1970: 49ers Take Control in Second Half to Defeat Bears

The San Francisco 49ers were leading the NFC West with a 5-1-1 record as they took on the Bears in Chicago on November 8, 1970. The 49ers were in their third season under Head Coach Dick Nolan and had a productive offense directed by QB John Brodie (pictured above). WR Gene Washington was outstanding and the group of running backs, led by Ken Willard, was effective behind good blocking. Most improved was the defense, while rookie CB Bruce Taylor was providing an added bonus as an explosive punt returner. Often maligned over the years as an underachieving team, the 49ers appeared to finally be putting it all together.

The Bears, coached by Jim Dooley, were 3-5 and dealing with multiple injuries. Most notably, the loss of HB Gale Sayers early in the going badly damaged the running game and the key player on defense, MLB Dick Butkus, was playing on a bad knee. QB Jack Concannon was a canny but mediocre passer, while WR Dick Gordon was proving to be a dependable receiver. One area where the club excelled was at returning kicks, with DB Ron Smith and WR Cecil Turner doing the honors.

There were 45,607 fans in attendance on a cloudy day at Wrigley Field. The Bears had the game’s first possession and went three-and-out. Starting from their own 27, the 49ers advanced into Chicago territory on a series that featured a pass from John Brodie to TE Bob Windsor for 23 yards. Bruce Gossett kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the visitors the early lead.

A 46-yard kickoff return by Ron Smith gave Chicago good starting field position. Facing third-and-six, Jack Concannon (pictured at left) threw to Dick Gordon for a pickup of 18 yards and, when the drive stalled at the San Francisco 29, Gossett booted a field goal from 36 yards to tie the score at 3-3.

The 49ers punted following their next possession and the Bears drove 52 yards in five plays. Concannon completed four passes, the last to Gordon for a 25-yard touchdown. Percival added the extra point to make it a 10-3 tally. Chicago then got the ball right back when HB Bill Tucker fumbled at the end of his kickoff return and Cecil Turner recovered at the San Francisco 23. The Bears lost yardage from there, but padded their lead with a Percival field goal from 37 yards. The first quarter ended with the home team in front by 13-3.

Following another punt by the 49ers, the Bears had to punt in turn from their own 46 and Bruce Taylor returned it 78 yards to the Chicago nine, where HB Ronnie Bull made a diving tackle. Three plays later, Tucker powered into the end zone for a TD and Gossett kicked the point after to narrow the score to 13-10.

The Bears had to punt from deep in their own territory but, after reaching the Chicago 27, the 49ers came up empty when Gossett’s 34-yard field goal try sailed wide to the right. Primarily thanks to the running of Bull and FB Ross Montgomery, the Bears reached midfield before having to punt once again. Taking over with 50 seconds left in the first half, Brodie completed passes to FB Ken Willard for 12 yards and WR Dick Witcher for 25, but on the final play before halftime Gossett’s field goal attempt was blocked.

Chicago immediately got a break at the start of the third quarter when Tucker again fumbled on the second half kickoff return and the Bears gained possession at the San Francisco 28. They reached the 12 before Percival kicked a 19-yard field goal that extended the home team’s lead to 16-10.

The 49ers responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Brodie completed seven passes along the way, three of them to Willard including one for a 27-yard gain on the second play and a seven-yard TD pass. Gossett’s extra point put the Niners ahead by one at 17-16.

The Bears advanced into San Francisco territory as Concannon completed passes to TE Rich Coady for 14 yards and Gordon for 13, and in between the 49ers were penalized for defensive holding. But Concannon was sacked by DE Tommy Hart for a loss of 24 yards, and while they were able to gain some of that back on third down, the Bears were forced to settle for a Percival field goal attempt from 44 yards that was wide to the left. Two plays later, the 49ers extended their lead when Brodie threw long to Gene Washington (pictured above) for a 79-yard touchdown. Gossett converted and San Francisco took a 24-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Bears had to punt again early in the final period and the 49ers picked up 15 yards when FB Mike Hull was penalized for interfering with Taylor’s fair catch. San Francisco proceeded to drive 70 yards in 12 plays. HB Doug Cunningham had a 15-yard run and Brodie completed four passes, the longest to Windsor for a 35-yard gain to the Chicago 12 and the last to Washington for an eight-yard TD. Gossett’s kick made the score 31-16 and effectively sealed the win for the 49ers.

Bobby Douglass was at quarterback when the Bears started their next series and gave up an interception to LB Frank Nunley that led to one last San Francisco touchdown on a pass from QB Steve Spurrier, who spelled Brodie (after he completed his 2000^th career pass), to Willard from four yards out. The try for extra point was blocked but it was inconsequential as the 49ers won by a final score of 37-16.   

San Francisco had a big lead in total yards (387 to 178), especially via passing (340 to 87), and also in first downs (19 to 11). The Bears turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the 49ers.

John Brodie completed 21 of 28 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Gene Washington had 5 catches for 119 yards and two TDs and Bob Windsor contributed 82 yards on his four receptions. Ken Willard led the club with 7 pass receptions, which gained 64 yards and included two touchdowns, and also rushed for 29 yards on 8 carries.

