The 49ers (10-5) host the Los Angeles Rams (10-5) at Candlestick Park, Sun December 18, 1988. Regular-season finale. NFC West title on the line.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Rams start Jim Everett. Greg Bell at running back. Henry Ellard and Aaron Cox at receiver.[1][2][3]
John Robinson's Rams come into the finale at 10-5, tied with the 49ers in the NFC West. Jim Everett has thrown for 3,394 yards across 15 starts. Greg Bell has 287 carries for 1,212. Henry Ellard has 84 catches for 1,353. The closing-week matchup is the year's NFC West title decider. The 49ers' offense, off the 30-17 home win over the Saints, has the kind of momentum the closing-week game requires. Joe Montana enters with the year's leading completion rate. Roger Craig sits at 1,384 rushing yards.
Week 16 closes the regular season. The Bears 12-3 lead. The Vikings 11-4 in the NFC Central. The 49ers and Rams both 10-5 in the NFC West. The Saints 9-6 in third. The Bengals 12-3 lead the AFC. The Bills 12-3. The closing-week NFC West matchup decides the division title and the seeding for the playoffs. Below the 49ers in the West the NFC West contenders compete for the divisional slot and the inside track on the conference's seeding picture.
Through 15 games the 49ers are 10-5 with a plus 95 differential. The Rams are 10-5 with a plus 75. Jim Everett has thrown for 3,394 yards. Henry Ellard 84 catches for 1,353, 9 TDs. Greg Bell 287 carries for 1,212. Joe Montana 2,810 yards across 15. Roger Craig 1,384 rushing across 15. Jerry Rice 61 catches for 1,277 with 9 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 2-point home favorites with the total at 43.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11-4 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 10-5 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 9-6 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-11 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 12-3 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 9-6 | W2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8-7 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 7-7-1 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-9 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 8-7 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 7-8 | L2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-8 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 5-10 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-10-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-5 | W4 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 9-6 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9-6 | L3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-10 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 12-3 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 10-5 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-11 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-11 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-12 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-5 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9-6 | W1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-8 | L4 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-8 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-12 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 23 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Damone Johnson 16 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 7-3 |
| 49ers | Tom Rathman 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-10 |
| Rams | Henry Ellard 9 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 14-10 |
| Rams | Greg Bell 1 yard rush (Mike Lansford kick) | 21-10 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 46 yard field goal | 21-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Damone Johnson 11 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 28-13 |
| Rams | Mike Lansford 49 yard field goal | 31-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Damone Johnson 5 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 38-13 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 36 yard field goal | 38-16 |
Jim Everett threw four touchdowns to Damone Johnson (3) and Henry Ellard (1) and the Los Angeles Rams beat the 49ers 38-16 at Candlestick Park to end the regular season. Joe Montana finished 15 of 26 for 171 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Steve Young threw for 120 yards in relief. Tom Rathman ran in a 1-yard touchdown. The 49ers fell to 10-6 but won the NFC West on a tiebreaker.[1][2][3]
A 38-16 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers fall to 10-6 but win the NFC West on a tiebreaker since the Rams' loss at Atlanta in W17 created a 10-6 tie with the 49ers' worse-divisional-record finish. Jim Everett threw four touchdowns; the Rams' offense produced the year's biggest single-game offensive output at Candlestick.
Montana finished 15 of 26 for 171 with no touchdowns. Steve Young 7 of 11 for 120 in relief. Rice two catches for 29. Roger Craig 16 carries for 51. Tom Rathman two for 11 with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Cofer kicked field goals of 23, 46, and 36.
Jim Everett finished 19 of 38 for 201 with four touchdowns (Damone Johnson 16, Henry Ellard 9, Damone Johnson 11, Damone Johnson 5) and one interception. Greg Bell ran 21 for 88 with a 1-yard touchdown. The Rams' offense produced four touchdowns; the 49ers' defense gave up the year's biggest single-game total. The Rams' 38-point output was the highest single-game scoring against the 49ers since 1985.
Rams 38, 49ers 16. Margin: minus 22. Record: 10-6; NFC West clinched on tiebreaker. • Montana: 15 of 26, 171, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Young (relief): 7 of 11, 120, 0 TDs, 0 INTs. • Rice: 2 catches for 29. • Taylor: 5 catches for 54. • Brent Jones: did not appear in box score. • Flagler: 1 carry for -1, plus 3 for 72 (lg57). • Craig: 16 carries for 51, plus 3 for 32. • Rathman: 2 carries for 11, 1 rushing TD (1y). • Wilson: 2 catches for 34.
A 38-16 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams on the regular-season finale. The 49ers fall to 10-6 but win the NFC West on a tiebreaker.
How it unfolded
Cofer's 23-yard field goal opened the scoring. Damone Johnson caught a 16-yarder for the Rams. Rathman's 1-yard rush tied it 7-7 (the 49ers' only offensive touchdown). Henry Ellard caught a 9-yarder for 7-14. Greg Bell's 1-yard rush made it 7-21. Cofer's 46-yarder made it 10-21. Mike Lansford added a 49-yarder. Damone Johnson caught an 11-yarder for 10-31. Cofer's 36-yarder made it 13-31. Damone Johnson caught a 5-yarder for 13-38. The score did not change.
The turning point
The second-quarter four-touchdown collapse. After the 49ers had tied the game at 3-3, the Rams' second quarter produced four scoring possessions and a 21-3 halftime lead. The defensive failure was the unit's worst single-quarter performance of the year.
By the numbers
Montana 15 of 26 for 171 with no touchdowns. Young 7 of 11 for 120 in relief. Rice two for 29; the receiver's lowest single-game yardage line of the year. Craig 51 on 16. Rathman 11 on two with the lone offensive touchdown. Defense produced one interception of Everett but allowed four touchdown passes.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 23 | 20 |
| Total Yards | 322 | 316 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 19/38 | 22/37 |
| Pass yards | 201 | 291 |
| Pass TD | 4 | 0 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 0 | 9 |
| Sack yards lost | 0 | 45 |
| Net pass yards | 201 | 246 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 30 | 21 |
| Rush yards | 121 | 70 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 5 | 7 |
| Penalty yards | 33 | 58 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 15/26 | 171 | 0 | 0 | 77.6 |
| Steve Young #8 | 7/11 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 100.6 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 19/38 | 201 | 4 | 1 | 89.9 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 16 | 51 | 0 | 11 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| Steve Young #8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Barry Helton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrence Flagler | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| RAM | ||||
| Greg Bell | 21 | 88 | 1 | 12 |
| Ron Brown | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Charles White | 4 | 10 | 0 | 5 |
| Jim Everett | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Buford McGee | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Mike Guman | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrence Flagler | 3 | 72 | 0 | 57 |
| John Taylor #82 | 5 | 54 | 0 | 18 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 20 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 20 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 20 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 12 |
| Terry Greer #84 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 17 |
| Ron Heller #85 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| John Frank | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| RAM | ||||
| Henry Ellard | 6 | 74 | 1 | 16 |
| Aaron Cox | 4 | 42 | 0 | 17 |
| Damone Johnson | 4 | 42 | 3 | 16 |
| Pete Holohan | 3 | 26 | 0 | 13 |
| Greg Bell | 2 | 17 | 0 | 12 |
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