The 49ers (13-2) travel to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a Sunday kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings (6-9) on Sun December 30, 1990. Regular-season finale. Steve Young is expected to start at quarterback again with Montana getting a second straight rest week, per Seifert's announcement Friday. The Vikings start Rich Gannon at quarterback in his second year. Herschel Walker at running back. Anthony Carter and Cris Carter at receiver.[1][2]
Jerry Burns enters the regular-season finale with a 6-9 Vikings team out of contention. The Walker trade has not produced the back the Vikings traded a first-round pick package for in 1989; Walker has 196 carries for 700 yards through 15 games. Rich Gannon, in his second year, has split snaps with Tommy Kramer at quarterback. The Vikings' offensive ceiling is the kind of single-game number that does not match a contending team's defensive line.
Week 17 closes the regular season. The Giants are 13-2 and the conference's other 13-2 team after their 24-7 loss at Buffalo. The 49ers and Giants meet again only if both win their seeding-week games and the bracket plays out a certain way. The Bills 12-3 lead the AFC East. The Raiders 11-4 lead the AFC West. The Bengals 7-8, the Oilers 9-6, the Steelers 8-7 compete for the AFC Central.
Through 15 games the 49ers are 13-2 with a plus 111 differential. The Vikings are 6-9 with a minus 22. Rich Gannon has thrown for 1,621 yards across nine starts in his second year, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Tommy Kramer has 882 yards in 6 starts. Herschel Walker has 196 carries for 700 (3.6 per attempt). Anthony Carter has 65 catches for 1,005. Steve Young's W16 start produced 208 passing and 102 rushing in his first start since 1989.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-6 | W3 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-7 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 8-7 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 3-12 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 13-2 | W4 |
| Miami Dolphins | 11-4 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 7-8 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 5-10 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 1-14 | L13 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Raiders | 11-4 | W4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 10-5 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 8-7 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-9 | L2 |
| Denver Broncos | 4-11 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 13-2 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7-8 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5-10 | L3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-4 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-9 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6-9 | L4 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6-9 | L3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 12-3 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9-6 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-6 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-8 | L1 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 5-10 | L2 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Fuad Reveiz 34 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Herschel Walker 9 yard rush ( Fuad Reveiz kick) | 0-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 29 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 35 yard field goal | 6-10 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 14 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 13-10 |
| Vikings | Alfred Anderson 1 yard rush ( Fuad Reveiz kick) | 13-17 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 34 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 20-17 |
Steve Young threw two touchdowns including a 34-yard score to John Taylor with 2:18 left, and the 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-17 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to close the regular season. Young finished 15 of 24 for 205 yards. Joe Montana threw 10 of 20 for 88 in relief. Jerry Rice caught a 14-yard touchdown. Mike Cofer made two field goals. The 49ers finished 14-2 and clinched the NFC West and the No. 2 seed.[1][2]
A 20-17 road win at the Metrodome. Steve Young's 34-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 2:18 left was the game-winner and the 49ers' second straight closing-week comeback. The 14-2 record clinches the NFC West and locks the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs; the Giants' 13-3 loss at Buffalo gives them the No. 1 seed in the conference, but the 49ers will host any potential NFC Championship at Candlestick.
Young went 15 of 24 for 205 with two touchdowns: a 14-yard score to Rice in the fourth quarter to cut a 10-17 deficit to 10-17, and the 34-yard winner to Taylor at the 2:18 mark. Montana, in his first regular-season relief work of the year, completed 10 of 20 for 88 with one interception across the third quarter. The 49ers' final offensive line of the regular season featured Young, Carter, Henderson, and Rice as the primary skill rotation; Roger Craig played one snap.
49ers 20, Vikings 17. Margin: plus 3. Record: 14-2; NFC West clinched, No. 2 seed. • Young (start in place of Montana): 15 of 24, 205, 2 TDs (Rice 14, Taylor 34 GW), 0 INTs, 4 sacks. • Young rushing: 6 carries for 59 (lg19). • Montana (relief): 10 of 20, 88, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks. • Rice: 9 catches for 118, 1 TD. • Taylor: 4 catches for 71, 1 TD. • Brent Jones: 4 catches for 43. • Carter: 10 carries for 27, plus 1 for 5. • Henderson: 5 carries for 15, plus 3 for 27.
A 20-17 road win at the Metrodome to close the regular season. The 49ers finish 14-2, clinch the NFC West, and lock the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
How it unfolded
Fuad Reveiz kicked a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter for a 0-3 Vikings lead. Walker's 9-yard rushing touchdown made it 0-10. Cofer kicked a 29-yarder in the third quarter to cut it to 3-10. Cofer added a 35-yarder to make it 6-10. Rice's 14-yard touchdown reception from Young made it 13-10. Alfred Anderson's 1-yard rush put Minnesota back ahead 13-17. Taylor's 34-yard touchdown from Young with 2:18 left was the eventual margin.
The turning point
The Young-to-Taylor 34-yard touchdown. With the 49ers trailing 13-17 and 2:18 left in the game, Young hit Taylor on a deep over route that the Vikings' single-high safety did not get to. The receiver caught it in stride and ran into the end zone. The seven-point swing turned what looked like a closing-week loss into a 14-2 finish.
By the numbers
Young 15 of 24 for 205, 8.5 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Four sacks taken plus six rushes for 59 yards. The second-half stretch produced the year's most efficient regular-season Young performance. Montana 10 of 20 in relief; the lone third-quarter interception came on his first drive in. Rice nine catches for 118 with the touchdown. Taylor four for 71 with the game-winner. Brent Jones four for 43. Defense produced one interception of Gannon and two sacks (Haley, Holt).
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 15/24 | 205 | 2 | 0 | |
| Joe Montana #16 | 10/20 | 88 | 0 | 1 | |
| MIN | |||||
| Rich Gannon | 16/37 | 180 | 0 | 1 | |
| Herschel Walker | 1/1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 6 | 59 | 0 | 19 |
| Dexter Carter | 10 | 27 | 0 | 9 |
| Keith Henderson | 5 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 16 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| MIN | ||||
| Herschel Walker | 13 | 63 | 1 | 12 |
| Rich Gannon | 2 | 29 | 0 | 27 |
| Alfred Anderson | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| D.J. Dozier | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 9 | 118 | 1 | 22 |
| John Taylor #82 | 4 | 71 | 1 | 34 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 4 | 43 | 0 | 18 |
| Keith Henderson | 3 | 27 | 0 | 9 |
| Ron Lewis | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Dexter Carter | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| MIN | ||||
| Anthony Carter | 5 | 54 | 0 | 17 |
| Steve Jordan | 2 | 41 | 0 | 25 |
| Hassan Jones | 3 | 35 | 0 | 16 |
| Herschel Walker | 3 | 31 | 0 | 18 |
| Cris Carter | 2 | 13 | 0 | 11 |
| D.J. Dozier | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Alfred Anderson | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1990 W17 - 49ers at Minnesota Vikings - Game Thread
