1970: Key Turnovers & Brodie TD Passes Lead 49ers Past Browns

The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns were both 1-0 as they faced each other on September 27, 1970. The 49ers, in their third year under Head Coach Dick Nolan, were coming off of an injury-plagued 4-8-2 record in 1969 but had the tools in place to do much better. QB John Brodie (pictured above) was an experienced and able passer and there was quality at wide receiver and running back. The defense was effective as well, and the placekicking problem of the previous year was resolved with the acquisition of PK Bruce Gossett. The 49ers started off with a Week 1 win against the Redskins.

Cleveland, coached by Blanton Collier since 1963, was in a new division thanks to the AFL/NFL merger, having been placed in the AFC Central. A perennial contender in the NFL’s Eastern Conference, it was anticipated that the Browns would dominate the AFC competition. QB Bill Nelsen was a good leader and passer, although playing on gimpy knees, and star WR Paul Warfield had been dealt away during the offseason in order to trade up for QB Mike Phipps of Purdue in the first round to be groomed as the successor. WR Gary Collins and TE Milt Morin were proven pass receivers, and HB Leroy Kelly a consistent performer. The Browns defeated the Jets the previous Monday night.

There were 37,502 fans in attendance on a hot day at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers advanced 63 yards in eight plays on their first possession as John Brodie threw to HB Doug Cunningham for a 29-yard gain and capped the series with a swing pass to FB Ken Willard that covered the final five yards for a touchdown. Bruce Gossett added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Cleveland responded with a six-play, 68-yard possession. Bill Nelsen connected with Leroy Kelly on first down for a 41-yard pickup and FB Bo Scott swept for the final three yards and a TD. Don Cockroft added the game-tying point after.

With the game still in the first quarter, the 49ers got a big defensive play when Nelsen was hit while passing and SS Mel Phillips intercepted for the 49ers, who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. Gossett’s conversion made it a 14-7 contest heading into the second quarter.

The teams exchanged punts before the Browns put together a 95-yard drive in 10 plays, the big one a Nelsen completion to WR Fair Hooker that gained 69 yards to the San Francisco 16. The 49er defense held and Cockroft kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 14-10.

The 49ers advanced to the Cleveland 43 on their next series, losing WR Dick Witcher to a shoulder separation along the way, and a holding penalty forced a punt. However, San Francisco got another break on defense two plays later when Scott fumbled and DT Roland Lakes recovered at the Cleveland 15. On the next play, Brodie threw to WR Jimmy Thomas for a TD. Gossett added the extra point and the Niners led by a 21-10 score.

The Browns came back with an 80-yard drive in eight plays. Nelsen completed five passes, with the longest to Milt Morin for 27 yards and two to Hooker, for 18 yards and finally an eight-yard TD with 1:12 remaining in the first half. There was still time for the 49ers, but the clock ran out on them at the Cleveland 22 and the score remained 21-17 at halftime.

Cleveland’s first series of the third quarter ended with Kelly running 33 yards up the middle for a touchdown. With Cockroft’s point after, the Browns had their first lead of the day at 24-21. The teams traded punts and Cleveland then took six plays to advance 83 yards, helped along by a 28-yard pass interference penalty. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Willard (pictured at left) carried on a draw play for the last nine yards and a TD. Gossett’s extra point attempt was blocked, but San Francisco was back in front by 27-24.

The visitors fought back with a five-play, 80-yard drive. Nelsen was knocked out of the game when, under a heavy pass rush, he suffered a leg injury after completing a pass to Hooker that gained 62 yards to the San Francisco eight. Blanton Collier chose to go with Don Gault, who had spent time on the taxi squad, over Mike Phipps and Gault handed off to Kelly on the next play for an eight-yard TD. Cockroft’s extra point was successful and Cleveland was back in the lead at 31-27.

After a short series by the 49ers, the Browns, with Gault at quarterback, initially appeared to move the ball well. A throw to Gary Collins picked up 23 yards but, three plays later, LB Dave Wilcox intercepted a pass and returned it 11 yards to his own 36. On second down, Brodie connected with Thomas, who made the catch over LB John Garlington and raced the remaining 35 yards for a 61-yard touchdown. Gossett converted.

Down by three points and with eight minutes left on the clock, there was still plenty of time for the Browns. Taking possession at their 24 following the ensuing kickoff, they ran three plays and, facing fourth down and less than a yard to go, chose to punt. In a key series, the 49ers then controlled the ball for 13 plays (nine of them carries by Willard), going to the air only once. The Browns finally got the ball back at their 30, but with only 22 seconds left to play. San Francisco held on to win by a final score of 34-31.

Cleveland had the edge in total yards (448 to 435) while the 49ers led in first downs (24 to 20). The Browns turned the ball over four times, which proved critical, while San Francisco had none.

John Brodie completed 20 of 31 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Ken Willard ran effectively, gaining 105 yards on 22 carries that included a TD in addition to a score on his lone pass reception. WR Gene Washington had 5 catches for 40 yards but Jimmy Thomas was the pass receiving star for the 49ers with four for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

For the Browns, Bill Nelsen was successful on 14 of 25 throws for 308 yards and a TD, but also gave up an interception that led directly to a score, before being knocked out of the game. Fair Hooker (pictured at right) caught four passes for 157 yards and a touchdown and Gary Collins contributed four receptions for 68 yards. Leroy Kelly rushed for 74 yards on 16 attempts that included two scores and also gained 54 yards on two pass receptions. Bo Scott ran 15 times for 48 yards and a TD but gave up a critical fumble.

“You can’t blame the defense for two of the touchdowns,” said Coach Collier in defeat. “You can’t make as many mistakes as we did and win in this league.”

The 49ers lost the following week but went on to top the NFC West with a 10-3-1 record. They reached the NFC Championship game before falling to Dallas. Cleveland was without Bill Nelsen due to damaged knee ligaments the next week but won with Gault and Phipps at quarterback. However, the Browns slumped during the second half of the season and finished at a disappointing 7-7 and second in the AFC Central.

