The 49ers (3-1) travel to the Louisiana Superdome for a Sunday kickoff against the New Orleans Saints (1-2) on Sun October 8, 1989.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Saints start Bobby Hebert at quarterback. Dalton Hilliard at running back. Eric Martin and Lonzell Hill at receiver. Jim Mora in year four as head coach.
Jim Mora's Saints are 1-2 but the offense has produced an identity behind Hebert, Hilliard, and the new four-wide-out package. The Saints lost the W1 matchup at the Eagles. The W4 win at Houston produced a 24-9 final and 28 Hebert completions. The Sunday game at the Dome is the kind of road test the 49ers' offense needed off the home loss to the Rams.
Week 5 has the conference's contenders in early-October sort. The Bears 4-0 lead the NFC Central. The Giants 3-1 and the Eagles 2-2 compete in the NFC East. The Rams 4-0 lead the NFC West. The Bills 4-1 lead the AFC East. The Bengals and Broncos 3-1 in the AFC. The 49ers' Sunday at the Saints is one of two NFC matchups on the slate; the other is the Cardinals at the Bears.
Through four games the 49ers are 3-1 with a plus 19 differential. The Saints are 1-2 with a minus 9. Bobby Hebert has thrown for 743 across three starts. Eric Martin 22 catches for 322. Dalton Hilliard 49 carries for 240. Joe Montana has thrown for 1,154 yards across four games. Jerry Rice has 22 catches for 485 and one touchdown. Vegas lists the 49ers as 3-point road favorites with the total at 43.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3-1 | W3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-1 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-2 | W2 |
| Houston Oilers | 2-2 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 3-1 | W2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2-2 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1-3 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 1-3 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 1-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 3-1 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-2 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-2 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1-3 | L2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 1-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 4-0 | W4 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-1 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-3 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 4-0 | W4 |
| Green Bay Packers | 2-2 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-2 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-2 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 4-0 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-2 | L2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 2-2 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-2 | W2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-4 | L4 |
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 | Mike Cofer 41 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Saints | Hoby Brenner 2 yard pass from Bobby Hebert (Morten Andersen kick) | 3-7 |
| Saints | Morten Andersen 49 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Dalton Hilliard 19 yard pass from Bobby Hebert (Morten Andersen kick) | 3-17 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 60 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 10-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | John Taylor 21 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 17-17 |
| Saints | Morten Andersen 39 yard field goal | 17-20 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 32 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 24-20 |
Joe Montana threw three touchdowns including a 60-yard score to Jerry Rice and a 32-yard touchdown to John Taylor with 1:54 left and the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 24-20 at the Louisiana Superdome. Montana finished 21 of 29 for 291 with the three touchdowns. Rice caught seven for 149. Taylor caught two for 53 with two touchdowns (21 and 32). The 49ers improved to 4-1.[1][2][3]
John Taylor caught two touchdowns including a 32-yard score with 1:54 left and the 49ers came back from a 7-17 third-quarter deficit to beat the New Orleans Saints 24-20 at the Louisiana Superdome. Joe Montana finished 21 of 29 for 291 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Rice caught seven for 149 including a 60-yard touchdown in the third quarter that cut a 3-17 deficit to 10-17. Taylor caught a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to tie it 17-17. Morten Andersen's 39-yard field goal gave the Saints a 17-20 lead with 6:23 left. Taylor's 32-yard touchdown reception with 1:54 left was the eventual winner.
Bobby Hebert finished 31 of 49 for 308 with two touchdowns (Hoby Brenner 2, Dalton Hilliard 19) and no interceptions. Hilliard added 10 carries for 9 plus 9 receptions for 77. Eric Martin caught five for 86. The 49ers' defensive front produced no sacks of Hebert but the secondary's coverage on Lonzell Hill (eight catches for 88) limited the Saints' explosive plays.
49ers 24, Saints 20. Margin: plus 4. Record: 4-1. • Montana: 21 of 29, 291, 3 TDs (Rice 60, Taylor 21, Taylor 32 GW), 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 7 catches for 149, 1 TD (60y). • Taylor: 2 catches for 53, 2 TDs (21, 32 GW with 1:54 left). • Brent Jones: 2 catches for 16. • Rathman: 5 catches for 34. • Craig: 18 carries for 70, plus 4 for 37. • Sydney: 1 carry for -1. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (41). • Hebert (NO): 31 of 49, 308, 2 TDs (Brenner 2, Hilliard 19), 0 INTs.
A 24-20 road win at the Louisiana Superdome. The 49ers move to 4-1 with the year's second fourth-quarter comeback win.
How it unfolded
Cofer's 41-yard field goal opened the scoring. Hoby Brenner caught a 2-yard touchdown from Hebert to make it 3-7. Andersen kicked a 49-yarder for 3-10. Dalton Hilliard caught a 19-yarder for 3-17. Rice's 60-yard touchdown reception made it 10-17. Taylor's 21-yard touchdown tied it 17-17. Andersen's 39-yarder gave New Orleans a 17-20 lead. Taylor's 32-yard touchdown with 1:54 left made the final 24-20.
The turning point
The Taylor 32-yard touchdown with 1:54 left. With the 49ers trailing 17-20 and 4:30 remaining, Montana led a 78-yard drive that ended on Taylor's deep slant the Saints' single-high safety did not get to. The seven-point swing was the eventual winner.
By the numbers
Montana 21 of 29 for 291, 10.0 yards per attempt, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Rice seven catches for 149 with the 60-yard touchdown. Taylor two for 53 with the two touchdowns (21 and 32). Brent Jones two for 16. Rathman five for 34. Craig 18 carries for 70 (3.9 ypc). Defense produced two interceptions of Hebert and no sacks. The 49ers' offense produced the kind of clutch second-half drives that the Walsh-era offense had been built on.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 18 | 18 |
| Total Yards | 358 | 334 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 21/29 | 31/49 |
| Pass yards | 291 | 308 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 9 | 9 |
| Net pass yards | 282 | 299 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 23 | 16 |
| Rush yards | 76 | 35 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 6 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 38 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 21/29 | 291 | 3 | 0 | 138.7 |
| NOR | |||||
| Bobby Hebert | 31/49 | 308 | 2 | 0 | 94.6 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 18 | 70 | 0 | 25 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Steve Young #8 | 3 | -4 | 0 | -1 |
| NOR | ||||
| Craig Heyward | 4 | 21 | 0 | 13 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 10 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| Bobby Hebert | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| George Winslow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 7 | 149 | 1 | 60 |
| John Taylor #82 | 2 | 53 | 2 | 32 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 12 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 5 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| NOR | ||||
| Lonzell Hill | 8 | 88 | 0 | 19 |
| Eric Martin | 5 | 86 | 0 | 25 |
| Dalton Hilliard | 9 | 77 | 1 | 19 |
| John Tice | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Craig Heyward | 3 | 13 | 0 | 6 |
| Hoby Brenner | 3 | 13 | 1 | 6 |
| Floyd Turner | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Brett Perriman | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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