For the Bears, Jack Concannon was successful on 10 of 19 throws for 104 yards and a TD, also giving up no interceptions (two of the six passes thrown by Bobby Douglass were picked off late in the game). Dick Gordon (pictured below) caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Ross Montgomery rushed for 42 yards on 11 attempts and Ronnie Bull also carried 11 times, gaining 32 yards.

“We played a good three quarters and, without making excuses, we were hurt at a lot of positions,” summed up Chicago’s Coach Dooley. “Our players were playing their hearts out.”

The 49ers stayed a game in front of the Rams in the NFC West and they went on to finish on top with a 10-3-1 record. They defeated Minnesota in the Divisional playoff before losing to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. Chicago ended up at 6-8 and fourth in the NFC Central.

John Brodie had the finest season of his career, leading the NFL in pass completions (223), yards (2941), TD passes (24), and overall passer rating (93.8). He received MVP honors from the Associated Press and NEA as well as being a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection. Gene Washington also received consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors as he caught 53 passes for a league-leading 1100 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Dick Gordon topped the NFL with 71 pass receptions and 13 receiving TDs while gaining 1026 yards and, like Brodie and Washington, gained first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition.

1971: Chiefs Defeat 49ers to Move Into First Place in AFC West

Two teams vying for division titles, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, met up for a Monday night game on December 6, 1971. Head Coach Hank Stram’s Chiefs had won the Super Bowl two years earlier but missed the postseason in 1970 and were 7-3-1 and trying to get ahead of the Raiders in the AFC West. 36-year-old QB Len Dawson (pictured at right) was still a quality passer and had an outstanding target in WR Otis Taylor. HB Ed Podolak was a fine all-purpose back and paired well with FB Wendell Hayes. The defense was a good, solid unit.

The 49ers, coached by Dick Nolan, had advanced to the NFC Championship game in ’70 and were 7-4 and trying to stave off the Rams in the NFC West. They also had an established 36-year-old quarterback in John Brodie, who was prone to being erratic, and a fine running tandem in FB Ken Willard and rookie HB Vic Washington. WR Gene Washington was an excellent deep threat and TE Ted Kwalick among the NFL leaders in pass receptions. DE Cedrick Hardman, LB Dave Wilcox, and CB Jimmy Johnson were the biggest stars on an effective defense.

There were 45,306 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park for the nationally televised game. The Chiefs had the first possession and punted. San Francisco drove from its 20 to the KC 11 as Vic Washington had runs of 10 and 12 yards, John Brodie threw a screen pass to Ken Willard that picked up 16 yards, and a face mask penalty against the Chiefs converted a third down. The drive stalled and Bruce Gossett kicked an 18-yard field goal.

On a series highlighted by a throw from Len Dawson to WR Elmo Wright that was good for 31 yards, the Chiefs reached the San Francisco 26, but Jan Stenerud’s 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DB Johnny Fuller. Two plays later, Brodie fired a pass to Gene Washington that gained 53 yards to the KC 26, but the 49ers gained just two more yards and Gossett’s try for a field goal from 31 yards was close but no good.

As the game moved into the second quarter, the Chiefs moved effectively. A throw to TE Morris Stroud at the sideline gained 54 yards to the San Francisco four, but they lost four yards from there and settled for a 15-yard Stenerud field goal that tied the score at 3-3.

The 49ers punted following their next possession and, after passing to Stroud for 13 yards, Dawson went long for Otis Taylor (pictured at left), who went the distance for a 46-yard touchdown. Stenerud added the extra point and the visitors were up by 10-3.

Stuck deep in their own territory, the Niners again had to punt and gave Kansas City good field position at the San Francisco 40. However, the Chiefs lost six yards when Dave Wilcox tackled Ed Podolak behind the line of scrimmage, and two passes fell incompleted. They didn’t come up empty, though, as Stenerud booted a 54-yard field goal that put KC further ahead by 13-3.

The 49ers again had to punt but got the ball back when Podolak fumbled after being hit by Cedrick Hardman and LB Frank Nunley recovered at the Kansas City 45. It took five plays for the Niners to score as Brodie completed two passes to Ted Kwalick, the second for a 35-yard TD. Gossett converted and the home team was behind by just three points.

With a minute remaining in the first half, the Chiefs regained possession but were forced to punt. Jerrel Wilson avoided a strong rush to get away a 50-yard kick that CB Bruce Taylor returned 19 yards. On the next play, CB Emmitt Thomas intercepted Brodie’s pass and ran it back 36 yards to the San Francisco 17. The clock was down to 12 seconds as the Chiefs lined up for a field goal, but Dawson instead passed to OT Sid Smith, an eligible receiver, and on the last play of the half Stenerud kicked a field goal for real from 12 yards out to make the halftime score 16-10. Len Dawson had already passed for 198 yards.

The 49ers had the ball first in the third quarter and punted. Podolak picked up 27 yards on three straight carries for the Chiefs and Dawson passed to Taylor for 10 yards. Runs by Wendell Hayes and Podolak advanced the ball to the San Francisco 16, but Stenerud missed a 23-yard field goal attempt.

A short San Francisco series that ended with a punt was followed by the Chiefs driving 61 yards in six plays, and this time not coming up empty. Podolak ran for 12 yards and Hayes for 22 and it was Taylor covering the final 25 yards on an end-around play. Stenerud converted and Kansas City’s lead was up to 13 points at 23-10.

