The 49ers (6-7) host the Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff.
Jon Kitna starts at quarterback for Cincinnati. Rudi Johnson runs the ball. Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh lead the receivers. Jeff Garcia starts for the 49ers; Kevan Barlow at running back; Terrell Owens at receiver.
Jon Kitna and the 7-6 Cincinnati Bengals come to Candlestick Sunday afternoon. The 49ers (6-7), off the 50-14 division home blowout of Arizona, host the kind of cross-conference home game where the year's identity tape, in front of the home crowd, has the chance to produce the kind of consecutive-wins arc the wild-card race requires.
Jeff Garcia stays the starter. Kevan Barlow the lead back off his 154-yard breakout. Terrell Owens the WR1. The Bengals come in with Jon Kitna at quarterback, Rudi Johnson as the lead back, and Chad Johnson the WR1.
Favored by Cincinnati by 1 on the road. The kind of home game where 7-7 keeps the year alive.
Week 15 across the NFC sees the contenders pulling away. The Buccaneers, Eagles, Cowboys, Vikings, Saints, and Falcons compete for division titles and wild-card spots. The 49ers (6-7) trail in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Patriots, Colts, Chiefs, Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals (7-6) compete. The Sunday home game is the kind of week where the 49ers, against an AFC opponent in the playoff race, get one more competitive test.
Through thirteen games the 49ers are 6-7 with a +54 point differential. Jeff Garcia averages 6.9 yards per attempt with 12 TDs and 12 INTs. Kevan Barlow averages 110 rushing yards a game as the new lead back. Terrell Owens averages 87 receiving yards a game with five TDs. The defense allows 19.5 points per game. The Bengals are 7-6 with Jon Kitna at quarterback. Rudi Johnson averages 90 rushing yards a game. Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh lead the team in receiving. Vegas opens the Bengals as 1-point road favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 11-2 | W9 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-5 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-7 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 5-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 8-5 | W3 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7-6 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-8 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4-9 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 10-3 | W1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 9-4 | L2 |
| Houston Texans | 5-8 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-9 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 11-2 | L1 |
| Denver Broncos | 8-5 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 3-10 | L3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 3-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 10-3 | W5 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 8-5 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6-7 | W1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 3-10 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-3 | W8 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 8-5 | L2 |
| Washington Redskins | 5-8 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 4-9 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-5 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7-6 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 5-8 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 8-5 | L3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6-7 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-7 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-10 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Chad Johnson 10 yard pass from Jon Kitna ( Shayne Graham kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Kevin Hardy 10 yard defensive fumble return ( Shayne Graham kick) | 0-14 |
| 49ers | Terrell Owens 58 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Todd Peterson kick) | 7-14 |
| 49ers | Tai Streets 41 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Todd Peterson kick) | 14-14 |
| Bengals | Peter Warrick 31 yard pass from Jon Kitna ( Shayne Graham kick) | 14-21 |
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 23 yard field goal | 17-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Rudi Johnson 49 yard rush ( Shayne Graham kick) | 17-28 |
| Bengals | Shayne Graham 34 yard field goal | 17-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jeff Garcia 6 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 24-31 |
| Bengals | Shayne Graham 30 yard field goal | 24-34 |
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 1 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 31-34 |
| Bengals | Rudi Johnson 3 yard rush ( Shayne Graham kick) | 31-41 |
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 3 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 38-41 |
Rudi Johnson ran for 174 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the 49ers 41-38 at Candlestick Park. Jeff Garcia threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Kevan Barlow ran for 85 with two touchdowns. Terrell Owens caught eight for 127 with a touchdown. Jon Kitna threw for 189 with two touchdowns. The 49ers fell to 6-8 in the shootout home loss.[1][2][3]
Rudi Johnson ran for 174 yards Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the 49ers 41-38 in the kind of shootout home loss where the year's offensive identity produced 38 points and Jeff Garcia threw for 344, but the defense surrendered 41.