John Brodie had his finest season as he led the NFL, completing 223 passes for 2941 yards and 24 touchdowns, which were all league-leading figures. He was the consensus MVP and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

The performance by Jimmy Thomas was his best of the season. Appearing at halfback as well as wide receiver, he caught a total of 12 passes for 221 yards (18.4 avg.) and scored one more TD for a total of three. 

The unheralded Fair Hooker also had his best game of the year, not reaching the hundred-yard threshold for the remainder of the season (or his career, for that matter), but he did emerge as a pleasant surprise for the Browns with 28 catches for 490 yards (17.5 avg.) and two TDs.

1957: Conerly TD Passes Lead Giants Past College All-Stars

The 24^th annual College All-Star Game on August 9, 1957 matched up the New York Giants, reigning champions of the NFL, with an All-Star team coached by Curly Lambeau for the third straight year.

Head Coach Jim Lee Howell of the Giants placed great authority in Vince Lombardi, his offensive assistant, and Tom Landry, who operated the defense. Behind center was QB Charlie Conerly, who platooned with Don Heinrich, and the offense also featured star all-purpose HB Frank Gifford as well as capable runners in HB Alex Webster and FB Mel Triplett. The tough defense contained All-Pros in DE Andy Robustelli and safety Emlen Tunnell plus a rising second-year talent in MLB Sam Huff.

Coach Lambeau, the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for many years who finished up with the Cardinals and Redskins, had the All-Stars well prepared to face the Giants. The roster contained several offensive players who would become pro stars such as quarterbacks John Brodie from Stanford and Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, Syracuse FB Jim Brown, halfbacks Jon Arnett of USC and Billy Barnes from Wake Forest, and Michigan end Ron Kramer.

It was a wet Friday night with over 75,000 fans in attendance at Soldier Field and the start of the game was delayed due to a major deluge of rain combined with a gusty wind that caused the elimination of pregame introductions and other festivities. The Giants had the ball first but Alex Webster fumbled it away on the third play and the All-Stars capitalized. With John Brodie behind center, they advanced 55 yards, the key play being a 22-yard gain on a triple reverse, and Billy Barnes capped the series by running wide for a two-yard touchdown in a fourth down situation. Paul Hornung missed to the left on the extra point attempt but the collegians held the early 6-0 lead.

The Giants had to punt following their next series but regained possession on the All-Star 20 when Barnes fumbled. A running play lost a yard and two throws by Charlie Conerly were broken up, but the pro champs got on the board when Ben Agajanian, just short of his 38^th birthday, kicked a 33-yard field goal with a minute remaining in the opening period to narrow the score to 6-3.

Early in the second quarter, New York put together a drive that covered 88 yards in five plays. It featured Conerly passes to Webster for 33 yards and then to end Ken MacAfee, who took advantage of a good block by end Kyle Rote after hauling in the throw at the All-Star 25 and going the distance for a 38-yard touchdown. Agajanian’s conversion put the Giants ahead by 10-6.

Late in the period, Barnes created some excitement for the All-Stars by breaking away on a carry from his 35 that nearly went the distance before a diving DHB Ed Hughes tripped him up at the New York 37, a distance of 28 yards. Three plays later, Brodie suffered an injury but Hornung came in at quarterback and ran for a first down at the nine. New York’s defense held and the collegians settled for a 12-yard field goal by Paige Cothren of Mississippi. The Giants maintained a 10-9 edge at the half.

In the third quarter, the Giants put together a long drive of 77 yards in 10 plays, helped along by a questionable pass interference penalty on Michigan State DHB Clarence Peaks, who had nearly pulled the ball away from Frank Gifford. That moved New York to the All-Star 15, and two plays later Conerly threw once again to MacAfee, who was open in the end zone for a 10-yard TD. Agajanian booted the point after.

Later in the third quarter, and with Hornung still at quarterback, the All-Stars drove into New York territory but came up empty when Cothren missed on a 33-yard field goal try. However, early in the fourth quarter the collegians got a break when Sam Huff flagrantly interfered with Ron Kramer and Cothren this time came through for a 24-yard field goal that made it a five-point contest.

That would be it for the All-Stars as the Giants responded by advancing to a 45-yard Agajanian field goal. Then, with three minutes left to play, New York DHB Dick Nolan capped the scoring by foiling a double-reverse and tackling Illinois HB Abe Woodson in the end zone for a safety. The Giants came away winners by a final score of 22-12.

New York had the edge in total yards (281 to 220) while the All-Stars led in first downs (16 to 14)

Each team turned the ball over once.

Charlie Conerly completed 8 of 17 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns and Mel Triplett led New York’s ground game with 74 yards on 17 attempts. For the All-Stars, Paul Hornung, utilized on option plays, was successful on 5 of 7 throws for 39 yards and John Brodie was 8 of 20 for 94 yards. Billy Barnes rushed for 60 yards on 11 carries, scoring the lone All-Star TD.  

“They stopped us as well as anybody in the league stopped us,” said New York’s Coach Howell of the All-Star defense. “Their defensive line and linebackers were excellent.”

The win for the Giants marked the 15^th in the series for the pro champs, against seven for the All-Stars and two ties. New York followed up by going 7-5 during the season to place second in the Eastern Conference.

The game marked the finale for Curly Lambeau as coach of the All-Stars. As a former pro coach, his selection in 1955 had marked a departure from the practice of using college coaches for the contest. Lambeau had coached the Packers in the game three times, going 2-1, and his record with the All-Stars was 1-2.     

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.

Highlighted Year: John Brodie, 1958

Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers

Age:  23

2^nd season in pro football & with 49ers

College: Stanford

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

A consensus first-team All-American who led the nation in passing and total offense in 1956, Brodie was chosen by the 49ers in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft (third overall). He saw little action as a rookie backup to well-established QB Y.A. Tittle, but following a strong preseason in ‘58, Brodie was handed the starting job by Head Coach Frankie Albert.  