San Francisco responded with an end-around of its own on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, and Kwalick (pictured below) raced 28 yards to the KC 43. Brodie passed the 49ers down to the eight as the period came to an end and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Vic Washington ran three yards for a touchdown to conclude the seven-play, 71-yard drive. Gossett added the point after to narrow Kansas City’s lead to 23-17.

The Chiefs moved methodically down the field on their next series. Dawson threw to Taylor for 10 yards in a third-and-eight situation and Wright grabbed another pass that had been deflected to pick up 29 yards and convert another third down. Hayes rushed for 14 yards and Podolak for 12 to reach the San Francisco three, but three carries by Hayes picked up two yards and Stenerud kicked an eight-yard field goal that put Kansas City up by nine.

The teams traded punts and the 49ers started off from their 31 with under two minutes to play. Brodie connected with Vic Washington for 16 yards and Kwalick for 14, HB Larry Schreiber ran for six yards on a draw play, and Brodie threw to Vic Washington for nine to get to the KC 24. But that was as far as the Niners could get. Four passes fell incomplete, the last two into the end zone, and the Chiefs came away with a 26-17 win.     

Kansas City had the edge in total yards (427 to 331) and first downs (20 to 18), with both teams well balanced between running and passing yards. Each team turned the ball over once and recorded one sack apiece.

Len Dawson completed 16 of 28 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Otis Taylor had 5 catches for 81 yards and a TD and added another score on a 25-yard run. Elmo Wright gained 76 yards on four pass receptions and Morris Stroud 67 yards on just two. Ed Podolak led the KC ground game with 75 yards on 17 carries and Wendell Hayes also ran the ball 17 times, for 66 yards. Jan Stenerud kicked four field goals, although he also had two misses.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on 20 of 32 throws for 229 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. Vic Washington (pictured below) rushed for 43 yards on 12 attempts that included a touchdown and also led the club with 7 catches, for 62 yards. Gene Washington gained 73 yards on three receptions and Ted Kwalick contributed 58 yards on 5 catches and had a 28-yard run.

“I thought we played a good game,” said John Brodie. “We didn’t play poorly. They’re just a good team…as good as any team we’ve played.”

The win put the Chiefs on top in the AFC West for the first time all season and that is where they finished, with a 10-3-1 record. Hopes of returning to the Super Bowl were dashed when they lost an overtime thriller to Miami in the Divisional playoff round. For San Francisco, the loss put them a half game behind the Rams in the NFC West, but the 49ers won their final two games and placed first at 9-5. They again made it to the NFC Championship game, and again lost to the Cowboys at that point.

Len Dawson led the AFC in passing yards per attempt (8.3) and yards per completion (15.0) and was second in the conference in passing yards (2504). He was a second-team All-AFC selection by UPI and was named to the Pro Bowl. Otis Taylor led the NFL with 1110 pass receiving yards while his 57 catches ranked third. He averaged 19.5 yards per reception, scored seven touchdowns, and was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice as well as Pro Bowl selection.

John Brodie led the NFC in passing yards (2642) and TD passes (18) but also interceptions (24). Vic Washington topped the NFL with 1986 all-purpose yards that included 811 rushing, 317 pass receiving, and 858 on kickoff returns. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl, as was Ted Kwalick, who ranked second in the conference in pass receiving (52 catches) while gaining 664 yards and scoring five TDs.

1971: 49ers Defeat Lions to Clinch NFC West Title

The San Francisco 49ers were 8-5 coming into their 1971 season finale against the Detroit Lions on December 19 and in need of a win to clinch the NFC West for the second straight year. Head Coach Dick Nolan’s 49ers had a fine, if erratic, quarterback in 15-year veteran John Brodie. He had good receivers in WR Gene Washington and TE Ted Kwalick, and solid FB Ken Willard had been joined in the backfield by HB Vic Washington, who provided outside speed. Key players in the solid defense were DE Cedric Hardman, LB Dave Wilcox, and CB Jimmy Johnson.

Detroit, coached by Joe Schmidt, had a 7-5-1 record and was out of the running in the NFC Central. QB Greg Landry had a fine year throwing the ball as well as adding the extra dimension of running ability. FB Steve Owens and HB Altie Taylor made for a good backfield tandem and, while there was speed at wide receiver, TE Charlie Sanders was the most consistent of the pass catchers. The defense had talent at linebacker and the backfield, but lacked a pass rush.

It was a clear day at Candlestick Park with 45,580 fans in attendance. San Francisco’s first possession ended with John Brodie going long and being intercepted by CB Lem Barney, who returned it 23 yards to the 49ers’ 41 yard line. With Altie Taylor and Steve Owens carrying most of the load, the Lions reached the 17 before a pass to Taylor resulted in a seven-yard loss and Errol Mann kicked a 31-yard field goal.

The 49ers responded by driving 70 yards in nine plays. Brodie threw to Ted Kwalick for 24 yards to the Detroit 36 and a third-and-eight pass to WR Dick Witcher picked up 21. Brodie finished off the series by connecting with Witcher in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Bruce Gossett added the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-3.

