16. 1981 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at 16. 1983 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
16. 1983 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 10-6
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 4th
Def: 4th
1st NFC West
d. Lions Div Rnd 24-23
Lost NFC Title Redskins 24-21
HC Bill Walsh DC George Seifert
Don Klein/Don Heinrich
Candlestick Park: 60 degrees
Offense
QB Joe Montana (27)
RB Wendell Tyler (28)
FB Roger Craig (23-R)
WR Dwight Clark (26)
WR Freddie Solomon (30)
TE Russ Francis (30)
LT Bubba Paris (23-R)
LG John Ayers (30)
C Fred Quillan (27)
RG Randy Cross (29)
RT Keith Fahnhorst (31)
Defense
LDE Lawrence Pillars (31)
NT Pete Kugler (24)
RDE Dwaine Board (27)
LOLB Willie Harper (33)
LILB Riki Ellison (23-R)
RILB Hacksaw Reynolds (36)
ROLB Keena Turner (25)
LCB Ronnie Lott (24)
RCB Eric Wright (24)
SS Carlton Williamson (25)
FS Dwight Hicks (27)
K Ray Wersching (33)
P Tom Orosz (24)
KR/PR Dana McLemore (23)
Play In Game for Region 6 - winner will be the 16th seed and head to Baltimore to play the 6th overall seed in the tournament, the 1968 Baltimore Colts. The '81 Niners lost in round 1 in Region 5, jump forward 2 years and there's this team, 4th in both offense and defense. Montana's 27, 28 total scores and a dozen picks. A dozen scores for the rookie, Roger Craig. Big year for 27 year old Dwaine Board, 13 sacks. The 24 year old corners, Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright, combined for 11 picks.
16. 1981 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Record: 10-6
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 5th
Def: 1st
2nd NFC East
Lost WC Giants 27-21
HC Dick Vermeil DC Marion Campbell
Offense
QB Ron Jaworski (30)
RB Wilbert Montgomery (27)
FB Hubie Oliver (24-R)
WR Harold Carmichael (32)
WR Charlie Smith (31)
TE Keith Krepfle (29)
LT Stan Walters (33)
LG Steve Kenney (26)
C Guy Morriss (30)
RG Ron Baker (27)
RT Jerry Sisemore (30)
Defense
LDE Dennis Harrison (25)
NT Charlie Johnson (29) All Pro
RDE Carl Hairston (29)
LOLB John Bunting (31)
LILB Al Chesley (24)
RILB Frank LeMaster (29)
ROLB Jerry Robinson (25)
LCB Roynell Young (24)
RCB Herm Edwards (27)
SS Randy Logan (30)
FS Brenard Wilson (26)
K Tony Franklin (25)
P Max Runager (25)
KR/PR Wally Henry (27)
Dick Vermeil brings his Eagles to Candlestick to face his good friend Bill Walsh; the Eagles are sneaky, with the best defense in 1981 and the #5 offense, that's a lot of firepower to be relegated to the Play in Game. The only first Team All Pro in the game is 29 year old Charlie Johnson, he's one of 4 Pro Bowlers from that Eagle defense. Jaws is 30, 23 scores and 20 picks, big year for 27 year old Wilbert Montgomery, who had nearly 2000 total yards from scrimmage. 32 year old Harold Carmichael had over a thousand yards receiving.
Winners head to Baltimore to face the '68 Colts - lets go the Stick for the kick.
1st Qtr
Niners start at the 25.
1/10 - Roger Craig starts off, 2 yards.
2/8 - Craig again for 1.
3/7 - Joe Montana's first pass is to Wendell Tyler out of the backfield, 14 yards.
1/10 - Montana to Dwight Clark - a dozen yards and the Niners cross midfield.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Montana goes downfield - 34 yards to Russ Francis - and the Niners are at the Eagle 12.
1/10 - Tyler gets 2.
2/8 - Montana throwing to the end zone -- Intercepted by Frank LeMaster - LeMaster steps in front of Francis to pick the ball off at the Eagle goal line! Big play by the Eagle defense to stop the Niner drive.
Eagles will start at their own 1 yard line.
1/10 - 6 yard run for Wilbert Montgomery and an extra 5 yards on a face mask call.
1/10 - Hubie Oliver goes for 5.
2/5 - Incomplete
3/5 - Montgomery may have had the best season for any player on either offense, he gets a dozen more and its a first down.
1/10 - Oliver for 2.
2/8 - Jaws in trouble, scrambles, able to get 4.
3/4 - Jaws finds Rodney Parker for 19 - Eagles have crossed midfield.
1/10 - Montgomery for 3.
2/7 - Oliver is just short of the sticks, Eagles with another third down.
3/1 - Jaworski sneak. Picks it up. Eagles at the 35.
1/10 - Montgomery for 12. Eagles then back up 10 on a holding call.
And that's it - 3 plays get nothing - leaving Philly with a 50 yard FG....
No good.
And so the Eagle drive ends with nothing, after an offsides call the Niners are starting at their own 45.
Craig gets 2.
Montana to Clark for 10.
That ends the quarter.
2nd Qtr
Two long drives, but no points. Montana throws a pick at the goal line, the Franklin misses a FG and it's scoreless.
Niners first down at the Eagle 43.
1/10 - Big gain for Craig, 25 yards.
1/10 - Montana in trouble, able to get back to the line.
2/10 - Give to Tyler -- Wendell busts it -- Wendell Tyler running to daylight -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - Wendell Tyler 18 yards into the end zone and the Niners score first.
Eagles good return, starting all the way up at their 43.
1/10 - Montomgery for 1
2/9 Jaws goes downfield to Harold Carmichael - 23 yards and the first down.
1/10 - Montgomery gets 8 and the Eagles are at the 25.