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 172 [12]
Most attempts, game - 36 vs. Chi. Bears 10/26

Completions – 103 [8]
Most completions, game - 25 vs. Chi. Bears 10/26

Yards – 1224 [12]
Most yards, game - 276 at Philadelphia 10/19

Completion percentage – 59.9 [1]

Yards per attempt – 7.1 [7]

TD passes – 6 [16]

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Philadelphia 10/19

Interceptions – 13 [5, tied with Lamar McHan & Babe Parilli]

Passer rating – 61.8 [11]
200-yard passing games - 3

Rushing

Attempts – 11

Yards – -12

Yards per attempt – -1.1

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

49ers went 6-6 to finish fourth in the NFL Western Conference.

Aftermath:

Brodie relinquished the starting quarterback job back to Y.A. Tittle during the second half of the 1958 season, and remained primarily a backup for the next two years until inheriting the full-time starting job in 1961 (playing out of Head Coach Red Hickey’s shotgun offense for several weeks). With all of the necessary tools but plagued by inconsistency, he was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1965 after leading the NFL in pass attempts (391), completions (242), completion percentage (61.9), yards (3112), and TD passes (30). Brodie also led the league in pass attempts (404), completions (234), completion percentage (57.9), and yards (3020) in ’68, but in between were years of mediocrity, both for him and the team. His finest season came in 1970 when he led the NFL in completions (223), yards (2941), TD passes (24), and overall passing (93.8 rating) and received MVP as well as consensus first-team All-league honors as the 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship game. Brodie had a lesser year in 1971, throwing more interceptions (24) than TD passes (18), but the 49ers again won the NFC West with a 9-5 record and advanced to the NFC title game, losing for a second time to Dallas. Brodie went down with a severely sprained ankle in ‘72 and gave way to Steve Spurrier, but rallied the team into the playoffs for the third straight year, although the 49ers once again fell to the Cowboys (this time in the Divisional round). He retired after the 1973 season, ranking third lifetime in the NFL in both pass attempts (4491) and completions (2469) while having thrown for 31,548 yards with 214 TDs and 224 interceptions. Brodie’s #12 was retired by the 49ers. He went on to participate for almost 15 years in the Senior PGA Golf Tour.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

[Updated 2/21/17]

1963: Vikings Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat 49ers

A third-year expansion team met up with a club hoping to bounce back from a disappointing season as the Minnesota Vikings took on the 49ers in San Francisco on September 15, 1963.

Minnesota went 5-22-1 in its first two seasons in the NFL, including 2-11-1 in 1962, and was looking to advance. Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin’s team was still very much an erratic work in progress, with a promising offense and problematic defense. QB Fran Tarkenton used his scrambling ability to good effect and HB Tommy Mason (pictured above) emerged as a star in his second year. It was hoped that FB Bill Brown, obtained from the Bears the previous year, would add inside power and blocking and that rookie split end Paul Flatley would improve the receiving corps. There was talent on defense, most notably DE Jim Marshall, LB Rip Hawkins, and CB Ed Sharockman, but the loss of the club’s first two draft choices, DT Jim Dunaway and LB Bobby Bell, to the rival AFL was a huge disappointment.

The 49ers had dropped to 6-8 the previous year, down from three straight seven-win seasons, and all under innovative Head Coach Red Hickey. Injuries had been a big part of the problem, and thus improvement was anticipated. However QB John Brodie, who was erratic but talented, had been injured in an offseason auto accident and appeared to be slow in recovering, while FB J.D. Smith, a capable runner, was weakened by illness. Still, flanker Bernie Casey led a good corps of receivers and CB Abe Woodson provided an additional weapon with his excellence on kickoff returns, in addition to being a solid defensive back.

The level of discontent with the team was reflected in the attendance of 30,781 fans at Kezar Stadium, the lowest for a San Francisco home-opener since 1950. Nevertheless, things started off in electrifying fashion for the home team when Abe Woodson (pictured at left) took the opening kickoff and returned it 103 yards for a touchdown. Tommy Davis added the extra point and the 49ers were up by 7-0 at just 17 seconds into the game.

The Vikings responded by driving 76 yards in 12 plays. Fran Tarkenton converted a third-and-eight situation with a completion to Paul Flatley for 32 yards to the San Francisco 20, and while an offensive pass interference penalty and loss of seven yards on a running play by HB Bill Butler moved the visitors back, Tarkenton fired long on a third-and-31 play to Tommy Mason, who caught the ball at the 15 and, shaking off a defender, ran the rest of the way for a 41-yard TD. Cox converted to tie the score.

The 49ers came right back with a scoring drive. FB Lloyd Winston had a 26-yard run and John Brodie scrambled for 12 yards to set up a 35-yard Davis field goal. The Niners were back in front by 10-7. Butler returned the ensuing short kickoff 26 yards to the Minnesota 40. Bill Brown picked up 25 yards on five running plays and Tarkenton threw to TE Jerry Reichow for five yards, but another pass intended for Reichow at the goal line was broken up by CB Kermit Alexander at the goal line. On the first play of the second quarter, Cox kicked a 37-yard field goal to again even the score.

The teams exchanged punts before the 49ers, starting from their 23, immediately picked up 38 yards on a run by Winston. Brodie threw a screen pass to J.D. Smith that gained 40 yards to the Minnesota five, and the six-play, 77-yard possession ended with Brodie rolling out and passing to Bernie Casey in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown. Davis added the point after and the Niners were back in front by 17-10.

