The 49ers (4-1) travel to Texas Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Dallas Cowboys (0-5) on Sun October 15, 1989.
Steve Young starts in place of Joe Montana, who is out with a knee injury suffered late in the Saints game. Young's first start of the year. The Cowboys start rookie Steve Walsh. Darryl Clack at running back. Michael Irvin at receiver. Jimmy Johnson in year one as head coach.
Steve Young's first NFL start as a 49er. The reserve quarterback, signed in 1987 trade with Tampa Bay, takes the snaps Sunday in place of Montana, who suffered a knee injury in the closing minutes at the Superdome. The Cowboys' 0-5 start is Jimmy Johnson's first year and the club's worst start since 1960. The matchup is the kind of road game the 49ers' schedule produced after the back-to-back road comebacks against the Saints and Eagles.
Week 6 has the conference's contenders in mid-October sort. The Bears 5-0, the Rams 5-0, the 49ers 4-1, the Eagles 3-2. The Bills 5-1 lead the AFC. The Broncos 4-2, the Bengals 4-2. Around the NFC East the Cowboys 0-5 sit at the bottom; the Cardinals 2-3 ahead. The 49ers' Sunday at Texas Stadium is the kind of road game the conference's wire copy treats as a foregone conclusion.
Through five games the 49ers are 4-1 with a plus 23 differential. The Cowboys are 0-5 with a minus 79. Steve Walsh has thrown for 1,109 yards across five starts. Darryl Clack has 75 carries for 232. Michael Irvin caught 12 for 165 last Sunday at Washington. Joe Montana 1,445 passing yards across five games. Steve Young 102 of 187 across his career as the backup with 1,283 yards. Vegas lists the 49ers as 14-point road favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-1 | W4 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-2 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-3 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 2-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 3-2 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 3-2 | W3 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2-3 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-3 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-4 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 4-1 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2-3 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 2-3 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-3 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-0 | W5 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4-1 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-4 | L3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 4-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-2 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-2 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-2 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 4-1 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-2 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-2 | W3 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 2-3 | L3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-5 | L5 |
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 | Brent Jones 36 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-0 |
| Cowboys | Kelvin Martin 32 yard pass from Steve Walsh (Roger Ruzek kick) | 7-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Johnnie Jackson 75 yard blocked field goal return (Mike Cofer kick) | 14-7 |
| Cowboys | Darryl Clack 1 yard rush (Roger Ruzek kick) | 14-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 8 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 21-14 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 31 yard field goal | 24-14 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 31-14 |
Steve Young threw two touchdowns and ran for 79 yards in his first 49ers start and the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 at Texas Stadium. Young finished 13 of 18 for 174 yards. Brent Jones caught a 36-yard touchdown. Jerry Rice caught an 8-yard score. Roger Craig ran in a 1-yard touchdown. Johnnie Jackson returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown. The 49ers improved to 5-1.[1][2][3]
Steve Young's first 49ers start produced two touchdown passes and 79 rushing yards. The 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 at Texas Stadium. Young finished 13 of 18 for 174 with the touchdowns to Brent Jones (36) and Jerry Rice (8). Roger Craig added a 1-yard rushing touchdown. The win pushed the 49ers to 5-1.
Young's 79 yards on 11 carries was the highest single-game rushing total by a 49ers quarterback in the Walsh-Seifert era. The Cowboys' defensive front allowed the kind of mobility the run-and-shoot offenses had been producing against the league for two years. Roger Craig ran 18 carries for 61 with the 1-yard touchdown. Tom Rathman five catches for 64 in the check-down role. Jerry Rice caught two for 28 with the touchdown reception.
49ers 31, Cowboys 14. Margin: plus 17. Record: 5-1. • Young: 13 of 18, 174, 2 TDs (Brent Jones 36, Rice 8), 1 INT, 0 sacks; 11 carries for 79 (career rushing high in a single game). • Brent Jones: 1 catch for 36, 1 TD. • Rice: 2 catches for 28, 1 TD. • Taylor: 1 catch for 10. • Craig: 18 carries for 61, 1 rushing TD (1y), plus 3 for 23. • Rathman: 2 carries for 6, plus 5 for 64. • Sydney: 1 catch for 13. • Johnnie Jackson (DEF): 75y blocked field goal return TD.
A 31-14 road win at Texas Stadium. The 49ers move to 5-1 with Steve Young's first 49ers start.
How it unfolded
Brent Jones caught a 36-yard touchdown from Young in the second quarter to make it 7-0. Kelvin Martin's 32-yard touchdown from Walsh tied it 7-7. Johnnie Jackson returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7. Darryl Clack's 1-yard rush tied it 14-14. Rice's 8-yard touchdown reception made it 21-14. Cofer's 31-yard field goal made it 24-14. Craig's 1-yard rush made the final 31-14.
The turning point
The Johnnie Jackson 75-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown. With the Cowboys' offense looking to tie the game in the second quarter and Walsh's 18-yard scrambling drive having produced a third-and-eight at the 49ers' 35, the Dallas field goal team's snap was blocked and Jackson scooped and ran 75 yards for the touchdown. The seven-point swing turned a one-score game into a two-touchdown 49ers lead.
By the numbers
Young 13 of 18 for 174 with two touchdowns and one interception. 79 rushing yards on 11 carries; the unit's highest single-game rushing total by a quarterback since 1985. Brent Jones one catch for 36 with the touchdown. Rice two for 28 with the touchdown. Roger Craig 61 on 18 with the rushing touchdown. Rathman five for 64 in the check-down role. Walsh 23 of 36 for 294 with one touchdown and two interceptions. Charles Haley produced both 49ers sacks.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 17 | 19 |
| Total Yards | 318 | 330 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 13/18 | 23/36 |
| Pass yards | 174 | 294 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 2 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 2 | 24 |
| Net pass yards | 172 | 270 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 31 | 20 |
| Rush yards | 146 | 60 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 8 | 3 |
| Penalty yards | 48 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 13/18 | 174 | 2 | 1 | 116.4 |
| DAL | |||||
| Steve Walsh | 23/36 | 294 | 1 | 2 | 75.5 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 11 | 79 | 0 | 22 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 18 | 61 | 1 | 10 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| DAL | ||||
| Darryl Clack | 12 | 32 | 1 | 17 |
| Steve Walsh | 4 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| James Dixon | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Daryl Johnston | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Tom Rathman #44 | 5 | 64 | 0 | 36 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 36 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 2 | 28 | 1 | 20 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 10 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| DAL | ||||
| Kelvin Martin | 4 | 72 | 1 | 32 |
| Darryl Clack | 4 | 69 | 0 | 44 |
| Michael Irvin | 6 | 60 | 0 | 13 |
| Steve Folsom | 5 | 59 | 0 | 26 |
| Derrick Shepard | 2 | 21 | 0 | 15 |
| Daryl Johnston | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1989 W6 - 49ers at Dallas Cowboys - Game Thread
