11. 1990 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at 6. 1954 DETROIT LIONS
6. 1954 DETROIT LIONS
Record: 9-2-1
Pythag: 10-2
Off: 1st
Def: 3rd
1st NFL West
Lost NFL Title Browns 56-10
HC: Buddy Parker, DC Buster Ramsey
Briggs Stadium: 40 degrees
Offense
QB Bobby Layne (28 Texas)
FB Bill Bowman (23-R WM&Mary)
RB Doak Walker (27 SMU) All Pro
RB Bob Hoernschemeyer (29 Navy)
WR Dorne Dibble (25 Mich St)
WR Leon Hart (26 Navy)
LT Lou Creekmur (27 WM&Mary) All Pro
LG Harley Sewell (23 Texas)
C Andy Miketa (25-R UNC)
RG Dick Stanfel (27 USF) All Pro
RT Charlie Ane (23 USC)
Defense
LDE Sonny Gandee (25 Ohio St)
LDT Gerry Perry (24-R Cal)
MG Les Bingaman (28 Illinois) All Pro
RDT Bob Miller (25 UVA)
RDE Jim Cain (27 Alabama)
LLB Joe Schmidt (22 Pitt) All Pro
RLB LaVern Torgeson (25 Wash St)
LDH Jim David (27 Col St)
RDH Bill Stits (23-R UCLA)
LS Jack Christiansen (26 Col St) All Pro
RS Carl Karillvacz (24 Syracuse)
K Doak Walker (27 SMU)
P Jug Girard (27 Wisc)
KR Jug Girard (27 Wisc)
PR Jack Christiansen (26 Col St)
This is our third 1950s team so far; the first two lost and in not particularly close fashion; this is the first time, however, we've seen a 50s team be the better seed. Best offense, 3rd best defense in '54. They lost the title game to the Browns, but that's hardly a black mark (the score, on the other hand..). Bobby Layne is 28, 16 total scores and 12 picks starting in 8 games. Three 27 year olds are All Pros on offense, Doak Walker, Lou Creekmur, Dick Stanfel. 3 more on defense led by the 22 year old rookie LB Joe Schmidt along with 28 year old Les Bingaman and 26 year old Jack Christiansen.
11. 1990 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 8th
Def: 2nd
1st NFC West
d. Skins Div Rnd 28-10
Lost NFC Title Giants 15-13
HC: George Seifert, OC: Mike Holmgren, DC Bill McPherson
Offense
QB Joe Montana (34 N Dame) All Pro
RB Roger Craig (30 Nebraska)
RB Tom Rathman (28 Nebraska)
WR Jerry Rice (28 Miss Vall St) All Pro
WR John Taylor (28 Del St)
TE Brent Jones (27 S Clara)
LT Bubba Paris (30 Michigan)
LG Guy McIntyre (29 UGA)
C Jesse Sapolo (29 Hawaii)
RG Harris Barton (26 UNC)
RT Steve Wallace (26 Auburn)
Defense
LDE Pierce Holt (28 Angelo St)
NT Michael Carter (30 SMU)
RDE Kevin Fagan (27 Miami)
LOLB Charles Haley (26 J Madison) All Pro
LILB Matt Millen (32 Penn St)
RILB Keith DeLong (23 Tenn)
ROLB Bill Romanowski (24 B College)
LCB Darryl Pollard (26 Weber St)
RCB Don Griffin (26 Mid Tenn St)
SS Chet Brooks (24 A&M)
FS Ronnie Lott (31 USC) All Pro
K Mike Cofer (26 NC St)
P Barry Helton (25 Col)
KR Dexter Carter (23 Florida St)
PR John Taylor (28 Dware)
All the makings of the 11/6 upset here - if the Lions are maybe an overseed as a team from the 50s that didn't win the title - the Niners might be an underseed, they were 14-2, lost in the NFC Title game by 2 points in attempt to win their 3rd consecutive SB. Bunch of those Packers coaches we saw from 6 years later at the top of the region were on this staff. The defense leads the way, 2nd in the NFL with 31 year old All Pro Ronnie Lott and 26 year old All Pro Charles Haley with his 16 sacks. The offense is just okay and maybe that Lions squad can shut them down; 34 year old Joe Montana is an All Pro, 27 combined scores and 16 picks. Jerry Rice, of course, is also an All Pro, 28 years old, 100 catches and 13 scores.
'90 Niners head to Detroit to take on the '54 Lions, winner will go to Dallas to face the '78 Cowboys in Rnd 2.
Let's head to Briggs Stadium for the kick.
1st Qtr
Niners start at the 25.
The Niners pick up a first down on a 22 yard Tom Rathman run, but that's all and punt from around midfield.
Lions at the 28.
1/10 - Bobby Layne finds Leon Hart for 11, one play, first down.
1/10 - Charles Haley is in the backfield with a sack.
2/13 - Bill Bowman busts out a 10 yd gain.
3/3 - Another first down, 5 yards from Layne to Jug Girard. Lions across midfield.
That's it - Kevin Fagan sack the big play - Lions punt, Niners at the 9.
3 and out. Lions at the Niners 35 after the good Christiansen return
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Layne to Jim Doran - 10 yards and the first.
That's it though - nothing the next 3 downs, Doak Walker kicks for this Detroit team - 42 yards and it's 3-0 Detroit.
Niners at the 27. 2 minutes left in the qtr.
1/10 - Roger Craig for 6.
2/4 - Joe Montana finds John Taylor for 10 and the first.
1/10 - Montana to Craig for 4.
2/6 - Les Bingaman crashes through the line for a sack and the Niners will have 3rd and long when we move to the second qtr.