The Vikings again had to punt and Brodie passed the 49ers to the Minnesota 49 with time running out in the first half, but Davis was short on a 54-yard field goal try and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Minnesota started off the third quarter with a promising drive highlighted by two plays by Bill Brown (pictured at right). First the fullback ran off tackle for a 21-yard gain and then he gained 14 yards on a screen pass. But after reaching the San Francisco 29, Tarkenton threw a pass that was intercepted by Woodson. The 49ers advanced into Minnesota territory on a series highlighted by a pass to TE Monty Stickles for 17 yards and Brodie rolling out to his right and carrying 24 yards to the Vikings’ 41. After reaching the 38, Brodie threw twice for the end zone with both passes falling incomplete and Davis kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the home team a ten-point lead of 20-10.

The Vikings responded with another promising drive featuring four completions by Tarkenton, but again they came up empty when Mason fumbled and Alexander recovered at the San Francisco 16. A short series by the Niners ended with a punt and, in a possession that extended into the fourth quarter, Minnesota advanced 67 yards in nine plays and did not fail to score. Tarkenton started off with consecutive completions to Mason, for 15 and 11 yards, and a throw to flanker Leon Clarke gained 13 yards. A second-down pass to Flatley was good for 10 yards and moved the Vikings inside the ten, and two carries by Brown picked up the remaining yardage, including the last four for a touchdown. Cox’s extra point made it a three-point game.

Once again the 49ers were held to a short series and punted and the Vikings responded by driving 71 yards in 13 plays. Brown continued to run effectively and Tarkenton completed a pass to Reichow for 19 yards and two to Flatley for seven and 16 yards. Mason ran for the last two yards and a TD and, with Cox adding the point after, the visitors were up by four points.

In the remaining four minutes, San Francisco had the ball twice more, but the home team couldn’t get out of its own territory. An interception by CB Ed Sharockman sealed Minnesota’s 24-20 win.

The Vikings easily led in total yards (418 to 246) and first downs (27 to 10). They topped San Francisco in both on the ground (156 to 126) and through the air (262 to 120). Minnesota also turned the ball over two times, to one by the 49ers.

Fran Tarkenton (pictured below) completed 20 of 29 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown, giving up one interception. Bill Brown rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries that included a TD and Tommy Mason contributed 68 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and also topped the Vikings with 6 catches for 94 yards and another score. Paul Flatley and Jerry Reichow each had five pass receptions apiece, for 72 and 61 yards, respectively.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on 11 of 23 throws for 125 yards and a TD as well as an interception, and also ran for 42 yards on four carries. Lloyd Winston gained 81 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Bernie Casey caught four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown, although J.D. Smith had the most receiving yards on his one reception for 40 yards. As a runner from scrimmage, he was held to minus one yard on five carries. Thanks to his touchdown return on the opening kickoff, Abe Woodson averaged 60.0 yards on his two returns and also intercepted a pass.

The Vikings lost to the Bears the next week, thrashed the 49ers in their rematch in Minnesota, but then lost four straight games on the way to a 5-8-1 record and tie for fourth with Detroit in the Western Conference. They continued to improve on offense, with Tommy Mason again going to the Pro Bowl and garnering consensus first-team All-NFL recognition as he rushed for 763 yards on 166 carries (4.6 avg.) and caught 40 passes for another 365 yards (9.1 avg.) and scored a team-leading total of nine touchdowns. Bill Brown ran for 445 yards while Paul Flatley received caught 51 passes for 867 yards (17.0 avg.) and was named Rookie of the Year by UPI and The Sporting News. Fran Tarkenton also continued his steady development, completing 57.2 percent of his passes for 2311 yards and 15 touchdowns, but was being pressed by rookie Ron VanderKelen by season’s end.

San Francisco sank all the way to the bottom of the conference at 2-12 and Coach Hickey was gone after three games. John Brodie was lost at that point as well with a broken arm, J.D. Smith failed to play up to his usual level, and key injuries weakened the defense, particularly the midseason loss of DT Charlie Krueger. Abe Woodson remained a bright spot as he led the NFL in kickoff returning for the second straight season (and third overall) with a 32.2-yard average that included three touchdowns. He was named to a fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.

1971: Renfro TDs Lift NFC to Big Win in Pro Bowl

The 21^st Pro Bowl on January 24, 1971 was played under a new format. The annual all-star game that came into being following the 1950 NFL season (an earlier version of the game, called the Pro All-Star Game, was played following the 1938 to ‘42 seasons) had featured a pairing of Eastern vs. Western players. With the merger between the AFL and NFL having come to full fruition for the 1970 season, expanding the league from 16 to 26 teams, the participants now represented the new American and National conferences.  Coaches for the two squads were from the losing teams in the conference championship games, which were John Madden of the Oakland Raiders for the AFC and San Francisco’s Dick Nolan for the NFC.

There was a disappointing crowd of 48,222 fans in attendance at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. They saw the defenses dominate the first half. Following a scoreless first quarter, the AFC got on the board first on a 37-yard field goal by Kansas City’s Jan Stenerud. The NFC responded with a 13-yard field goal by Fred Cox of the Vikings and the score remained tied at 3-3 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, with San Francisco’s John Brodie at quarterback, the NFC put together a six-play, 84-yard drive. Brodie completed a pass to WR Gene Washington of the Vikings for 31 yards and then connected with his 49er teammate, also a wide receiver named Gene Washington, for 24 yards. That set up a throw to Minnesota HB Dave Osborn, who was open for a 23-yard touchdown. Cox added the extra point.

The NFC got a break on defense when CB Mel Renfro of the Cowboys tipped a Lamonica pass that Green Bay LB Fred Carr intercepted, and that led to a 35-yard field goal by Cox to extend the NFC lead to 13-3. Later in the period, a fumble by Chicago WR Cecil Turner on a punt return gave the AFC favorable field position, and they nearly cashed in when Lamonica threw to Oakland WR Fred Biletnikoff, who caught the ball in the end zone but was ruled to have come down out of bounds.  They were forced to settle for a field goal by Stenerud from 16 yards.