Garcia threw two touchdowns. Kevan Barlow ran for 85 with two more. Terrell Owens caught eight for 127 with a touchdown. Jon Kitna threw for 189 with two touchdowns. The 49ers' offense produced 38 points but the year's defense, against a Bengals offense that produced 41, gave back the kind of two-score lead.
6-8. The kind of cross-conference home loss where, despite producing 38 points, the year's identity tape lost on a shootout. The Philadelphia Eagles at home next Sunday in another NFC matchup. The kind of December where the year's competitive identity, with the offensive production but the defensive struggles, has the kind of late-season arc the offseason will dissect.
Bengals 41, 49ers 38. Margin: -3. Fourteen-game record: 6-8, +51 differential.
* Jon Kitna: 18-of-25 for 189, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Rudi Johnson: 21 carries for 174, 2 TDs.
* Chad Johnson: receiving production with TD.
* Jeff Garcia: 26-of-33 for 344, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Kevan Barlow: 18 carries for 85, 2 TDs.
* Terrell Owens: 8 catches for 127, 1 TD.
* 49ers 6-8; Bengals 8-6.
A 41-38 shootout home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Candlestick. The 49ers fall to 6-8.
How it unfolded
Both teams scored on their opening drives. The Bengals took an early 7-0 lead; the 49ers tied 7-7. Both teams kept scoring through the first half. Halftime was 24-21 Cincinnati. The second half was where the shootout intensified: another four touchdowns split between the teams. The final play was a 49ers' attempt at a tying field goal that fell short or a Cincinnati touchdown to push the lead to 41-31. The 49ers added one more touchdown to make it 41-38.
The turning point
Rudi Johnson's first-half rushing dominance. With the kind of opposing-back production the year's defense had not contained, the Bengals' ground game gave Cincinnati the kind of two-score lead that, despite the 49ers' offensive production, ended the shootout in their favor.
By the numbers
Garcia 344 passing on 33 attempts with two TDs and no INTs. Kevan Barlow 85 rushing on 18 carries with two TDs. Owens 127 receiving on 8 catches with a TD. Kitna 189 on 25 attempts with two TDs. Rudi Johnson 174 rushing with two TDs.
Personnel watch
Jeff Garcia's 344-yard passing day. Kevan Barlow's two-touchdown rushing game. Terrell Owens's 127-yard receiving day. The defense surrendering 174 rushing to Rudi Johnson. The kind of shootout home loss where the offense produced 38 but the defense surrendered 41.
What it means
6-8 with the Eagles at home next Sunday. The kind of shootout home loss where the year's offensive identity continued to produce but the defense's late-game stops did not arrive. Terrell Owens is on the kind of receiving pace that, with one season remaining on his contract, will likely produce the offseason trade question.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 26/33 | 344 | 2 | 0 | |
| CIN | |||||
| Jon Kitna | 18/25 | 189 | 2 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 18 | 85 | 2 | 17 |
| Jeff Garcia | 4 | 51 | 1 | 17 |
| Jamal Robertson | 4 | 33 | 0 | 11 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CIN | ||||
| Rudi Johnson | 21 | 174 | 2 | 49 |
| Corey Dillon | 9 | 24 | 0 | 7 |
| Brandon Bennett | 2 | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Peter Warrick | 2 | 12 | 0 | 16 |
| Jon Kitna | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrell Owens | 8 | 127 | 1 | 58 |
| Tai Streets | 6 | 89 | 1 | 41 |
| Kevan Barlow | 6 | 66 | 0 | 48 |
| Cedrick Wilson | 2 | 30 | 0 | 20 |
| Jed Weaver | 2 | 27 | 0 | 18 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Brandon Lloyd | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CIN | ||||
| Chad Johnson | 6 | 91 | 1 | 26 |
| Peter Warrick | 5 | 58 | 1 | 31 |
| Matt Schobel | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Jeremi Johnson | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Rudi Johnson | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| Brandon Bennett | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Reggie Kelly | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2003 W15 - 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals - Game Thread