Detroit came back with a ten-play possession that extended into the second quarter. The big play was a Landry throw to WR Ron Jessie that picked up 51 yards to the San Francisco 17. The Lions couldn’t reach the end zone from there, and an apparent scoring run by Landry was nullified by a holding penalty. Mann kicked a 39-yard field goal that narrowed the Niners’ lead to a point.

The 49ers struck back when Vic Washington returned the kickoff 29 yards and FB Larry Schreiber took off for a 23-yard gain on the next play from scrimmage. The drive bogged down at the Detroit 32 and Gossett booted a field goal from 39 yards to extend San Francisco’s margin to 10-6.

The Lions went three-and-out on their next possession and the resulting punt gave the 49ers the ball at their 32. They went 68 yards in five plays as Ken Willard rushed for 10 yards and Brodie threw to Gene Washington (pictured at left), first for 14 yards and then 32 yards after faking an end-around to get the ball to the Detroit 10. From there, Brodie passed to Willard, who made a diving catch at the goal line for a touchdown. Gossett again successfully converted and the Niners were up by 17-6.

The Lions responded with a 12-play, 80-yard drive. Landry had a 13-yard run and completed a pass to WR Earl McCullouch for 15 yards in a third-and-five situation. Detroit kept the ball on the ground to go the last 41 yards, with Taylor running for a 14-yard TD. Mann kicked the extra point and the score was 17-13 at the half.

Detroit took the second half kickoff and drove 60 yards in eight plays to take the lead. Owens and Taylor ran for a combined 29 rushing yards to start the series off before a roughing-the-passer penalty added 15 yards to the San Francisco 16. The 49ers continued to hurt themselves as a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the three and, two plays later, Owens plowed the last yard for a touchdown. Mann added the extra point and Detroit was in front by 20-17.

Vic Washington had another good kickoff return, of 27 yards, and the 49ers advanced 66 yards in seven plays. Brodie went long for Gene Washington in the end zone and it was complete for a 30-yard TD. Gossett’s extra point put the Niners back on top at 24-20, but the Lions came right back with another scoring drive. Landry threw to WR Larry Walton for 14 yards in a third-and-four situation and then went long to McCullouch, who beat CB Bruce Taylor for a 56-yard gain to the San Francisco four. A penalty backed the Lions up, but Landry tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Sanders. Mann added the PAT and the Lions were back in front by three points after a see-saw third quarter.

The fourth quarter started with Detroit giving up the ball on downs at its own 40 after Landry was stopped short on a fourth-and-inches play.  It was a key development, and the 49ers made the most of the break. Brodie completed a 10-yard pass to Schreiber in a third-and-four situation and an offside call on the Lions converted another third down. The nine-play series finally ended when, facing third-and-eight, Brodie couldn’t find an open receiver and ran up the middle untouched for a ten-yard touchdown. Gossett’s extra point put the Niners back on top by four.

The Lions had to punt following their next series and San Francisco put together a time-consuming possession. Willard (pictured at right) carried the ball seven times, gaining 49 yards, before the 49ers gave up the ball on downs at the Detroit 24. However, the clock was down to 1:30. Landry went to the air on first down and LB Frank Nunley intercepted it to snuff out any last hope for the Lions. The 49ers came away with a 31-27 win.

San Francisco had the edge in total yards (357 to 310) and first downs (20 to 18). The 49ers were well balanced on offense, with 186 yards through the air and 171 on the ground. Each team turned the ball over once. The Niners were flagged 8 times at a cost of 72 yards, to five penalties for 35 yards on Detroit.

John Brodie completed 14 of 20 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Ken Willard ran for 81 yards on 15 carries and also caught three passes for 24 yards and a TD. Gene Washington gained 76 yards and scored once on his three pass receptions while Dick Witcher and Ted Kwalick also caught three apiece, for 37 and 32 yards, respectively. Vic Washington gained 38 yards on 14 rushing attempts and was effective on kickoff returns, averaging 26.0 yards on three.

For the Lions, Greg Landry (pictured at left) was successful on 9 of 18 throws for 176 yards and a TD while being picked off once and ran the ball five times for 25 yards. Steve Owens rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, to go over a thousand yards for the year, and Altie Taylor contributed 51 yards on 10 attempts that also included a score. Four receivers caught two passes apiece, with Earl McCullouch gaining 81 yards on his pair. Ron Jessie had the one 51-yard catch.

The win gave the 49ers a 9-5 record and the NFC West title by a half-game over the 8-5-1 Los Angeles Rams. They defeated the Redskins in the Divisional playoff round but, for the second year in a row, lost the NFC Championship game to the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit ended up second in the NFC Central at 7-6-1.

The up-and-down nature of John Brodie’s season was reflected in the fact that he led the NFC in both touchdown passes (18) and interceptions (24). His 387 pass attempts and 2642 yards also topped the conference. Ken Willard led the 49ers in rushing for the seventh consecutive season with 855 yards on 216 carries (4.0 avg.). Vic Washington was right behind with 811 yards on 191 attempts (4.2 avg.) and, adding in pass receiving and kick returning, led the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1986. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl along with Gene Washington, who had a NFC-leading 884 yards on his 46 pass receptions (19.2 avg.).

