The 49ers (10-0) host the Los Angeles Rams (5-5) at Candlestick Park, on Sun November 25, 1990. NFC West home matchup against the conference's preseason wild-card pick.
Montana continues at quarterback. Roger Craig at lead back. The Rams start Jim Everett at quarterback. Flipper Anderson, Henry Ellard, and Aaron Cox at receiver. Cleveland Gary and Gaston Green share the backfield. John Robinson in year eight as head coach.[1]
John Robinson's Rams are 5-5 and one game ahead of the Saints for second in the NFC West. The Rams' offense produced 38 points last Sunday against the Saints; the Cleveland Gary rotation has emerged as the conference's most underused two-touchdown back-up running game. Jim Everett's 1,832 passing yards through 10 starts is the kind of midseason line that says the offensive ceiling is still where it was last year.
Week 12 has the conference's contenders at midseason form. The Giants 10-0, the 49ers 10-0, the Bears 9-2, the Eagles 7-4. The Bills 10-1, the Dolphins 8-3. Around the AFC West the Raiders 7-3 lead. The 49ers' Sunday against the Rams is one of two unbeaten home games on the slate; the Giants travel to Philadelphia. The conference's first 11-0 team is the team that wins Sunday afternoon against a divisional opponent.
Through 10 games the 49ers sit at 10-0 with a plus 102 differential. The Rams are 5-5 with a plus 14. Jim Everett has thrown for 1,832 yards through 10 starts, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Cleveland Gary has 107 carries for 432 yards (4.0 per attempt) and seven touchdowns. Flipper Anderson has 49 catches for 853 (17.4 per catch). Montana has thrown for 3,065 yards through 10 games. Jerry Rice has 58 catches for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 6-4 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-5 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 5-5 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-8 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 9-1 | W8 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-2 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-6 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 4-7 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 1-9 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-3 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6-4 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 5-6 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 4-6 | L1 |
| Denver Broncos | 3-7 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-0 | W10 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4-6 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-7 | L3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3-7 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 9-1 | W6 |
| Green Bay Packers | 5-5 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 4-6 | W3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-7 | L5 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-7 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-0 | W10 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-4 | W4 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-4 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-7 | W1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 2-8 | L5 |
49ers 0, Los Angeles Rams 749ers 7, Los Angeles Rams 2149ers 17, Los Angeles Rams 2149ers 17, Los Angeles Rams 2849ers 17, Los Angeles Rams 28[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 721212828 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 07171717 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Cleveland Gary 22 yard pass from Buford McGee ( Mike Lansford kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Cleveland Gary 10 yard rush ( Mike Lansford kick) | 14-0 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 5 yard pass from Joe Montana ( Mike Cofer kick) | 14-7 |
| Rams | Buford McGee 6 yard rush ( Mike Lansford kick) | 21-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Harry Sydney 23 yard pass from Joe Montana ( Mike Cofer kick) | 21-14 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 42 yard field goal | 21-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Cleveland Gary 1 yard rush ( Mike Lansford kick) | 28-17 |
Cleveland Gary scored three touchdowns and the Los Angeles Rams beat the 49ers 28-17 at Candlestick Park to end the 49ers' 10-0 start. Joe Montana finished 22 of 37 for 235 with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Jerry Rice caught seven passes for 72. John Taylor and Harry Sydney each caught touchdowns. Cleveland Gary ran for 68 yards and a touchdown and caught a 22-yard scoring pass from backup Buford McGee. The 49ers fell to 10-1.[1]
The unbeaten streak ended at 10. Cleveland Gary scored three touchdowns for the visiting Los Angeles Rams and the 49ers' 10-0 start became 10-1 with a 28-17 home loss at Candlestick. Joe Montana threw three interceptions, his highest interception total in a single game since 1986. The 49ers' offensive line gave up two sacks. The defensive secondary surrendered the kind of explosive plays the unit had limited across the prior 10 games.
Montana finished 22 of 37 for 235 with two touchdown passes. Taylor caught a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Sydney caught a 23-yard touchdown from Montana in the third quarter. Rice's seven for 72 was his lowest yardage line in five weeks. Roger Craig 13 carries for 44. Cleveland Gary, the Rams' rotational back, scored three touchdowns: a 22-yard reception from McGee on a halfback pass in the first quarter, a 10-yard rush, and a 1-yard rush in the fourth quarter that put the score out of reach.
Rams 28, 49ers 17. Margin: minus 11. Record: 10-1. • Montana: 22 of 37, 235, 2 TDs (Taylor 5, Sydney 23), 3 INTs, 2 sacks. • Rice: 7 catches for 72. • Taylor: 5 catches for 34, 1 TD. • Sydney: 2 catches for 36, 1 TD. • Brent Jones: 3 catches for 30. • Craig: 13 carries for 44, plus 2 for 23. • Rathman: 4 carries for 7. • Cofer: 1-for-1 (42). • Everett (LAR): 16 of 27, 224, 0 TDs, 1 INT.
A 28-17 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers' 10-0 start ends; the club falls to 10-1 in the year's first NFC West loss.
How it unfolded
Cleveland Gary caught a 22-yard touchdown on a halfback pass from Buford McGee on the Rams' opening drive. Gary's 10-yard rush in the second quarter made it 14-0. Taylor's 5-yard touchdown reception cut it to 14-7. McGee's 6-yard rushing touchdown made it 21-7 at the half. Sydney's 23-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter cut it to 21-14. Cofer's 42-yard field goal made it 21-17. Cleveland Gary's 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter made the final 28-17.
The turning point
The halfback pass to Cleveland Gary. On the Rams' opening drive, backup running back Buford McGee took a direct snap and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Cleveland Gary against single coverage from Don Griffin. The play set the tone for an afternoon the 49ers' secondary did not get its alignments right.
By the numbers
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 22/37 | 235 | 2 | 3 | |
| Barry Helton | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 16/27 | 224 | 0 | 1 | |
| Buford McGee | 1/1 | 22 | 1 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 13 | 44 | 0 | 14 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| RAM | ||||
| Cleveland Gary | 24 | 68 | 2 | 13 |
| Buford McGee | 6 | 36 | 1 | 9 |
| Gaston Green | 5 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Jim Everett | 2 | -4 | 0 | -2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 7 | 72 | 0 | 21 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 2 | 36 | 1 | 23 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
| John Taylor #82 | 5 | 34 | 1 | 9 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 12 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 18 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RAM | ||||
| Flipper Anderson | 8 | 149 | 0 | 53 |
| Pete Holohan | 2 | 33 | 0 | 18 |
| Cleveland Gary | 3 | 27 | 1 | 22 |
| Aaron Cox | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Buford McGee | 2 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| Pat Carter | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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