Prior to Turner’s fumble, he and Renfro stood side by side on punt returns, but afterward Coach Nolan told Renfro to handle deep kicks and Turner to move forward. It paid off significantly when, a minute into the fourth quarter, Renfro (pictured at top) returned a punt by Kansas City’s Jerrel Wilson 82 yards for a TD. Forced to hurry his kick due to the rush, Wilson booted a line drive that bounced before Renfro grabbed it and headed down the field, cutting to his left and getting a good block by Chicago LB Dick Butkus on CB Zeke Moore of the Oilers. With Cox adding the extra point, the sensational return opened up a 20-6 lead for the NFC.

That was it until, with five minutes remaining, Renfro fielded another punt by Wilson and ran 56 yards for a touchdown. Again Cox converted and that provided the final tally in a 27-6 win for the NFC.

The NFC had more total yards (337 to 146) and first downs (17 to 11) in what was largely a defensive show. There were a total of seven turnovers, four by the AFC.

John Brodie completed 10 of 26 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown and Fran Tarkenton was 8 of 13 for 69 yards, giving up an interception. Dave Osborn (pictured at left) led in rushing with 45 yards on 10 carries and in receiving yards with 58 on four catches that included a TD. Gene Washington of the 49ers was right behind with 57 yards on two receptions while TE Charlie Sanders of Detroit pulled in five passes for 44 yards. Mel Renfro, with his two punt return touchdowns as well as good play on defense, was named the outstanding back of the game and Fred Carr the game’s outstanding lineman.

Daryle Lamonica, who was harassed heavily by the tough NFC defensive line, had an especially rough passing day, successful on just four of 21 throws for 50 yards, and he was picked off twice. Bob Griese was better with 9 completions in 14 passes for 86 yards, but he was also sacked five times for losses totaling 56 yards. Larry Csonka topped the AFC with 44 rushing yards on six attempts. Marlin Briscoe had three catches for 35 yards and Miami WR Paul Warfield was right behind with 32 yards on his two receptions.

“Actually, it was a pretty even game,” said Coach Nolan of the NFC. “Renfro’s great punt returns were obviously the key things, but I thought Brodie and Fran Tarkenton both called a good game.”

Following the NFC’s win in the first AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, the AFC won the next three. The AFC vs. NFC format for the game remained until the 2013 season, when it was altered again to have the selected players divided up by appointed team captains rather than play for their conferences.

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.

1970: Falcons Upset 49ers as Last Second FG Attempt Fails

The Atlanta Falcons had gotten off to a 1-1 start as they hosted the San Francisco 49ers on October 4, 1970. Under Head Coach Norm Van Brocklin, they were looking to improve upon a 6-8 record in ’69. QB Bob Berry (pictured above) was efficient, if limited, and there was an outstanding tight end in Jim Mitchell, but there was a lack of speed at wide receiver where able but aging veterans Paul Flatley and Gail Cogdill were available. The defense was tough and included DE Claude Humphrey, linebackers Tommy Nobis and Don Hansen, and CB Ken Reaves.

San Francisco, coached by Dick Nolan, was 2-0 and good on both sides of the ball. 35-year-old QB John Brodie was a fine passer and had WR Gene Washington leading the receiving corps while steady FB Ken Willard was the best runner. The defense was talented and included such stalwarts as DT Charlie Krueger, DE Tommy Hart, LB Dave Wilcox, and CB Jimmy Johnson.

There were 58,850 fans in attendance at Atlanta Stadium on a sunny afternoon. The Falcons had first possession and drove to midfield with FB Art Malone and HB Jim “Cannonball” Butler running effectively, but ultimately they had to punt. San Francisco had to punt as well following its first series, got the ball back quickly when Butler fumbled, but went three-and-out and punted again. John Brodie was off to a slow start, missing on his first six passes.

Butler took off for a 33-yard gain to advance the ball into San Francisco territory at the 42 and Bob Berry threw to WR Gail Cogdill for 10 yards, but the drive stalled and Ken Vinyard’s 42-yard field goal attempt fell short.

The teams traded punts but, as the scoreless game moved into the second quarter, the 49ers were on the move. From deep in their own territory, Brodie threw to WR Preston Riley on a third-and-six play and it was good for a 68-yard gain to the Atlanta 21. Brodie connected with Riley again for 12 yards and Ken Willard ran the ball three straight times, the last for a three-yard touchdown. Bruce Gossett kicked the extra point to stake the visitors to a 7-0 lead.

The Falcons moved well in response, with Malone and Butler carrying and Berry tossing a pass to Cogdill for a 16-yard gain on a third-and-six play. But after reaching the San Francisco 42, Vinyard again missed on a field goal attempt, this time from 50 yards.

The teams exchanged punts until Atlanta, taking possession with 1:40 left in the half, put together a scoring drive. Berry had three completions to WR Paul Flatley that covered 16, 15, and 11 yards and a 12-yard throw to Jim Mitchell (pictured at left). He then tossed a three-yard scoring pass to Butler and, with Vinyard adding the PAT, the score was tied at 7-7 at halftime.

San Francisco had the first possession in the third quarter and put together an 11-play, 62-yard drive. Brodie connected with Gene Washington twice for 12 and 14 yards and to TE Bob Windsor for a 16-yard gain in a third-and-seven situation and again for a one-yard touchdown. Gossett converted and the 49ers were back on top by 14-7.

The Falcons moved well in response, with Berry completing a pass to Flatley for 30 yards to reach midfield, but Butler fumbled at the San Francisco 42 and Tommy Hart recovered for the Niners. The turnover resulted in another scoring series, with Willard running effectively and Brodie hitting on consecutive passes to HB Doug Cunningham of nine and seven yards. The drive finally stalled at the Atlanta 19 and Gossett kicked a 27-yard field goal that put the visitors ahead by ten.