Greg Landry set a new rushing record for quarterbacks with 530 yards on 76 carries, good for a 7.0-yard average gain (the record was broken the following year by Bobby Douglass of the Bears). As a passer, his 8.6 yards per attempt ranked third in the league. He was also chosen to the Pro Bowl for the only time in his long career that ended in the USFL. 

1971: Cowboys Beat 49ers for NFC Championship

In the first season of the NFL enlarged by merger with the American Football League, the championship game of the newly-created National Football Conference on January 3, 1971 featured the Dallas Cowboys, a club that had been to the playoffs in each of the previous four years, against the San Francisco 49ers, who had been to the postseason just twice in their history – one of which was in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).

The Cowboys, coached for the eleventh year by Tom Landry, were a highly talented club but were only 5-4 after being blown out 38-0 by the Cardinals in a Monday night contest. They didn’t lose again, finishing atop the NFC East at 10-4. Rookie RB Duane Thomas (pictured above) had joined an already-well stocked backfield and ran for 803 yards. QB Craig Morton was a capable passer and WR Bob Hayes a dangerous deep threat. The defense was formidable and contained Pro Bowl DT Bob Lilly and CB Mel Renfro as well as All-Pro LB Chuck Howley. The Cowboys beat Detroit in a low-scoring 5-0 contest to earn a spot in the NFC Championship contest.

San Francisco, under Head Coach Dick Nolan (a former Dallas assistant), got a big season from QB John Brodie, who had an outstanding target in WR Gene Washington. The defense came together impressively and included solid veterans in LB Dave Wilcox, CB Jimmy Johnson, and FS Roosevelt Taylor. In addition, rookie CB Bruce Taylor proved to be an outstanding punt returner. The 49ers placed first in the NFC West with a 10-3-1 record to make it to the playoffs for the first time since tying for first in the Western Conference in 1957. They defeated the Vikings in the Divisional round to advance to the conference title game.

There were 59,625 in attendance on a cool and clear day at Kezar Stadium for what was to be the last pro football game played at the venerable venue – the 49ers were slated to move to Candlestick Park for the 1971 season. The 49ers threatened first when Brodie threw to Washington for 42 yards, but the wide receiver couldn’t maintain his footing and went down at the Dallas nine. San Francisco missed out on a sure touchdown when Brodie misfired on a pass to an open FB Ken Willard in the end zone and the home team had to settle for a 16-yard Bruce Gossett field goal.

The game settled into a defensive struggle for the remainder of the first half. The Cowboys moved the ball more effectively but couldn’t put points on the board until Mike Clark, who missed from 40 yards in the opening period, kicked a 21-yard field goal in the second quarter. The score was just 3-3 at the half.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter, at which point the game turned on two interceptions. San Francisco, starting its next possession at its 21 yard line, lost ground when Brodie was sacked by LB Dave Edwards for a seven-yard loss. With DE Larry Cole pressuring him on the next play, Brodie tried to throw the ball away but MLB Lee Roy Jordan (pictured at left) made a shoestring interception. Dallas had the ball at the San Francisco 13 and on the next play Duane Thomas cut toward the sideline and broke three tackles on the way to a touchdown.

On San Francisco’s next series, Brodie threw long for Gene Washington but CB Mel Renfro picked it off at the Dallas 19 and returned it 19 yards. The Cowboys proceeded to advance 62 yards in nine plays for another TD on a five-yard pass from Craig Morton to RB Walt Garrison. Along the way, Garrison, playing despite suffering a sprained ankle in the first quarter, ran for 12 yards and then gained 23 yards on a screen pass to the San Francisco 29. A Morton pass intended for Bob Hayes was overthrown but SS Mel Phillips was flagged for pass interference, setting up the TD throw.

The 49ers came back with an impressive 73-yard drive in eight plays that ended with Brodie throwing to TE Dick Witcher for a 26-yard touchdown.

On the next series, the 49ers nearly got a big break when Thomas fumbled, but WR Reggie Rucker recovered to not only retain possession for the Cowboys but give them a first down. Dallas drove to the San Francisco 17 but came up empty when Clark’s 24-yard field goal try sailed wide.

The 49ers got no closer than the Dallas 39 in the time remaining, and in that instance a pass intended for Witcher was broken up by CB Herb Adderley and Gossett missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. The Cowboys, playing near error-free football, held on to win by a score of 17-10.

Dallas had the advantage in total yards (319 to 307), with 229 yards of that total coming on the ground as the Cowboys attacked the less-experienced side of the 49ers defense by running to the right. They also had the edge in first downs (22 to 15), ran more plays (75 to 61), and held onto the ball for almost ten more minutes than the Niners. The 49ers gave up the two big third quarter turnovers while Dallas turned the ball over once.

Duane Thomas had an outstanding performance as he rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries and caught two passes for 24 more yards. Walt Garrison (pictured below) contributed 71 yards on 17 rushing attempts and was also the team’s leading receiver with three catches for 51 yards and a score. Craig Morton completed just 7 of 22 passes for 101 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Only one pass was completed to a wide receiver (Reggie Rucker for 21 yards).