2/2 - Montgomery for 3.
But that's it - the Eagles net 7 on the next 3 plays, short Tony Franklin FG makes it 7-3.
Niners at the 29. 8:30 left in the half.
1/10 - Craig gets 4
2/6 - Incomplete
3/6 - Tyler again with the big gain, 25 yards and the first down.
1/10 - Montana to Craig for 9.
2/1 - Tyler picks it up, Niners at the Eagle 28.
But that's it - 4 yards on the next 3 plays - Ray Wersching hits the 41 yard FG and it's 10-3 with 3 minutes left.
Eagles at the 33. 3 and out.
Niners at the 35.
They get a first down on a Montana 16 yard pass to Clark.
But that's it - and after a bad punt, the Eagles take over at their own 35 with 90 seconds left.
1/10 - Jaworski to Perry Harringston for 7.
2/3 - Jaworski to Charlie Smith for a dozen, Eagles stopping the clock with a minute left at the Niner 46.
1/10 - Jaworski going for the home run -- deep to Smith --- Big Strike -- Smith walks into the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN EAGLES - in less than a minute, Philly goes 65 yards, that's a 46 yard strike from Jaws to Charlie Smith and this game is all tied up.
Niner ball at their own 23, 40 seconds.
1/10 - Motnana to Solomon for 11, timeout.
1/10 - Montana to Tyler, 6 yards and he's out of bounds, 22 seconds left. Niners at their own 40.
2/4 - Incomplete
3/4 - Montana going deep down the middle -- Freddie Solomon -- He's Got Him! Solomon between two defenders -- and Solomon's Gonna Go! Freddie Solomon's Gonna Go -- 60 yard scoring strike from Montana to Solomon -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS -- Montana hits Solomon with a 60 yard strike as we head to the locker rooms.
Third Qtr
The teams exchange scores in the last minute, Niners up 17-10 at the half. Two high level defenses, but it's the offenses who come up big here in the first half.
Eagles start at the 27.
1/10 - Montgomery gets 1
2/9 - Montgomery again, this time for 22 all the way to midfield
1/10 - Big strip sack by Dwaine Board - he's into the backfield, ripping the ball from Jaworski and the Niners take over at the Eagle 46. Big play - Niner ball.
1/10 - Give to Tyler for 11. Niners at the 35.
1/10 - Montana screen pass to Earl Cooper -- Niner caravan down the field - Cross/Fahnhorst leading the way - Cooper all the way to the 5 yard line and San Francisco has a first and goal.
1/goal - Montana to Craig out of the backfield - Craig muscles his way into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS -- it was 10-10 with less than a minute left in the half, but now it's 24-10, first the big strike to Solomon, then the Board strip sack - and now Roger Craig is into the end zone and it's 24-10.
Eagles at the 18.
3 and out. Niner defense starting to dominate now and after the big Dana McLemore return San Francisco will take over at the Eagle 30.
3 plays gain 7 yards - Wersching hits the FG and the Niners take the big 27-10 lead.
Eagles at the 36.
3 and out - the San Francisco defense has dialed it up in the third quarter. Niners at the 39.
1/10 - Montana to Tyler for 16, the Niners cross midfield.
1/10 - Craig gets 4.
2/6- Montana downfield to Solomon again - 28 yards - the Niners just chewing up Philly right now. First down at the 13.
1/10 - 10 for Tyler and a first and goal.
2 run plays get the Niners just a foot away and the quarter ends.
3rd Qtr
San Francisco is maybe about to put this out of reach, it's 27-10, Niners really now clicking on all cylinders, 3rd and goal at the 1 foot line.
3/goal - Wendell Tyler is into the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - it's now 34-10, San Francisco cruising.
Eagles at the 19.
They get two first downs, the big plays a 13 yard Jaws to Oliver pass, an 8 yard Jaws to Smith pass, Niners in the prevent defense - but the Eagles do decide to punt at 4th and 16 on their side of the field. Niners at their own 17. 10 minutes left. Only thing left to decide is the final score.
3 and out, Niners running the ball.
Not a great punt, Niners struggling today punting the football, Eagles at the Niner 43.
1/10 - Jaws to Carmichael for 26.
1/10 - Jaws to Carmichael for 10 - just like that the Eagles have a first and goal.
But they're shut down - 4 plays get just 2 yards - the Niner defense again stiffens and with less than 7 minutes left, San Francisco takes over at their own 5.
3 and out, again, Niners just running the ball - another shaky punt, Eagles at the Niner 34, after an incomplete pass - Jaworski catches a streaking Carmichael down the sideline - Carmichael is into the endzone TOUCHDOWN EAGLES - the 2 pt conversion fails, there's less than 4:30 left and it is 34-16.
Niners at their own 25. 3 and out - Niners running the ball on every play.
Eagles take over at their own 43, little more than 2 minutes to go.
In 1 minute, they're into the endzone again - Jaworski with a 13 yarder to Spagnola, 13 to Montgomery, 23 to Carmichael and a short TD pass to Rodney Parker, with a minute left the Niner lead is cut to 34-23, the onside kick fails - the Niners are able to run out the rest of the clock and the game is over.
Final: 49ers 34 Eagles 23
Not as close as the final score, San Francisco takes their foot off the pedal in the 4th on both sides of the ball, Eagles with a couple of garbage time scores, Niners move into the field, claiming the 16th spot in region 6.
Montana: 17 for 25, 263 yards 2 TD/1 INT
Jaworski: 16 for 28, 253 yds 3 TD
Tyler: 16 for 80, 2 TD
Montgomery: 19 for 87
Solomon: 3 for 99, TD
Carmichael: 5 for 116, TD
Player of the Game: Wendell Tyler