In a possession highlighted by a 29-yard carry by Butler, the Falcons reached the San Francisco 34 before a holding penalty and a sack moved them all the way back to their 34. They punted on the first play of the fourth quarter, and CB Bruce Taylor returned the kick 40 yards to the San Francisco 45, but two plays later Willard fumbled and DE John Zook recovered for the Falcons at his 46. Berry immediately went to Mitchell for 29 yards and, with a penalty tacked on, Atlanta was all the way to the Niners’ 12. Two plays later, Berry passed to Mitchell again, this time for a nine-yard TD, and with Vinyard’s extra point the visitors’ lead was narrowed to 17-14.

The ensuing kickoff produced another good return for the 49ers as HB Bill Tucker ran it back 43 yards. Three runs by Cunningham gained a total of 17 yards to the Atlanta 40 and, after a third down pass to Tucker came up a yard short, Gossett kicked another field goal, this time of 43 yards. The 49ers were ahead by six with less than ten minutes to play.

The Falcons had to punt following their next series, and San Francisco got a break on its next possession when Steve Spurrier, back to punt, was roughed. However, two plays later Cunningham, hit hard by linebackers Tommy Nobis and Don Hansen, turned the ball over on a fumble and, thanks to FS Tom McCauley’s 45-yard return, Atlanta had possession at the San Francisco 13. Two carries by HB Sonny Campbell and an incomplete pass set up a fourth-and-four situation at the seven, but Berry threw to Cogdill in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Vinyard added the all-important extra point and the Falcons were ahead by one.

The 49ers regained possession at their 27 with the clock at 3:46. Cunningham ran up the middle for eight yards followed by Willard carrying for 14. Three plays later they faced third-and-six and Willard ran for seven yards. Two more Brodie completions mixed with three more carries by Willard had the ball down to the Atlanta 12 with six seconds in the game, but the normally reliable Gossett was wide by a few inches on a 19-yard field goal attempt. Atlanta came away with a 21-20 upset victory.

The statistics reflected the closeness of the score. The Falcons had the edge in total yards (356 to 326) while both teams accumulated 18 first downs apiece. The also each turned the ball over two times, although San Francisco’s were more untimely.

Jim Butler (pictured at right) set two club records, rushing for 127 yards on 17 carries but also fumbling four times. Bob Berry completed 17 of 32 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Paul Flatley caught 6 passes for 99 yards and Jim Mitchell also had 6 receptions, for 77 yards and a TD. Gail Cogdill contributed three catches for 33 yards and a score.

For the 49ers, John Brodie, who was on his way to a consensus MVP year, was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 182 yards and a TD while giving up no interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 90 yards on 25 carries that included a touchdown and Doug Cunningham added 69 yards on 14 attempts as well as four catches for 29 more yards. Preston Riley and Gene Washington had four receptions apiece, for 90 and 37 yards, respectively.

“I don’t care how we do it as long as we win,” said Bob Berry, “and the people are getting their money’s worth, I guess. I didn’t see anybody leaving.”

The Falcons failed to win often, losing their next two contests and finishing in third place in the NFC West with a 4-8-2 record. San Francisco recovered to go 5-0-1 over the next six games on the way to a division-topping 10-3-1 tally. In the first year of the merged and realigned NFL, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship game before succumbing to the Dallas Cowboys.

Bob Berry completed a healthy 58.0 percent of his passes, 16 of them for touchdowns. Jim Butler rushed for 636 yards and fumbled a total of 10 times. Jim Mitchell led the team with 44 catches for 650 yards (14.8 avg.) and six touchdowns while Paul Flatley had 39 receptions for 544 yards (13.9 avg.) and the one TD. Gail Cogdill, injury-plagued as his career that was played mostly in Detroit reached its final season, managed just seven catches for 101 yards in six games of action, with the touchdown against the 49ers his last.

1958: Brodie Rallies 49ers Past Steelers

On September 28, 1958 the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first week of the NFL season. The 49ers, coached by former star quarterback Frankie Albert, had come close to winning the Western Conference in ’57, going 8-4 and losing a tiebreaking playoff to Detroit in a dramatic second half comeback. QB Y.A. Tittle had received some MVP recognition, but was competing with second-year QB John Brodie (pictured above), who had a good preseason and was the opening-game starter. FB Joe Perry, who entered the opening game 60 yards behind Steve Van Buren’s NFL career rushing record, and HB Hugh McElhenny, a top open-field runner, were stalwarts in the backfield and the receiving corps was a good one.

The Steelers were coming off of a 6-6 finish in their first season under Head Coach Buddy Parker, who had led the Lions to two championships but abruptly resigned and joined up with Pittsburgh during the ’57 preseason. Third-year QB Earl Morrall, originally drafted by the 49ers, started at quarterback for Pittsburgh. The Steelers had newcomers in end Jimmy Orr and HB Dick Christy, and the offense was thus still coming together as the season began.

There were 32,150 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium. The Steelers had first possession and punted, and the 49ers drove 59 yards in just four plays. John Brodie passed down the middle to Hugh McElhenny for 45 yards. A pass to end Gordie Soltau was good for seven more. McElhenny ran to the one and then, attempting to run to the right, he reversed field and barely reached the corner of the end zone, diving for a touchdown. Soltau kicked the extra point.

The teams traded punts before San Francisco appeared to be driving to another score later in the period, reaching the Pittsburgh 17, but DHB Dick Alban intercepted a Brodie pass. FB Tank Younger promptly broke away for a 29-yard gain, but as the series extended into the second quarter, the Steelers were ultimately forced to punt after Morrall was sacked by DT Leo Nomellini for a 15-yard loss.

Following another punt by the Niners, the Steelers threatened to score as they advanced to the San Francisco 20, the biggest play being a Morrall completion to Christy for 26 yards. However, he was then picked off by safety Bill Stits.

The 49ers went three-and-out and, following the punt, Pittsburgh came back on the next series to travel 49 yards in seven plays and this time didn’t come up empty. Morrall completed three passes and, under pressure, fired a desperation throw to end Ray Matthews in the right corner of the end zone for a TD. Tom Miner successfully converted to tie the score at 7-7.

