The 49ers (11-2) travel to Anaheim Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams (10-3) on Mon December 11, 1989. Monday Night Football. The conference's No. 1 seed hangs in the balance.
Montana returns to start. Steve Young in relief if needed. The Rams start Jim Everett at quarterback. Greg Bell at running back. Flipper Anderson, Henry Ellard, and Aaron Cox at receiver.[1][2][3]
John Robinson's Rams are 10-3 and one game behind the 49ers in the NFC West. The Monday-night matchup at Anaheim Stadium is the year's biggest road game and the conference's deciding matchup for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Jim Everett's 2,917 passing yards across 13 starts. Henry Ellard 65 catches for 1,025. Flipper Anderson 23 for 638. Montana returns to start after the W13 halftime exit. The Rams beat the 49ers 13-12 at Candlestick in W4.
Week 14 has the conference's two contenders meeting Monday night. The 49ers (NFC #1 at the moment) and Rams (NFC #2) compete for the home-field advantage and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Around the league the Bills 11-3 lead the AFC. The Broncos 10-4. The Giants 9-4. The home-field-advantage race in the NFC is decided Monday night at Anaheim. The divisional reading the Rams 10-3 will be playing for the wild-card slot if Sunday goes against them, the Saints 7-6, the Falcons 3-10.
Through 13 games the 49ers are 11-2 with a plus 143 differential. The Rams are 10-3 with a plus 41. Jim Everett 178 of 308, 2,917, 16 TDs, 12 INTs across 13 starts. Henry Ellard 65 catches for 1,025. Flipper Anderson 23 for 638. Greg Bell 248 carries for 1,070. Joe Montana 2,799 yards across 10 games. Jerry Rice 59 catches for 1,159 and 9 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 4.5-point road favorites with the total at 49.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers | 8-5 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-5-1 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-6 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-7 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 8-5 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7-6 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 6-7 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 5-8 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 4-9 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 10-3 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-6 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6-6-1 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5-8 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-9 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 11-2 | W2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 9-4 | W4 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-7 | L2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-10 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 8-5 | W3 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-5 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-7 | L3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-8 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-9 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 9-4 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9-4 | W3 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-6 | W2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 5-8 | L3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-12 | L4 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Greg Bell 3 yard rush (Mike Lansford kick) | 0-7 |
| Rams | Damone Johnson 4 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 0-14 |
| Rams | Mike Lansford 25 yard field goal | 0-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 19 yard field goal | 3-17 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 92 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 10-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Buford McGee 13 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 10-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Mike Lansford 22 yard field goal | 10-27 |
| 49ers | Mike Wilson 7 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 17-27 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 95 yard pass from Joe Montana | 23-27 |
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 30-27 |
Joe Montana threw three touchdowns to John Taylor including a 95-yard score, and the 49ers came back from a 7-17 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-27 at Anaheim Stadium on Monday Night Football. Montana finished 30 of 42 for 458 yards. Taylor caught 11 for 286 yards with two touchdowns (92, 95). Roger Craig added a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Mike Wilson caught a 7-yard score. The 49ers improved to 12-2 and clinched the NFC West.[1][2][3]
John Taylor's 11-catch 286-yard Monday night was the team's biggest single-game receiving day in 11 years. The 49ers came back from a 0-17 first-quarter deficit to beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-27 in the Anaheim Stadium Monday night that decided the conference's No. 1 seed.
Montana finished 30 of 42 for 458 with three touchdown passes (Taylor 92, Wilson 7, Taylor 95). The 458 yards were Montana's largest single-game total since 1980. Taylor's 11 catches for 286 included a 92-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a 95-yard touchdown in the fourth that put the 49ers ahead 24-27 in the closing minutes. Roger Craig's 1-yard rushing touchdown with 2:23 left was the eventual winner.
Jim Everett finished 18 of 31 for 239 with two touchdowns (Damone Johnson 4, Buford McGee 13) and no interceptions. Greg Bell ran 14 for 48 with a 3-yard touchdown. Mike Lansford kicked field goals of 25 and 22 yards. The Rams' offense produced three touchdowns but the kind of turnover-margin that lost the prime-time matchup. The 49ers' defensive front produced two sacks of Everett.
49ers 30, Rams 27. Margin: plus 3. Record: 12-2; NFC West clinched. • Montana: 30 of 42, 458, 3 TDs (Taylor 92, Wilson 7, Taylor 95), 2 INTs, 0 sacks. • Taylor: 11 catches for 286, 2 TDs (92, 95); biggest single-game receiving in franchise history since 1978. • Brent Jones: 7 catches for 85. • Rice: 5 catches for 38. • Mike Wilson: 1 catch for 7, 1 TD. • Craig: 16 carries for 48, plus 4 for 31; 1 rushing TD (1y GW with 2:23 left).
A 30-27 Monday night road win at Anaheim Stadium. The 49ers move to 12-2 and clinch the NFC West.
How it unfolded
Greg Bell's 3-yard rush opened the scoring. Damone Johnson caught a 4-yard touchdown from Everett to make it 0-14. Lansford's 25-yarder pushed it to 0-17. Cofer's 19-yard field goal cut it to 3-17. Taylor's 92-yard touchdown made it 10-17. Lansford added a 22-yarder. Mike Wilson caught a 7-yard touchdown from Montana to cut it to 17-24. Taylor's 95-yard touchdown closed it to 23-27. Craig's 1-yard rushing touchdown with 2:23 left was the winner.
The turning point
The Roger Craig 1-yard rushing touchdown with 2:23 left. After Taylor's 95-yard touchdown cut the lead to 23-27 and the 49ers' defense had forced a Rams three-and-out, Montana led a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:18. Craig's 1-yard rush from the 1-yard line was the winning score.
By the numbers
Montana 30 of 42 for 458, 10.9 yards per attempt, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The 458 yards were the unit's largest single-game passing total since the 1980 game at Pittsburgh. Taylor 11 catches for 286 with the two long touchdowns; the club's largest single-game receiving line since Gene Washington's 232 in 1972. Brent Jones seven for 85. Rice five for 38. Roger Craig 48 rushing on 16 plus 31 receiving on four.
Personnel watch
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 25 | 24 |
| Total Yards | 502 | 337 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 30/42 | 18/31 |
| Pass yards | 458 | 239 |
| Pass TD | 3 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 19 | 8 |
| Net pass yards | 439 | 231 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 25 | 31 |
| Rush yards | 63 | 106 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 10 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 145 | 41 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 30/42 | 458 | 3 | 2 | 111 |
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 18/31 | 239 | 2 | 0 | 104.1 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 16 | 48 | 1 | 11 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| RAM | ||||
| Greg Bell | 14 | 48 | 1 | 13 |
| Buford McGee | 5 | 24 | 0 | 10 |
| Robert Delpino | 8 | 23 | 0 | 10 |
| Jim Everett | 2 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Pete Holohan | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Flipper Anderson | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| John Taylor #82 | 11 | 286 | 2 | 95 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 7 | 85 | 0 | 28 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 5 | 38 | 0 | 13 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 4 | 31 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 8 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| RAM | ||||
| Flipper Anderson | 2 | 72 | 0 | 38 |
| Henry Ellard | 2 | 38 | 0 | 21 |
| Aaron Cox | 3 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Pete Holohan | 3 | 31 | 0 | 16 |
| Ron Brown | 1 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| Buford McGee | 3 | 25 | 1 | 13 |
| Greg Bell | 2 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Damone Johnson | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Robert Delpino | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
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