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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:18:27 GMT 10
Saturday Jan 9, 1988 Start Time: 4:00pm |
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:19:14 GMT 10
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:19:36 GMT 10
Let’s take a look back at the 1987 playoffs when the Minnesota Vikings faced the San Francisco 49ers in a Divisional Round playoff game.
The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a shocking win last week over the New Orleans Saints on the road and they will now travel to the West Coast to take on the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers.
The all-time series between these two teams is 23-23-1, including the playoffs. The Vikings are 1-4 against them in the playoffs and that one victory game in the 1987 Divisional round.
During that game in 1987, quarterback Wade Wilson went 20 for 34 for 298 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Anthony Carter had 10 receptions for 227 yards. Hassan Jones and Carl Hilton each caught a touchdown pass. Chris Doleman recorded two sacks.
For San Francisco, Joe Montana went 12 for 26 for 109 yards and an interception. Steve Young went 12 for 17 for 158 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Young also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Roger Craig had nine receptions for 78 yards. Jerry Rice was held to three receptions for 28 yards.
Vikings won 36-24.
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:20:04 GMT 10
 Wade Wilson |
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:20:34 GMT 10
 Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Anthony Carter (81) runs with the ball for a good gain as San Francisco 49ers Cornerback Tim McKyer remains on the ground during the third quarter of their NFC playoff game. |
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Post by NFL Historian on Oct 20, 2023 18:21:02 GMT 10
 Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson (11). |
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Post by NFL Historian on Nov 5, 2023 21:39:07 GMT 10
Game information
Aided by wide receiver Anthony Carter's 10 receptions for an NFL playoff record 227 receiving yards, the Vikings upset the top seeded 49ers, who had earned the league's best record during the regular season at 13–2.
Minnesota drove 77 yards on their opening drive, including an 11-yard run by quarterback Wade Wilson out of shotgun formation on third and 7, to score on Chuck Nelson's 21-yard field goal. Then after an exchange of punts, 49ers quarterback Joe Montana's completions to Roger Craig and John Taylor for gains of 18 and 33 yards helped advance the ball 74 yards in 10 plays to tie the game on a 34-yard field goal from Ray Wersching.
Minnesota broke the tie in the second quarter with 17 unanswered points. First Wilson completed two passes to Carter for 23 total yards and rushed for 12 on a 70-yard drive that he finished with a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Carl Hilton. Following a 49ers punt, Wilson's 63-yard completion to Carter set up a second Nelson field goal, increasing the Vikings lead to 13–3. Then safety Reggie Rutland intercepted a pass from Montana and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. The 49ers had a chance to cut into the lead before halftime, but Wersching missed a 26-yard field goal attempt, and the score would remain 20–3.
49ers safety Jeff Fuller returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter, but the Vikings stormed right back, with Carter gaining 30 yards on an end around play as the team drove 68 yards to score on Wilson's short touchdown pass to Hassan Jones, making the score 27–10. Later on, San Francisco coach Bill Walsh had enough of Montana and replaced him with Steve Young. The decision appeared to pay off, as Young hooked up with Craig for a 31-yard completion and later took the ball into the end zone himself on a 5-yard run, cutting their deficit to 27–17. But Minnesota countered with Wilson's 40-yard completion to Carter that set up Nelson's third field goal of the day. Wersching missed a 48-yard field goal on San Francisco's next drive, and the team would go into the final quarter still trailing 30–17.
In the fourth quarter, Fuller was nailed with a 15-yard facemask penalty while tackling Vikings running back Allen Rice after he gained 19 yards on a screen pass, setting up Nelson's 46-yard field goal to put the Vikings up 33–17. Then Carl Lee intercepted a pass from Young, allowing Minnesota to run more time off the clock. Following a punt, Young led the 49ers 68 yards in eight plays to score on a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Frank, but by then there was only 3:42 left in the game. Nelson later kicked a postseason record fifth field goal, this one from 23 yards, to completely dash any hope of a miracle comeback.
In addition to his 227 receiving yards, Carter had a 30-yard carry and returned two punts for 21 yards. Vikings outside linebacker Chris Doleman had two sacks. Wilson completed 20/34 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. Nelson finished the day a perfect 5/5 on field goals, a notable contrast to his lowly 13/24 performance during the regular season. Montana was held to just 12/26 completions for 109 yards with one interception. Young had a solid performance with 12/17 completions for 158 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, while also leading San Francisco in rushing with 72 yards on six carries. It was a sign of what lay in store for 49ers fans, as they would watch him and Montana compete fiercely for the starting quarterback job until Young inherited the starting position when Joe Montana suffered a serious elbow injury during the 1991 preseason. Until the 2007–08 NFL playoffs with the Cowboys losing to the Giants, this was the last time the No. 1 seed in the NFC did not advance to the NFC Championship Game. After the Cowboys loss, three of the next four No. 1 seeds in the NFC would lose their first playoff game (2008 Giants, 2010 Falcons and 2011 Packers).
This was the second postseason meeting between the Vikings and 49ers. San Francisco won the only previous meeting.
Wikipedia
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