushing day puts him at 1,384 for the season; the back is on pace for the unit's first 1,500-yard rushing season since 1976. John Taylor's 77 receiving with the long touchdown was the receiver's biggest single-game line of the year.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 15 | 20 |
| Total Yards | 252 | 373 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 20/35 | 18/29 |
| Pass yards | 197 | 233 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 15 | 12 |
| Net pass yards | 182 | 221 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 24 | 35 |
| Rush yards | 70 | 152 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 2 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 1 |
| Penalties | 2 | 0 |
| Penalty yards | 11 | 0 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 18/29 | 233 | 1 | 1 | 84.4 |
| NOR | |||||
| Bobby Hebert | 19/34 | 170 | 1 | 1 | 67 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 1/1 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 22 | 115 | 1 | 28 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 7 | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 11 |
| NOR | ||||
| Dalton Hilliard | 9 | 35 | 0 | 9 |
| Bobby Hebert | 3 | 14 | 0 | 13 |
| Rueben Mayes | 8 | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| Craig Heyward | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| Eric Martin | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 78 | 0 | 18 |
| John Taylor #82 | 2 | 77 | 1 | 68 |
| John Frank | 5 | 45 | 0 | 15 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 18 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| NOR | ||||
| Lonzell Hill | 6 | 61 | 1 | 27 |
| Eric Martin | 7 | 61 | 0 | 20 |
| John Tice | 3 | 44 | 0 | 28 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Mark Pattison | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Brett Perriman | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Greg Scales | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
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 W15 - 49ers vs New Orleans Saints - Game Thread