For the 49ers, John Brodie, who was under heavy pressure throughout the second half, was successful on 19 of 40 throws for 262 yards and a touchdown and the two interceptions. Gene Washington had 6 catches for 88 yards and Bob Windsor added 70 yards on his three receptions. Ken Willard paced the running attack with 42 yards on 13 carries.

“Lee Roy Jordan’s interception was the real key play,” said Tom Landry. “But the key to the game was our ability to run the football.”

“We have a good team and we met a good team. I feel this way – we’ll be back,” said Dick Nolan.

The Cowboys, having reached the Super Bowl for the first time, lost a close contest to the Baltimore Colts. The two teams again topped their divisions in 1971 and advanced to a rematch in the NFC Championship game, where Dallas prevailed once more. 

1972: Brodie Comes Off Bench to Lead 49ers Past Vikings

The 1972 NFL season had been a rough one for 37-year-old QB John Brodie of the San Francisco 49ers (pictured at right). After leading the club to appearances in the NFC Championship game in each of the previous two seasons, he had suffered an ankle injury in Week 5 and missed the next eight games. Even after he was able to play again, he remained on the bench as backup to Steve Spurrier, the sixth-year quarterback-in-waiting who had performed ably in Brodie’s absence. Head Coach Dick Nolan’s team was 7-5-1 and trying to nail down a third consecutive NFC West title going into the last game of the season against the Vikings on December 16.

Minnesota, coached by Bud Grant, was having a down year after going to the playoffs in each of the previous four seasons. The return of QB Fran Tarkenton following a five-year sojourn with the Giants had been offset by the decline of the once-stellar defense. The Vikings were 7-6 and had already been eliminated from playoff contention.

It was rainy and the artificial surface wet for the Saturday game at Candlestick Park. Things started off rough for the 49ers when HB Vic Washington, after catching a pass from Spurrier, fumbled and LB Jeff Siemon recovered for the Vikings. However, Minnesota failed to capitalize when Fred Cox was wide on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

Later in the first quarter, the Vikings got another opportunity on a San Francisco turnover and made the most of it. FB Ken Willard fumbled the ball away and CB Charlie West picked it up and returned it to the 49ers’ 16 yard line. Three plays later, Tarkenton completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to RB Ed Marinaro for his first pro touchdown.

Vic Washington responded with a 56-yard kickoff return that gave the Niners good starting field position. They parlayed it into a 14-yard Bruce Gossett field goal early in the second quarter. That was it for the scoring until near the end of the period when Gossett added another field goal, from 37 yards, that narrowed the tally to 7-6 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Vikings capitalized on an interception by Siemon. It set up a 31-yard scoring pass from Tarkenton to WR John Gilliam. Spurrier, who was clearly struggling, tossed a third interception and John Brodie began warming up on the sidelines.

Brodie came into the contest with under two minutes remaining in the third quarter and the 49ers trailing by 17-6. He showed rust when he threw two interceptions that aborted promising drives. The first series went 64 yards, starting off with a short completion to Gene Washington, but ended when FS Paul Krause picked off a pass at the goal line. Following the second interception, the Vikings were unable to move the ball but Mike Eischeid’s punt went out of bounds at the San Francisco one yard line.

The 49ers proceeded to drive 99 yards in six plays. Brodie completed a 12-yard pass to HB John Isenbarger and connected with Gene Washington for a big 53-yard gain. A throw to Vic Washington moved the ball eight more yards to the Minnesota 24 and, after another pass was incomplete, Brodie again connected with Gene Washington, this time for a touchdown.

In response, the Vikings held the ball for over five minutes before the 49ers regained possession at their 34 following a punt with 1:30 left on the clock. Again Brodie went to the air, hitting RB Larry Schreiber for nine yards and Vic Washington for eight. A pass interference penalty on Siemon put the ball at the Vikings’ 26. The 49ers tried a trick play as Brodie lateraled to Isenbarger, whose long pass was broken up by Krause at the goal line, and then Schreiber ran for six yards on a draw play. With time running down, Brodie completed a throw to Vic Washington for an 18-yard gain to the Minnesota two. Following two more incompletions, Brodie, who was rolling to his right on third down, found TE Dick Witcher all alone in the end zone for the go-ahead TD.

The Vikings had time to drive into field goal range and potentially tie the contest, but Cox’s 43-yard attempt on the last play failed. The 49ers came away winners by a score of 20-17.

San Francisco outgained the Vikings (383 yards to 273) and had the edge in first downs (18 to 17). However, the 49ers hurt themselves with seven turnovers, to two by Minnesota. The Vikings, in turn, hurt themselves with key penalties – they were flagged six times at a cost of 67 yards, to three penalties called on San Francisco. The Niners also sacked Tarkenton four times for 48 yards.

John Brodie, in his slightly more than a quarter of action, completed 10 of 15 passes for 165 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Steve Spurrier was successful on 7 of 14 throws for 76 yards with none for scores and three picked off. Gene Washington had a big day with four catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Vic Washington, in addition to rushing for 43 yards on 10 carries and returning two kickoffs for 78 yards, also caught four passes for 36 yards. Larry Schreiber was San Francisco’s leading rusher with 67 yards on 12 attempts.

