The 49ers (5-1) host the New England Patriots (2-4) at Stanford Stadium, Sun October 22, 1989. Candlestick repairs forced the temporary home venue.
Joe Montana returns to start. Steve Young takes second-half snaps. The Patriots start Steve Grogan at quarterback in place of injured Doug Flutie. John Stephens at running back. Stanley Morgan and Irving Fryar at receiver. Raymond Berry in year five as head coach.
The earthquake-damaged Candlestick is in repair after the October 17 6.9 quake; the 49ers' Sunday home game moves to Stanford Stadium. Raymond Berry's Patriots are 2-4 with Steve Grogan at quarterback. Stanley Morgan, the 35-year-old veteran receiver, has 13 catches for 230 across three games. Irving Fryar has 19 for 286.
The Sunday game at Stanford is the kind of temporary-venue contest the operation had not played since 1956. Montana returns from the knee sprain that kept him out of the Dallas game.
Week 7 has the conference's contenders all 5-1 or better. The Rams 6-0, the 49ers 5-1, the Bears 5-1, the Eagles 4-2. The Bills 6-1 lead the AFC. The Broncos 5-2. The Bengals 5-2. The 49ers' Sunday at Stanford Stadium is the temporary home game in the wake of the October 17 earthquake. The conference's quietest Sunday matchup. Inside the division the Rams 6-0 lead, the Saints 2-4, the Falcons 2-4.
Through six games the 49ers are 5-1 with a plus 40 differential. The Patriots are 2-4 with a minus 28. Steve Grogan has thrown for 1,041 yards across six starts, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. John Stephens has 122 carries for 530. Irving Fryar 19 catches for 286. Joe Montana 1,445 yards across five games before the knee injury. Steve Young's start at Dallas produced 174 yards and 79 rushing. Jerry Rice 25 catches for 526.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-2 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-3 | L2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-3 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 3-3 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 4-2 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 3-3 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 3-3 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-4 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 1-5 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 5-1 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 3-3 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2-4 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-4 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-1 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5-1 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-4 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-4 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 4-2 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 4-2 | W3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-3 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-3 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 5-1 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4-2 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-3 | L1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 2-4 | L4 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-6 | L6 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Stanley Morgan 55 yard pass from Steve Grogan (Greg Davis kick) | 7-0 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 3 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 7-7 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 23 yard field goal | 7-10 |
| Patriots | Greg Davis 49 yard field goal | 10-10 |
| 49ers | Wesley Walls 1 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 10-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Stanley Morgan 19 yard pass from Steve Grogan (Greg Davis kick) | 17-17 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 50 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 17-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Greg Davis 21 yard field goal | 20-24 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 43 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) | 20-31 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 3 yard rush | 20-37 |
Joe Montana threw a touchdown to Jerry Rice and Steve Young added three touchdown passes including a 50-yard score to Rice, and the 49ers beat the New England Patriots 37-20 at Stanford Stadium. Montana finished 16 of 22 for 178 in relief; Young 11 of 12 for 188 with three touchdowns. Roger Craig ran 22 times for 66 with a rushing touchdown. Jerry Rice caught six for 112 with two touchdowns. The 49ers improved to 6-1.[1][2][3]
A 37-20 win at Stanford Stadium. The 49ers' two-quarterback rotation produced four touchdown passes between Montana and Young. Roger Craig added a 3-yard rushing touchdown. Jerry Rice caught two scores. The win pushed the 49ers to 6-1.
Montana finished 16 of 22 for 178 yards with one touchdown (Rice 3-yard score in the second quarter). Young came in for the third quarter and threw 11 of 12 for 188 with three touchdowns: Wesley Walls 1-yard reception, Rice 50-yard score, John Taylor 43-yard score. Young's 11-for-12 day was the most efficient backup-quarterback line in the team's history. Craig 22 carries for 66 with the 3-yard touchdown. Tom Rathman 11 catches for 103 in the check-down role.
Steve Grogan threw 15 of 29 for 240 with two touchdowns (Stanley Morgan 55, Stanley Morgan 19). John Stephens ran 21 for 63. Irving Fryar caught five for 102. The Patriots' offense produced two touchdown drives and the kind of explosive-pass performance that did not match the year's earlier rushing identity. Charles Haley produced two sacks.
49ers 37, Patriots 20. Margin: plus 17. Record: 6-1. • Montana: 16 of 22, 178, 1 TD (Rice 3), 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Young: 11 of 12, 188, 3 TDs (Walls 1, Rice 50, Taylor 43), 0 INTs, 0 sacks. • Rice: 6 catches for 112, 2 TDs (3, 50). • Taylor: 5 catches for 78, 1 TD (43). • Walls: 1 catch for 1, 1 TD. • Craig: 22 carries for 66, 1 rushing TD (3y), plus 3 for 55. • Rathman: 11 catches for 103, no TDs. • Cofer: 3-for-3 (23 + 2 unspecified).
A 37-20 win at Stanford Stadium. The 49ers' temporary-home Sunday following the October 17 earthquake produced a two-quarterback rotation win.
How it unfolded
Stanley Morgan caught a 55-yard touchdown from Grogan to give the Patriots an early 7-0 lead. Rice's 3-yard touchdown reception tied it 7-7. Cofer's 23-yard field goal made it 10-7. Greg Davis kicked a 49-yarder for 10-10. Walls caught a 1-yard touchdown from Young to make it 17-10. Morgan caught a 19-yarder to tie it 17-17. Rice's 50-yard touchdown reception from Young made it 24-17. Greg Davis added a 21-yard field goal. Taylor's 43-yard touchdown reception from Young made it 31-20. Craig's 3-yard rush closed it at 37-20.
The turning point
The Rice 50-yard touchdown from Young in the third quarter. With the game tied 17-17 and the Patriots' offense having produced two scoring drives, Young's first touchdown of the year came on a deep post the Patriots' single-high safety did not get to. The seven-point swing turned the tied afternoon into the kind of two-score game the defense closed out.
By the numbers
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 19 | 28 |
| Total Yards | 325 | 494 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 15/29 | 27/34 |
| Pass yards | 240 | 366 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 2 |
| Sack yards lost | 9 | 13 |
| Net pass yards | 231 | 353 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 28 | 31 |
| Rush yards | 94 | 141 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 4 | 9 |
| Penalty yards | 55 | 95 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 11/12 | 188 | 3 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 16/22 | 178 | 1 | 0 | 111.6 |
| NWE | |||||
| Steve Grogan | 15/29 | 240 | 2 | 2 | 73.9 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 22 | 66 | 1 | 12 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 3 | 40 | 0 | 19 |
| Steve Young #8 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 8 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 7 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| NWE | ||||
| John Stephens | 21 | 63 | 0 | 15 |
| Bob Perryman | 5 | 24 | 0 | 10 |
| Sammy Martin | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Mosi Tatupu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 112 | 2 | 50 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 11 | 103 | 0 | 22 |
| John Taylor #82 | 5 | 78 | 1 | 43 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 3 | 55 | 0 | 32 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Wesley Walls | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NWE | ||||
| Irving Fryar | 5 | 102 | 0 | 52 |
| Stanley Morgan | 3 | 83 | 2 | 55 |
| Hart Lee Dykes | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Cedric Jones | 3 | 19 | 0 | 11 |
| John Stephens | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Eric Sievers | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Reggie Dupard | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
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] 1989 W7 - 49ers vs New England Patriots - Game Thread
