The 49ers (11-1) travel to Riverfront Stadium for a Sunday kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) on Sun December 9, 1990. AFC road game.
Montana continues at quarterback. Roger Craig at lead back. The Bengals start Boomer Esiason at quarterback. Ickey Woods and James Brooks share the backfield. Eddie Brown, Tim McGee, and Rodney Holman at the perimeter. Sam Wyche in year seven as head coach.
Sam Wyche's Bengals are 7-5 and three games out of the AFC Central lead. The offense ranks fifth in points per game; the defense ranks 19th in yards allowed. Boomer Esiason has thrown for 2,500 yards through 12 games but only seven touchdown passes against eight interceptions. Ickey Woods has rebuilt his usage to feature-back level after the 1989 knee injury that ended his season in Week 2.
Week 14 has the conference's contenders 11-1 (both 49ers and Giants), 10-3 (Bears), 8-5 (Eagles). The Bills 12-1, the Dolphins 10-3. Around the AFC Central the Oilers (7-5) and Bengals (7-5) tie for first. The 49ers' Sunday at Cincinnati is one of two NFC road games against AFC opponents on the slate. The Giants travel to Minnesota in the other. The conference's first 12-1 team is the team that wins Sunday afternoon.
Through 12 games the 49ers are 11-1 with a plus 95 differential. The Bengals are 7-5 with a plus 51. Boomer Esiason has thrown for 2,500 yards through 12 starts, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. Ickey Woods has 187 carries for 717 (3.8 per attempt). James Brooks has 81 catches/rushes combined for 542. Montana has thrown for 3,452 yards across 12 games. Jerry Rice has 65 catches for 1,110 and 11 touchdowns. Vegas lists the 49ers as 4-point road favorites with the total at 41.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-5 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-6 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 6-6 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-10 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 10-2 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 9-3 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 5-7 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 4-9 | L4 |
| New England Patriots | 1-11 | L10 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-4 | W3 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8-4 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-6 | W2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-7 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 3-9 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 11-1 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-7 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-7 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-9 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 10-2 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6-6 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-6 | W5 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-8 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-2 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7-5 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-5 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 6-7 | W3 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 4-8 | W2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Craig Taylor 2 yard pass from Boomer Esiason ( Jim Breech kick) | 0-7 |
| 49ers | Tom Rathman 1 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 7-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Jim Breech 38 yard field goal | 7-10 |
| 49ers | Harry Sydney 3 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 14-10 |
| Bengals | Ickey Woods 1 yard rush ( Jim Breech kick) | 14-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 23 yard field goal | 17-17 |
| OT | ||
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 23 yard field goal | 20-17 |
Mike Cofer kicked a 23-yard field goal 8:38 into overtime and the 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-17 at Riverfront Stadium. Joe Montana finished 19 of 26 for 185 yards. Tom Rathman ran for 53 yards and a 1-yard touchdown. Harry Sydney ran for 36 yards and a 3-yard touchdown. Roger Craig added 97 rushing yards on 21 carries. Boomer Esiason threw one touchdown pass and one interception. The 49ers improved to 12-1.[1][2]
A 20-17 overtime road win at Riverfront Stadium. Mike Cofer's 23-yard field goal 8:38 into overtime was the game-winner and the 49ers' second consecutive close win against an AFC opponent. The 49ers' running game produced the kind of sustained drive an overtime period requires.
Montana finished 19 of 26 for 185, his lowest single-game yardage since the Giants game two weeks ago. Rice eight catches for 101. Brent Jones two for 27. Rathman ran 12 times for 53 with the first-quarter 1-yard touchdown. Sydney 6 for 36 with a 3-yard third-quarter score. Roger Craig 21 carries for 97 (4.6 per attempt), his most efficient single-game rushing line of the year. The 49ers ran for 202 yards on 40 carries.
49ers 20, Bengals 17 (OT). Margin: plus 3. Record: 12-1. • Montana: 19 of 26, 185, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks. • Rice: 8 catches for 101. • Brent Jones: 2 catches for 27. • Taylor: 2 catches for 22. • Craig: 21 carries for 97 (4.6 ypc, season high). • Rathman: 12 carries for 53, 1 rushing TD (1y), plus 2 for 17. • Sydney: 6 carries for 36, 1 rushing TD (3y). • Cofer: 2-for-2 (23 in regulation tie, 23 OT GW).
A 20-17 overtime road win at Riverfront Stadium. The 49ers move to 12-1 with the year's second overtime victory.
How it unfolded
Craig Taylor caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Esiason to give Cincinnati a 0-7 lead. Rathman's 1-yard rush tied it 7-7. Jim Breech's 38-yard field goal made it 7-10 in the third quarter. Sydney's 3-yard touchdown rush put the 49ers ahead 14-10. Ickey Woods' 1-yard rush made it 14-17. Cofer's 23-yard field goal tied it 17-17 in the fourth quarter. In overtime the 49ers drove 64 yards in 10 plays. Cofer's 23-yard field goal split the uprights to win it.
The turning point
The Roger Craig 26-yard run on second-and-six on the overtime drive. After winning the coin toss and starting their overtime possession at the 49ers' 30, Craig broke a counter play for 26 yards on the third play of the drive. The run set up the Cofer attempt within field-goal range and was the kind of veteran-back single-play the offense had been building toward in the closing stretch.
By the numbers
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 19/26 | 185 | 0 | 1 | |
| CIN | |||||
| Boomer Esiason | 12/20 | 114 | 1 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 21 | 97 | 0 | 26 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 12 | 53 | 1 | 22 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 19 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| Dexter Carter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CIN | ||||
| James Brooks | 10 | 43 | 0 | 17 |
| Ickey Woods | 8 | 42 | 1 | 21 |
| Boomer Esiason | 4 | 17 | 0 | 14 |
| Eric Ball | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 8 | 101 | 0 | 29 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 14 |
| John Taylor #82 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 12 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Wesley Walls | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| CIN | ||||
| Rodney Holman | 5 | 60 | 0 | 25 |
| Tim McGee | 1 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| Michael Barber | 2 | 13 | 0 | 9 |
| Ickey Woods | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| James Brooks | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Craig Taylor | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Eddie Brown | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1990 W14 - 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals - Game Thread