The 49ers (13-2) host the Chicago Bears (6-9) at Candlestick Park, Sun December 24, 1989. Christmas Eve regular-season finale.
Montana continues at quarterback with Steve Young splitting snaps. The Bears start Mike Tomczak at quarterback; Jim Harbaugh in relief. Neal Anderson at running back. Wendell Davis at receiver. Mike Ditka in year eight as head coach.
Mike Ditka's Bears are 6-9 and out of the conference picture. The 49ers' Sunday at Candlestick on Christmas Eve is the regular-season closer; the conference's home-field advantage is clinched. The question is whether the closing-week game produces the kind of soft-stretch outcome the schedule produced for a 13-2 NFC champion. The Bears' offense ranks 19th in points per game. Tomczak and Harbaugh have rotated at quarterback. Neal Anderson is the team's identity.
Week 16 closes the regular season. The 49ers (NFC #1 clinched at 13-2). The Rams 11-4. The Giants 11-4. The Eagles 10-5. The Bills 10-5. The Broncos 11-4. The home matchup against Chicago is one of the conference's quieter Sunday games on the slate. The Cowboys host Phoenix to close their season. Around the NFC West the Rams 11-4 are the closest competitor, the Saints 8-7 chase the wild-card slot, the Falcons 3-12.
Through 15 games the 49ers are 13-2 with a plus 157 differential. The Bears are 6-9 with a minus 52. Mike Tomczak has thrown for 1,944 yards across 12 starts, 16 TDs and 16 INTs. Jim Harbaugh 1,204 yards across four starts. Neal Anderson 264 carries for 1,200. Joe Montana 3,521 yards across 12 games. Jerry Rice 67 catches for 1,243 with 9 TDs. Vegas lists the 49ers as 13-point home favorites with the total at 39. Stat worth watching today: 49ers' run game on Christmas Eve.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers | 9-6 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8-6-1 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-7 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-7 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 8-7 | L3 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8-7 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-7 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 5-10 | L2 |
| New York Jets | 4-11 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 11-4 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8-7 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-7-1 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-8 | W3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 5-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 13-2 | W4 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 10-5 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 8-7 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-12 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 9-6 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 9-6 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-9 | L5 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-9 | W4 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-10 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 11-4 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-5 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-6 | W4 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 5-10 | L5 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-14 | L6 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 29 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 24 yard field goal | 0-6 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 29 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 0-13 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 36 yard field goal | 0-16 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 47 yard field goal | 0-19 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Terrence Flagler 29 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) | 0-26 |
Mike Cofer kicked four field goals, Joe Montana threw a 29-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice, and the 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 26-0 at Candlestick Park to finish the regular season 14-2. Montana finished 10 of 21 for 106 yards. Steve Young added 100 yards passing in relief. Terrence Flagler ran in a 29-yard touchdown. The 49ers' defense produced a shutout. The 49ers clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed.[1][2][3]
A 26-0 home win on Christmas Eve. The 49ers' defense produced a shutout, Mike Cofer kicked four field goals, and the regular season closed at 14-2 with the NFC's No. 1 seed locked. Joe Montana finished 10 of 21 for 106 with a 29-yard touchdown to Jerry Rice in the second quarter. Steve Young came in for the second half and went 6 of 9 for 100. Terrence Flagler ran in a 29-yard touchdown.
Montana's 10-for-21 day was the year's lowest single-game completion rate for the starter; the closing-week rotation was the kind of resting the unit had been building toward. Roger Craig 10 carries for 31. Tom Rathman 4 for 22 plus three catches for 19. Jerry Rice four catches for 101 with the 29-yard touchdown. Brent Jones three for 15.
Mike Tomczak finished 14 of 30 for 147 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jim Harbaugh 3 of 4 for 30 with one interception. Neal Anderson 13 carries for 41. The Bears' offense produced no scoring drives across four quarters. The 49ers' defensive front produced one sack and three turnovers. The shutout was the club's first regular-season shutout since 1985.
49ers 26, Bears 0. Margin: plus 26. Record: 14-2; NFC #1 seed clinched. • Montana: 10 of 21, 106, 1 TD (Rice 29), 1 INT, 0 sacks. • Young (relief): 6 of 9, 100, 0 TDs, 0 INTs. • Rice: 4 catches for 101, 1 TD (29y). • Brent Jones: 3 catches for 15. • Jamie Williams: 3 catches for 38. • Flagler: 8 carries for 41, 1 rushing TD (29y). • Craig: 10 carries for 31, plus 1 for 10. • Rathman: 4 carries for 22, plus 3 for 19. • Henderson: 2 carries for 9, plus 1 for 12.
A 26-0 home win over the Chicago Bears on Christmas Eve. The 49ers finish the regular season 14-2 with the NFC No. 1 seed locked.
How it unfolded
Cofer kicked a 29-yard field goal first. Cofer's 24-yarder made it 6-0. Rice's 29-yard touchdown reception made it 13-0. Cofer's 36-yarder made it 16-0 at the half. Cofer added a 47-yarder in the third for 19-0. Terrence Flagler's 29-yard rushing touchdown made the final 26-0.
The turning point
The defensive shutout. The Bears' first three drives in the first half ended in two interceptions (one by Lott, one by Eric Wright) and a fumble. The kind of three-takeaway start that produced the closing-week pre-playoff confidence the operation needed.
By the numbers
Montana 10 of 21 for 106 with one touchdown. Young 6 of 9 for 100 in relief. Rice four catches for 101 with the touchdown. Roger Craig 31 on 10. Terrence Flagler 41 on eight with the 29-yard touchdown. Defense produced three turnovers (two INTs, one fumble) plus one sack. The shutout was the team's first regular-season shutout since 1985.
Personnel watch
The 14-2 record locks the NFC's No. 1 seed. The defense's first regular-season shutout in four years is the closing-week story. Charles Haley finished the regular season with 16 sacks, the unit's single-season record. The defensive secondary's three-interception afternoon (Lott, Wright, Williamson) was the unit's best take-away day of the year.
What it means
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 15 | 17 |
| Total Yards | 289 | 314 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 17/34 | 16/30 |
| Pass yards | 177 | 206 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 3 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 10 | 22 |
| Net pass yards | 167 | 184 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 31 | 29 |
| Rush yards | 122 | 130 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 0 |
| Penalties | 1 | 2 |
| Penalty yards | 5 | 20 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 10/21 | 106 | 1 | 1 | 58.8 |
| Steve Young #8 | 6/9 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 103.9 |
| CHI | |||||
| Mike Tomczak | 14/30 | 147 | 0 | 2 | 33.6 |
| Jim Harbaugh | 3/4 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 56.2 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrence Flagler | 8 | 41 | 1 | 29 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 10 | 31 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 10 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| Steve Young #8 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
| Keith Henderson | 2 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| CHI | ||||
| Jim Harbaugh | 7 | 44 | 0 | 12 |
| Neal Anderson | 13 | 41 | 0 | 19 |
| Mike Tomczak | 2 | 21 | 0 | 18 |
| Mark Green | 2 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Brad Muster | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| Matt Suhey | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dennis Gentry | 2 | -3 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 4 | 101 | 1 | 45 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 17 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 7 |
| Keith Henderson | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Terrence Flagler | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| CHI | ||||
| Dennis McKinnon | 3 | 43 | 0 | 21 |
| Ron Morris | 3 | 36 | 0 | 15 |
| Wendell Davis | 3 | 27 | 0 | 12 |
| Cap Boso | 1 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| James Thornton | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Tom Waddle | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Dennis Gentry | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Brad Muster | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Neal Anderson | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
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