For the Vikings, Fran Tarkenton completed just 11 of 25 passes for 144 yards with two TDs and two intercepted. John Gilliam caught four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. Ed Marinaro, the former Cornell star, led the club with 70 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 22 yards and a TD, but also ran out of bounds on a fourth quarter carry when the Vikings were trying to run time off the clock. Likewise, Jeff Siemon had a big day on defense with two interceptions and a fumble recovery, but also was guilty of a key penalty on San Francisco’s game-winning drive.

“John (Brodie) came off the bench and did a great job,” said an appreciative Dick Nolan. “I can’t say anything more. He was our shot in the arm.”

The win clinched San Francisco’s third straight NFC West title with an 8-5-1 record. Brodie started the Divisional playoff game against Dallas, which ultimately was lost thanks to an exciting fourth quarter comeback by the Cowboys. The Vikings ended up in third place in the NFC Central at 7-7.

Adding in his numbers from the early part of the season, John Brodie completed 70 of 110 passes (63.6 %) for 905 yards with 9 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. As his late-game heroics against the Vikings showed, he was capable of outstanding performances during his long, 17-year career with the 49ers that finally came to an end in 1973. That he could not perform so well with greater consistency marked the up-and-down nature of his tenure and kept him from being regarded as a great quarterback.

1972: Cowboys Overcome 15-Point Deficit to Beat 49ers in Playoff Game

The two teams that met in a NFC Divisional playoff on December 23, 1972 were familiar to each other from recent postseason action. The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers had met the previous two years for the NFC Championship, with Dallas coming away the victor on both occasions.

The Cowboys, winners of the last Super Bowl and coached by Tom Landry, were not coming into the game as NFC East champions in this instance - they had placed second to the Redskins with a 10-4 record and were in the playoffs as a wild card entry. QB Roger Staubach missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury, although he was available for the playoffs – Craig Morton performed capably in his absence. RB Duane Thomas was dumped off to San Diego during the season due to behavioral issues, but RB Calvin Hill had gained 1036 yards. The offensive line was exceptional, the defensive line in transition due to age and injuries. Indeed, if the defense was a cause of concern, it was because of advancing age.

The 49ers, under Head Coach Dick Nolan, won the NFC West for the third straight year, finishing at 8-5-1. They, too, lost their starting quarterback along the way as 37-year-old John Brodie suffered an ankle injury in the fifth game and didn’t return until the finale. Steve Spurrier, ex-Heisman trophy winner and first round draft pick in 1967, came off the bench and went 6-2-1 in relief (although he needed help from Brodie in the season’s last game). WR Gene Washington and TE Ted Kwalick provided outstanding targets for the passing game, while the running attack was adequate (at best). The offensive line was solid. Defensively, the line, despite injuries, led the NFL with 46 sacks while LB Dave Wilcox and CB Jimmy Johnson were key performers.

It was a sunny day at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park and the 59,746 fans in attendance received an immediate thrill when HB Vic Washington returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys responded with a 37-yard Toni Fritsch field goal, and the first quarter ended with the 49ers ahead by 7-3.

San Francisco drove from its six yard line into Dallas territory, highlighted by a long pass play from Brodie to Gene Washington, but another long pass by Brodie was intercepted by safety Charlie Waters at the Cowboys’ one yard line.


Craig Morton had started the game at quarterback for Dallas, and on the possession following the interception he fumbled the ball away when hit by DE Tommy Hart and CB Windlan Hall at his own 15 yard line. RB Larry Schreiber (pictured at right) scored a one-yard touchdown shortly thereafter to put the Niners up by 14-3.

Schreiber scored another short TD, set up by LB Skip Vanderbundt’s interception of a Morton pass at the Dallas 32, before the Cowboys scored again on a 45-yard field goal by Fritsch. Before the second quarter was over they also got a touchdown on a 28-yard pass from Morton to WR Lance Alworth. San Francisco led by 21-13 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, the Niners failed to extend their lead when Bruce Gossett missed a 40-yard field goal attempt. While the 49ers got the ball back on another Vanderbundt interception, they had to punt. Jim McCann managed to angle the kick out at the five yard line and it led to another big break created by the opportunistic San Francisco defense. Hill fumbled on his own one yard line after being hit by DT Charlie Krueger and the result was Schreiber’s third one-yard TD of the game that put the 49ers ahead by 28-13.

Dallas wasn’t moving the ball and was being done in by turnovers. Just before the end of the third quarter, Coach Landry chose to make a change at quarterback and inserted Staubach.

In a classy gesture, Morton went to Staubach as he warmed up and told him “I have confidence in you. You can win.” But it didn’t seem that the move would change the Cowboys’ fortunes when he threw an incompletion and was sacked. Staubach fumbled when hit by DT Bob Hoskins and the 49ers recovered. It appeared once again that they would pad their lead, but Gossett missed another field goal attempt, this time from 32 yards.



The next possession went better for Dallas as Hill ran 48 yards on a draw play. After Staubach completed a pass to WR Billy Parks (pictured at left), Fritsch kicked a 27-yard field goal to narrow San Francisco’s margin to 28-16 – less than two touchdowns.

