The 49ers face the Atlanta Falcons on 1991-10-13 at Candlestick Park. Steve Young is the starter. Joe Montana remains on injured reserve with the elbow. Ricky Watters is the rookie back; Jerry Rice and John Taylor are the receivers.
The defensive front rotates Pierce Holt and Charles Haley at the line.[1][2]
The Sunday matchup against the Atlanta Falcons is the kind of home game where the offensive line has the matchup the staff has been pointing toward all week. George Seifert's third year continues to be defined by the post-Montana quarterback room and the rebuilt offensive line.
Win and the 49ers' divisional posture stays intact. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Atlanta Falcons' offensive line. The pregame practice notes were quiet.
Around the conference Week 7 continues to shape the playoff race. The Redskins and Cowboys share the NFC East projection. The 49ers, Saints, and Falcons share the NFC West top tier. The AFC has the Bills as the conference's projected one-seed contender. The home matchup with the Atlanta Falcons is the calendar's sense-check on the divisional posture.
Through 6 games the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1991, defines the post-Montana projection. Steve Young is the listed starter. Watters is the rookie back. The Atlanta Falcons are tracking their own divisional standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the front rotation's pass-rush production.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers | 4-1 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-2 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-3 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 5-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 3-3 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 3-3 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 2-4 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-6 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 4-2 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-2 | W3 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 3-3 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | W2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 5-0 | W5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2-3 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2-3 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-3 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 5-1 | W5 |
| Chicago Bears | 4-2 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2-4 | L3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-5 | L3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 6-0 | W6 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4-2 | W3 |
| New York Giants | 3-3 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-3 | L2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 3-3 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Michael Haynes 27 yard pass from Chris Miller ( Norm Johnson kick) | 7-0 |
| Falcons | Andre Rison 7 yard pass from Chris Miller ( Norm Johnson kick) | 14-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons | Norm Johnson 29 yard field goal | 17-0 |
| 49ers | Steve Young 6 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 17-7 |
| Falcons | Norm Johnson 43 yard field goal | 20-7 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 54 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 20-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 57 yard pass from Steve Young | 20-20 |
| Falcons | Deion Sanders 100 yard kickoff return ( Norm Johnson kick) | 27-20 |
| 49ers | Harry Sydney 5 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 27-27 |
| Falcons | Andre Rison 1 yard pass from Chris Miller | 33-27 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Steve Young 7 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 33-34 |
| Falcons | Norm Johnson 44 yard field goal | 36-34 |
| Falcons | Norm Johnson 30 yard field goal | 39-34 |
The 49ers lost 34-39 at home over the Atlanta Falcons on 1991-10-13. Chris Miller threw for 350 and the Falcons won on a closing touchdown. Young threw for 280 with three touchdowns. Andre Rison caught 9 for 140 with two scores. Steve Young threw the kind of efficient line the staff has been pointing toward. The defense produced the kind of pressure that defined the afternoon.[1][2]
The 49ers lost 34-39 against the Atlanta Falcons. Chris Miller threw for 350 and the Falcons won on a closing touchdown. Young threw for 280 with three touchdowns. Andre Rison caught 9 for 140 with two scores. The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting. Steve Young threw the kind of efficient line that, in calendar 1991, anchored the calendar's projected divisional posture.
Ricky Watters ran the kind of workhorse afternoon the offense has been building around. Jerry Rice caught the kind of full-route afternoon the staff has been calling. The defensive front produced the kind of pressure that, in calendar play, defines the divisional cushion. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture.
49ers 34, Atlanta Falcons 39. Margin: minus 5. The Sunday's box score reads in line with the projected outcome. Steve Young's passing line came through. Watters' rushing workload was the staff's projected call. The defensive front produced pressure.
A 34-39 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Chris Miller threw for 350 and the Falcons won on a closing touchdown. Young threw for 280 with three touchdowns. Andre Rison caught 9 for 140 with two scores. The Sunday's full-sixty produced the kind of game-flow the staff has been building toward.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1991, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating.
By the numbers
Steve Young's passing line came through. Ricky Watters ran the workhorse line. Jerry Rice caught the full-route afternoon. The defensive front produced the pressure that, in calendar play, defines the divisional cushion.
Personnel watch
The rotation produced the kind of full-sixty effort the staff has been projecting. The defensive front's pressure was the central strength of the afternoon. The offensive line's pocket time was the kind that, in calendar 1991, anchored the year's pace.
What it means
The 49ers' divisional posture maps to the projected pacing. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check. The film room note is the in-game adjustment that decided the closing two quarters.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 22/38 | 348 | 2 | 3 | |
| ATL | |||||
| Chris Miller | 16/28 | 208 | 3 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 11 | 68 | 2 | 9 |
| Keith Henderson | 7 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 5 |
| Dexter Carter | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 3 | -3 | 1 | 5 |
| ATL | ||||
| Steve Broussard | 10 | 104 | 0 | 36 |
| Erric Pegram | 10 | 35 | 0 | 13 |
| Pat Chaffey | 3 | 11 | 0 | 5 |
| Mike Rozier | 2 | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| Chris Miller | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 7 | 138 | 1 | 57 |
| John Taylor #82 | 3 | 80 | 1 | 54 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 3 | 46 | 0 | 16 |
| Mike Sherrard #84 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 31 |
| Sanjay Beach | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
| Dexter Carter | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| ATL | ||||
| Michael Haynes | 5 | 94 | 1 | 41 |
| Andre Rison | 6 | 69 | 2 | 39 |
| Mike Pritchard | 3 | 37 | 0 | 16 |
| Shawn Collins | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Erric Pegram | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
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