As time ran down in the first half, the 49ers reached the Pittsburgh 41 before Brodie was sacked by LB Bob Dougherty for a loss of 16 yards and, after two passes were incomplete, they had to punt. Younger, heading toward left end and about to be tackled, lateraled back to Morrall and the quarterback ran 40 yards on the last play of the half.

The veteran Y.A. Tittle came in at quarterback for San Francisco in the third quarter, but the 49ers had to punt following their first possession of the second half. The Steelers moved quickly down the field as a Morrall pass to end Jack McClairen picked up 33 yards and set up a Miner field goal of 22 yards to give the visitors a 10-7 lead.

DHB Jack Butler then intercepted a Tittle pass on the next series, and with the help of a lateral to safety Gary Glick on the return, the Steelers were at the San Francisco 10. Four plays later, Younger plowed over for a one-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT, the Steelers were up by 17-7. A poorly-thrown pass by Tittle again was intercepted by Butler, who returned it 19 yards. The result of the turnover was another Miner field goal, this time from 33 yards.

Down by 13, Coach Albert sent Brodie back into the game. The 49ers responded by driving 73 yards in eight plays, two of them outstanding catches by flanker R.C. Owens (pictured at left) for 17 and 11 yards. Brodie connected with end Clyde Conner for 21 yards and HB Jim Pace then ran for an 11-yard touchdown. Alban blocked Soltau’s extra point attempt, but the home team had narrowed the Pittsburgh lead to 20-13.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the teams exchanged punts. An interception of a Morrall pass by Stits, his second of the game, led to an eight-play scoring drive by the 49ers. Brodie had two more completions to Owens and end Fred Dugan caught a pass for 22 yards to the Pittsburgh three. Brodie capped the drive by sneaking over for a TD from a yard out. Soltau converted this time to tie the score.

On the first play following the kickoff, Morrall went long from his 20 and the pass was again intercepted by Stits, this time at the Pittsburgh 48. Brodie threw three passes to Owens for 12, 8, and 14 yards. The drive stalled at the 15, and with 2:31 left in the contest, Soltau kicked a 22-yard field goal to put the 49ers on top. The Steelers mounted a furious drive in the last two minutes, but time ran out on the visitors at the San Francisco 17 and the 49ers prevailed by a final score of 23-20.

San Francisco had the clear lead in total yards (322 to 217) and first downs (18 to 10). The Steelers turned the ball over four times, with decisive effects in the second half, to three suffered by the 49ers.

John Brodie completed 19 of 28 passes for 244 yards, 11 of 16 coming after he returned in the second half, and had no touchdowns but one interception. Y.A. Tittle was one-of-five for six yards and had two picked off. R.C. Owens had a big game with 9 catches for 103 yards. However, Joe Perry came up short in his quest to pass Steve Van Buren, rushing for 42 yards on 15 carries (he moved past Van Buren the following week). Hugh McElhenny contributed 35 yards on eight attempts. On defense, Bill Stits intercepted three passes – his only interceptions of the season.

For the Steelers, Earl Morrall was successful on 9 of 24 throws for 117 yards and a TD but gave up three interceptions. He also ran the ball twice for 43 yards. Tank Younger (pictured at right) gained 60 yards on 11 carries while Dick Christy led the Steelers with four catches for 53 yards.

The come-from-behind win for the 49ers was followed by two losses in which they scored a total of nine points, and they went on to a disappointing 6-6 record that placed them fourth in the Western Conference. Pittsburgh was beaten by the Browns in the second week but, at that point, Coach Parker swung a trade that included Earl Morrall going to Detroit for star QB Bobby Layne. The Steelers surged through the second half of the season and ended up third in the Eastern Conference at 7-4-1, which was the franchise’s best record since 1947.

John Brodie continued to split the quarterback duties with Y.A. Tittle, although Tittle ultimately regained the starting job. Brodie still threw 172 passes and led the league with a 59.9 completion percentage, accumulating 1224 yards and six touchdowns, but also 13 interceptions. His best years were still well ahead of him. R. C. Owens caught 40 passes for 620 yards (15.5 avg.) and a TD.

Tank Younger, who starred with the Rams for nine years before coming to the Steelers, ended up rushing for 344 yards in what was his last NFL season. Dick Christy, who was supplanted at halfback by ex-Detroit Lion Tom Tracy, primarily returned kicks during the rest of the season and would have his most productive years with the New York Titans in the AFL.

1964: Walker Kicks 4 Field Goals as Lions Defeat 49ers

Two NFL teams coming off of disappointing seasons met in San Francisco on September 13, 1964 to open another year amid expectations for improvement. The Detroit Lions, a perennially tough defensive team, suffered through an injury-plagued ’63 campaign in which they went 5-8-1, their first losing record after three consecutive second place finishes in the NFL Western Conference. Coached by George Wilson, they were anticipating the return of DE Darris McCord and DB Gary Lowe, who all underwent offseason surgery, plus DT Alex Karras, who was reinstated by the league following a gambling suspension. QB Milt Plum had regained the starting job in the preseason that he lost to Earl Morrall the previous year and there were outstanding receivers in flanker Terry Barr and split end Gail Cogdill.  

The 49ers were a dismal 2-12 in 1963, putting them in last place for the first time in franchise history. Red Hickey was replaced by Jack Christiansen as head coach during the season, and Christiansen was starting off his first full year at the helm. He had QB John Brodie back and recovered from a broken arm that had sidelined him for most of ‘63. The offense had suffered to the point that CB Abe Woodson, the NFL’s top kickoff returner, was looked upon as the most effective ground-gaining weapon. Injuries had also hampered the defense, and improvement was anticipated on that side of the ball as well.  