With the clock down to nearly two minutes left to play, and following a bad punt by the 49ers’ McCann that gave the Cowboys good field position at the San Francisco 45, Staubach began completing passes, two to FB Walt Garrison for 16 yards and two to Parks that included a 20-yard touchdown. The drive had run off just 32 seconds and Dallas was now down by only 28-23.

Fritsch came through with a well-executed onside kick that San Francisco WR Preston Riley briefly handled but was recovered by CB Mel Renfro for the Cowboys. On the first play, Staubach looked to pass, couldn’t find an open receiver, and scrambled 21 yards. He then completed a pass to Parks, who ran out of bounds at the 10 with 56 seconds to go, for a gain of 19 yards.

On the next play, with the 49ers blitzing, Staubach threw to his secondary receiver, WR Ron Sellers, who was open in the middle of the field in front of the goal post. Sellers scored (pictured at top), and the Cowboys took the lead.

The 49ers had one last chance with 52 seconds to work with. It seemed as though Brodie might yet salvage the game as he completed three passes, but an apparent 23-yard toss to Riley that would have put San Francisco in field goal range was called back due to a holding penalty. Brodie was intercepted by safety Charlie Waters on the next play, thus sealing the 30-28 comeback win for Dallas.

The Cowboys rolled up 402 yards, to 255 for the Niners, and also led in first downs with 22 to San Francisco’s 13. But they had turned the ball over five times, nearly burying themselves, although none came during the spectacular fourth quarter comeback. Dallas also gave up five sacks (Morton once, Staubach four times) while not getting to Brodie at all.


Roger Staubach (pictured at right) completed 12 of 20 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in just over a quarter of action. Previously, Craig Morton was successful on 8 of 21 throws for 96 yards with a TD and two picked off. Billy Parks led the receivers with 7 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. Calvin Hill gained 125 yards rushing on 18 carries.

For the 49ers, John Brodie threw 22 passes and completed 12 of them for 150 yards with no TDs and two interceptions (both by Charlie Waters). Preston Riley caught 4 passes for 41 yards while Gene Washington had 76 yards on three receptions. Vic Washington, in addition to running the opening kickoff all the way for a score, also ran for 56 yards on 10 carries, although Larry Schreiber was the workhorse for the Niners with 26 attempts for 52 yards and the three short TDs.

“It's the best comeback we've had since I've been in Dallas,” said Tom Landry, who showed uncharacteristic emotion afterward.

The stunning win didn’t spur the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl, however. They lost the NFC Championship game to Washington. San Francisco, having fallen short in the playoffs for three consecutive years, went into decline and didn’t return to the postseason until 1981.

1975: Steve Spurrier to Gene Washington Ends Rams Win Streak vs. 49ers

The Los Angeles Rams hosted the San Francisco 49ers at the Memorial Coliseum on November 9, 1975, having won 10 consecutive games against the Niners. The Rams, NFC West champs in ’73 and ’74, came into this Week 7 game again leading the division with a 6-1 record, while San Francisco was a lowly 2-5.

It appeared that the win streak, dating back to the 1970 season and having most recently included a 23-14 victory at Candlestick Park six weeks earlier, looked likely to continue when the Rams held a 14-0 lead at the half. Steve Spurrier, starting his first game at quarterback for the 49ers since 1973 in place of Norm Snead, had a mediocre half, completing just 6 of 17 passes for 60 yards. However, San Francisco had an apparent touchdown pass from Spurrier to WR Gene Washington called back due to a penalty and had driven at one point to the L.A. 11-yard line, only to come up empty, so the domination was not quite as complete as the score would imply.

Spurrier began to find the range in the third quarter, completing a 42-yard touchdown pass to Washington. The 49ers tied the score after a long drive that included a 12-yard run by Spurrier on a quarterback draw and concluded with a 19-yard scoring pass to RB Delvin Williams.

L.A. went ahead in the fourth quarter, 17-14, thanks to a 23-yard Tom Dempsey field goal, but a 68-yard Spurrier to Washington pass play put San Francisco back in the lead. The back-and-forth struggle saw the Rams once again move out in front, 23-21, on a short scoring run by RB Jim Bertelsen with 1:24 left to play (crucially, the extra point attempt failed). The 49ers finally prevailed on a 54-yard field goal by Steve Mike-Mayer with 38 seconds left that made the final score 24-23.

For Spurrier, the performance was a highlight in what had been an uneven career in San Francisco. He completed 19 of 38 passes for 290 yards and three TDs, with no interceptions. Gene Washington caught 5 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. On a day when the running game was mediocre (Spurrier was the leading ground gainer for the 49ers with 30 yards on five carries), the Spurrier to Washington combination had been crucial.

The win over the Rams was the first of three consecutive midseason victories for the 49ers, but they lost their last four games to end up with a 5-9 record. They finished a distant second in the NFC West behind the 12-2 Rams, who advanced to the conference championship game and lost to Dallas.

Steve Spurrier ended up starting six games, but hopes for a revival of his career in San Francisco ended and he was traded to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 1976 season. Gene Washington caught 44 passes for 735 yards, with a typically healthy yards-per-reception average of 16.7 and 9 TDs. Deficiencies with the offense – in particular inconsistency at quarterback – had caused his production to drop after having been a Pro Bowl selection in his first four seasons (1969-72), but as his performance against the Rams made clear, he was still very much a big play receiver.