2nd Qtr
Defense so far, neither team with a sustained drive - Niners down 3, with third and a dozen and their own 41.
Incomplete. Punt. Lions at their own 31.
3 and out. Punt. Niners at their own 29.
3 and out. Punt. Lions at their own 41.
1/10 - Doak Walker for 19 - down to the Niner 40.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Layne scrambles for 5.
3/5 - Layne finds Dorne Dibble for 16 - first down at the Niner 19 yard line.
And that's it - another Walker kick makes it 6-0. Niners will start at the 23, 7:45 left.
3 and out including a Joe Schmidt sack - the '54 Lions defense has shown up in the first half.
Lions start at their own 44. 3 and out. Niners at their own 18, 1:46 left.
On the second play, Montana is Intercepted by Jack Christiansen - he takes it all the way to the Niner one yard line and on the next play Bobby Layne rolls out and hits Jug Girard TOUCHDOWN LIONS - Jack Christansen with the huge pick - nearly taking it to the house - Layne converting the next play and now - now it's Lions 13 Niners 0 - big Kick return from Dexter Carter gets the ball to the Niner 45, 1:10 left in the half.
1/10 - Montana to Brent Jones for 10 into Detroit territory.
1/10 - Montana over the middle to Craig - and Craig's got open field - Craig's running to the goal -- Craig is -- Stripped by Christiansen near the goal line! Roger Craig seemingly running to the Lion end zone - but he's caught from behind by Christiansen who punches the ball out -- the Lions have recovered at their own 2 yard line!
Detroit makes it to midfield before the half ends, 16 yard run to Bowman and a 23 yard pass to Walker are the big plays - but it doesn't go beyond that - we head to the locker room, 13-0
Third Qtr
Lions were up 6-0 middle second quarter- then two huge plays by Jack Christiansen, a pick that he nearly took back for a score, the Lions cashing in a play later and then stripping Roger Craig as he seemingly was headed for a Niners score - it's 13-0 Detroit, 1950s standing up in this one.
Detroit at their own 26.
1/10 - 2 for Bowman
2/8 - Layne goes for 1
3/7 - Layne finds Leon Hart for 11 and the first down.
1/10 - Hoernschemeyer for 2.
2/8 - Layne to Girard for 7 and now its 3rd and short.
3/1 - Layne to Dibble for 5 - The Lions are across midfield, nearly 5 minutes gone now in the third.
1/10 - Hoernschemeyer loses 2.
2/12 - Carpenter loses 1.
3/13 - 22 yard pass from Layne to Dibble - the Lions all the way down to the Niner 28 yard line, this could be the back breaking drive.
1/10 - Hoernschemeyer catches out of the backfield - is blown up by Matt Millen, Fumble - and the Niners take possession at their own 28 - big play by the Niner defense and it keeps them in the game, 8:40 left in the qtr.
3 and out. Lions get the ball back at the 28. They have totally clamped down on the San Francisco offense today, any concern that the 1950s would not be able to compete seems unfounded - it is a wide open tournament, much like baseball.
The Lions pick up a first down on a Layne 9 yarder to Hart, but they punt just inside Niner territory. Niners start at their own 8 -
3 and out. Niners can't do anything at all on offense today.
Nice Christiansen return, he does it all today - Lions will start at the Niner 26 yard line.
9 yard Doak Walker run.
Carpenter goes for 3 and the first down as the qtr ends.
4th Qtr
How will a team from the 50s stop Montana and Rice? Just like this and now Detroit's got a first down at the San Francisco 14, up 13-0.
On third and 9 - they go in - Layne finding Dorne Dibble TOUCHDOWN LIONS it's 20-0 and this one is done.
Really impressive here from the '54 Lions, they kick the Niners around and are rolling to rnd 2.
Niners at the 37.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Craig stopped at the line
3/10 - Craig on the draw, 13 yards for the first down.
1/10 - Montana to Rathman for 4.
2/6 - Montana to Taylor, 16 yards - a first down at the Detroit 30 yard line.
1/10 - Craig for 2.
2/8 - Montana to Taylor again, a dozen yards and the Niners are at the 19.
1/10 - Craig is stopped at the line.
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Another pass to Taylor - 15 yards - and San Francisco has a first and goal
1/10 - Montana quick drop, fires over the middle - Mike Sherrard - TOUCHDOWN NINERS - 12 plays, 68 yards, 4:36 - it's 20-7, Detroit ball at the 22, 9:18.
They'll pick up a first down, Layne to Dibble for 8 the biggest gainer - more importantly, Detroit takes nearly 4 minutes off the clock before punting it back to San Francisco - Niners at the 25, 5:36 left.
4 and out. Detroit takes the ball back on downs - that was probably the last gasp chance to come back - Lions at the Niner 31, they take a couple minutes off the clock and kick the FG, 23-7, Niners getting the ball back at the 26, just after the 2 minute warning.
They'll get a good drive here in garbage time - 20 yards to Jones, 16 to Rice, 15 to Craig - but at the Lions 28, another failed 4th down - Detroit picks up its 3rd sack, LaVern Torgeson making the play.
Layne in victory formation - and that's the final.
Final Lions 23 49ers 7
Detroit holds the 1990 Niners to just 11 first downs and they roll into round 2 where they will head to Dallas to meet the '78 Cowboys.
Layne: 15 for 26, 148 yds, 2 TD
Montana: 17 for 35, 182 yds, 1 TD/1 Int
Bowman: 14 carries, 55 yds
Craig: 14 carries, 33 yds, 3 catches 57 yds
Dibble: 5 catches, 57 yds, 1 TD
Player of the Game: Jack Christiansen