It was a cool, overcast day at Kezar Stadium with 33,204 in attendance. The 49ers went three-and-out on the game’s opening series and punted. Detroit put together a 10-play, 58-yard possession, with the biggest gain on a pass from Milt Plum to Gail Cogdill for 34 yards to the San Francisco 34 in a third-and-14 situation. Plum connected with Cogdill twice more for 16 yards and the series finally ended with Wayne Walker (pictured above) kicking a 23-yard field goal.

The home team responded by going 80 yards in six plays. On second-and-19 from their own 37, the 49ers made a big play when John Brodie threw to flanker Bernie Casey, who made an outstanding catch at the Detroit 30 and went the distance for a 63-yard touchdown. Tommy Davis added his NFL-record 157^th consecutive extra point and the Niners were ahead by 7-3.

The teams traded punts to finish out the first quarter. Starting off the second quarter, Plum threw to Terry Barr for a gain of 47 yards to the San Francisco 11, but after a short run by HB Tom Watkins, two passes fell incomplete and Walker came in to kick another field goal, this time from 16 yards.

A short series by the 49ers was followed by another scoring drive by the Lions, this time covering 47 yards in eight plays. Plum had a nine-yard pass to Cogdill and FB Nick Pietrosante and HB Dan Lewis ran effectively, with Pietrosante diving into the end zone from three yards out for a TD. Walker added the PAT and the visitors were ahead by 13-7.

Detroit had good starting field position at the San Francisco 43 following a punt but Plum threw an interception. However, after another punt by the Niners that had the Lions starting at their 15, the visitors drove to another score. Plum had another big completion to Cogdill (pictured below) on a third down play, this time for 43 yards to the San Francisco 38, and three carries by Lewis gave the Lions another first down. The drive stalled at the 23 and Walker booted his third field goal of the game, this time from 31 yards with less than a minute remaining in the half. The 49ers made a bid for points in the final seconds as Brodie threw to TE Monte Stickles for 19 yards and then to Casey for 24, but Davis missed a 39-yard field goal attempt. The Lions carried a 16-7 lead into halftime.

Detroit started off the third quarter with a 74-yard, 11-play series. Watkins ran for 15 yards on a reverse, Plum connected with Barr for 39 yards, and Pietrosante capped the drive by plunging for the last yard and a TD. Walker again added the extra point to make the score 23-7.

Now behind by 16 points, the 49ers got a boost when DB Kermit Alexander returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to give them good starting field position at the Detroit 40. The Niners picked up just six yards, but Davis kicked a 41-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 23-10.

The Lions had to punt on their next series and Yale Lary’s short kick had the 49ers taking over at the Detroit 38. FB J.D. Smith ran for 16 yards and, three plays later, Brodie threw to Stickles for 10 yards in a third-and-eight situation. Casey caught a Brodie pass for a seven-yard touchdown and, with Davis converting, it was suddenly just a six-point game.

The Lions again had to kick the ball away following a short possession and the 49ers were driving as the game moved into the fourth quarter. However, they came up empty when Davis missed a 38-yard field goal try.

Plum threw to Barr for 23 yards but, following a run by Lewis that lost yardage and a 15-yard penalty that moved the visitors back, Detroit again had to punt, although a clip nullified a good return by Alexander. Mired deep in their own territory, the 49ers turned the ball over when Brodie fumbled and DE Darris McCord recovered at the five yard line. A penalty moved the Lions back and they again had to settle for a field goal, but Walker was successful once more, hitting from 26 yards out. Detroit was up by nine points.

That was it for the scoring. Alexander had a 38-yard kickoff return, but the 49ers went three-and-out and had to punt and the Lions managed to control the ball until the closing seconds. They came away the winners by a score of 26-17.

Detroit led in total yards (372 to 219) and first downs (17 to 13). The Lions also recorded two sacks, to none by San Francisco, although they also were penalized 10 times, at a cost of 80 yards, to four flags thrown on the 49ers. Each team turned the ball over once.

Milt Plum completed 15 of 34 passes for 234 yards and no touchdowns while giving up one interception. Two Lions had over a hundred receiving yards, with Gail Cogdill catching 6 passes for 116 yards and Terry Barr adding 108 yards on his three receptions. Dan Lewis ran for 83 yards on 17 carries and while Nick Pietrosante picked up just 36 yards on 12 attempts, two were good for short TDs. Wayne Walker was the scoring star with 14 points on his four field goals in as many attempts (which set a club record) and two extra points.

For the 49ers, John Brodie was successful on 15 of his 33 throws for 177 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. Bernie Casey (pictured at right) had 6 catches for 119 yards and two scores. J.D. Smith ran for 42 yards on 11 carries. Kermit Alexander had 107 yards on kick returns (82 on two kickoffs and 25 on two punts), overshadowing Abe Woodson, at least for one week.

Detroit got off to a 4-1-1 start before injuries set in and the team finished up at 7-5-2 and in at fourth place in the Western Conference. It was improvement, but not enough to save Coach Wilson’s job. The 49ers won the next week at Philadelphia but went on to another losing year and a final record of 4-10, which resulted in a second straight last place finish in the conference. While the passing game was better, injuries decimated the ground attack.

Wayne Walker, an outstanding linebacker as well as placekicker, ended up booting a career-high 14 field goals out of 25 attempts and, adding 32 extra points, achieved another career best with 74 points. Terry Barr and Gail Cogdill remained productive, with Barr catching 57 passes for 1070 yards (18.1 avg.) and nine touchdowns and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year, and Cogdill accumulating 45 receptions for 665 yards (14.8 avg.) and two TDs before a shoulder injury sidelined him late in the year.

Bernie Casey continued to be a key performer for the 49ers, catching 58 passes for 808 yards (13.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. Kermit Alexander had a fine year returning kicks, averaging 24.2 yards on 20 kickoff returns (Abe Woodson had a 27.5 average on 32 returns) and 9.0 yards on 21 punt returns that included a TD.