The 49ers face the Chicago Bears on 1991-12-23 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 Chicago Bears 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 Chicago Bears' offensive line. The pregame practice notes were quiet.
Around the conference Week 17 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 Chicago Bears is the calendar's sense-check on the divisional posture.
Through 16 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 Chicago Bears 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 | 11-4 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6-9 | L2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-9 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-13 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 13-2 | W3 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-7 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 7-8 | L3 |
| New England Patriots | 6-9 | W2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1-14 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 11-4 | W3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9-6 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 9-6 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-9 | L3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 10-5 | W5 |
| New Orleans Saints | 10-5 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9-6 | W5 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3-12 | L9 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-4 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 11-4 | W5 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-7 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-12 | L3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2-13 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 14-1 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-5 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9-6 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 7-8 | L3 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 4-11 | L7 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jamie Williams 2 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 3 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 0-14 |
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 69 yard pass from Steve Young ( Mike Cofer kick) | 0-21 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 41 yard field goal | 0-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | Neal Anderson 26 yard pass from Jim Harbaugh ( Kevin Butler kick) | 7-24 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Steve Young 2 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 7-31 |
| 49ers | Don Griffin 99 yard defensive fumble return ( Mike Cofer kick) | 7-38 |
| 49ers | Harry Sydney 2 yard rush ( Mike Cofer kick) | 7-45 |
| Bears | Tom Waddle 11 yard pass from Peter Tom Willis ( Kevin Butler kick) | 14-45 |
| 49ers | Mike Sherrard 15 yard pass from Bill Musgrave ( Mike Cofer kick) | 14-52 |
The 49ers won 52-14 at home over the Chicago Bears on 1991-12-23. Steve Young returned at starter in the home finale. He threw for 350 and four touchdowns. Watters ran for 100 with two touchdowns. The defensive front produced five sacks. The 49ers finished 10-6, missing the playoffs. 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 won 52-14 against the Chicago Bears. Steve Young returned at starter in the home finale. He threw for 350 and four touchdowns. Watters ran for 100 with two touchdowns. The defensive front produced five sacks. The 49ers finished 10-6, missing the playoffs. 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 52, Chicago Bears 14. Margin: plus 38. 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 52-14 home win over the Chicago Bears. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Steve Young returned at starter in the home finale. He threw for 350 and four touchdowns. Watters ran for 100 with two touchdowns. The defensive front produced five sacks. The 49ers finished 10-6, missing the playoffs. 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 | 21/32 | 338 | 3 | 0 | |
| Bill Musgrave | 4/5 | 33 | 1 | 0 | |
| CHI | |||||
| Jim Harbaugh | 17/24 | 212 | 1 | 0 | |
| Peter Tom Willis | 6/11 | 105 | 1 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 8 | 63 | 1 | 21 |
| Dexter Carter | 9 | 36 | 0 | 5 |
| Spencer Tillman | 6 | 14 | 0 | 7 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| CHI | ||||
| Jim Harbaugh | 5 | 48 | 0 | 20 |
| Mark Green | 7 | 20 | 0 | 8 |
| Neal Anderson | 8 | 13 | 0 | 6 |
| Peter Tom Willis | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Brad Muster | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 5 | 125 | 2 | 69 |
| John Taylor #82 | 6 | 67 | 0 | 17 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 4 | 61 | 0 | 29 |
| Mike Sherrard #84 | 3 | 47 | 1 | 21 |
| Dexter Carter | 3 | 46 | 0 | 20 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Harry Sydney #39 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Jamie Williams #87 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Spencer Tillman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHI | ||||
| Wendell Davis | 6 | 136 | 0 | 42 |
| Neal Anderson | 6 | 76 | 1 | 26 |
| Tom Waddle | 5 | 49 | 1 | 13 |
| Brad Muster | 5 | 40 | 0 | 16 |
| Keith Jennings | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
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