49ers at Houston Oilers

Joe Montana threw three touchdowns to John Taylor including a 78-yard score in the third quarter and a 46-yarder for the lead in the fourth, and the 49ers beat the Houston Oilers 24-21 at the Astrodome. Montana finished 20 of 28 for 318 yards. Jerry Rice caught six passes for 78 yards with a 6-yard score. Warren Moon threw for 191 with two touchdowns. The 49ers improved to 4-0.[1][2]

John Taylor caught two touchdowns including the 46-yard go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, and Montana's third touchdown of the day on a play-action shot down the seam decided the game. The 49ers came back from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to beat the Houston Oilers 24-21 at the Astrodome.

Montana finished 20 of 28 for 318, his third consecutive 300-plus passing game and his most efficient game of the year by yards per attempt (11.4). Taylor four catches for 132 and the two touchdowns; the 78-yarder in the third quarter on a busted Oilers coverage was the longest reception of his year. Rice added six for 78 with a 6-yard score. The 49ers' two-back rotation produced 59 yards on 16 carries combined; Craig had 37, Carter 22.

49ers 24, Oilers 21. Margin: plus 3. Record: 4-0. • Montana: 20 of 28, 318, 3 TDs (Rice 6, Taylor 78, Taylor 46), 1 INT, 2 sacks. • Taylor: 4 catches for 132, 2 TDs. • Rice: 6 catches for 78, 1 TD. • Brent Jones: 4 catches for 65. • Craig: 9 carries for 37. • Carter: 6 carries for 22. • Rathman: 7 carries for 17. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (23). • Moon (HOU): 18 of 33, 191, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 3 sacks. • White (HOU): 11 carries for 43. • Drew Hill (HOU): 3 catches for 52, 1 TD.

A 24-21 road win at the Astrodome. The 49ers move to 4-0 after coming back from 14 down in the first quarter.

How it unfolded

Warren Moon ran in a 1-yard touchdown on the Oilers' opening drive. He hit Drew Hill on a 30-yard scoring strike to make it 0-14 in the first quarter. Rice's 6-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter cut it to 7-14. Taylor's 78-yard touchdown in the third quarter tied the game at 14. Jeffires caught an 18-yard touchdown from Moon to put Houston back ahead 14-21. Cofer's 23-yard field goal cut the deficit to 17-21. Taylor's 46-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the eventual margin.

The turning point

The Taylor 78-yard touchdown in the third quarter. With the 49ers down 7-14 and a sustained drive that ended in field goal range trending toward a Cofer attempt, Montana hit Taylor on a slant-and-go that the Oilers' single-high safety vacated. The receiver ran 78 yards for the touchdown. The seven-point swing turned a one-score deficit into the kind of game the 49ers' defense could close.

By the numbers