This is a long article that describes the 1981 NFC Championship game in detail. If you don't want to read the detailed play-by-play of the game from my personal perspective, please go to "The Drive" section further down. I would highly recommend, especially to younger Niners fans, watch this entire game. I do it at least once or twice a year.
The game started really well for the Niners. Dallas won the coin toss and elected to receive. After the kickoff, Dallas started at their 27. After the 49ers defense forced a three and out highlighted by a sack of Dallas quarterback Danny White by Dwaine Board, San Francisco took over on their 37 yard line.
Using Bill Walsh's scripted plays, Montana promptly drove the Niners 63 yards to a touchdown in just six plays! Montana hit Freddie Solomon with an eight-yard touchdown pass. After a Ray Wersching extra point, only 4:19 had elapsed in the first quarter. The Faithful at the Holiday Inn in Jackson, Mississippi were ecstatic!
In return, the Cowboys took the kickoff and drove down the field 44 yards in nine plays, resulting in a 44-yard field goal by Rafael Septien with 4:44 left in the first quarter.
49ers 7 - Cowboys 3
The next 49ers possession would make all the Faithful realize this game would be a hard-hitting, fierce dogfight. One of my favorite Niners, running back Bill Ring, fumbled on the third play from scrimmage and Dallas recovered at the 49ers 29. Two plays later, White dropped a perfect pass into the hands of Tony Hill, despite Eric Wright's tight coverage for a 26-yard TD pass. After the extra point, it was Cowboys 10 - 49ers 7 with 2:49 left in the first quarter.
The first quarter ended with the teams trading punts. But the Niners got something going at the start of the second quarter. After a first down, Montana eluded Dallas' Ed "Too Tall" Jones with some great footwork and hit Clark for 38 yards to the Dallas 27. On 3rd-and-5, Montana passed long for Mike Wilson but was intercepted by Everson Walls at the Dallas 2 yard line.
The 49ers defense held and Dallas punted from their 10 yard line. On first down, Earl Cooper ran the ball straight up the gut for a gain of 11. Cries of, "Coop! Coop!" broke out in the room. Three plays later, Montana escaped a heavy all-out blitz. With a Dallas linebacker clinging to his left ankle, he completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Clark who was all alone in the end zone. Pandemonium broke out at our party!
Rather than describe the whole game play-by-play from here, I will highlight the controversial, great plays and, of course, the final glorious drive. After Montana's Houdini-like touchdown pass to Clark, White threw deep down the right sideline to Drew Pearson. Ronnie Lott picked off the pass at the 49ers 7 yard line and returned it to the Niners 37. The official, Dean Look, called Lott for pass interference and placed the ball at the Niners 12 yard line. When we saw the replay, I threw the small pillow I was holding at the TV! Former Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl IV winning coach Stram, doing analysis with Vin Scully on the CBS broadcast thought the call was incorrect, mentioning it multiple times. Three plays after the pass interference call, Tony Dorsett ran five yards for the touchdown. That touchdown marked the fourth lead change of the half.
The last two minutes of the half were action packed with even more twists and turns of fate. Immediately after the two minute warning, Montana got flattened by Ed "Too Tall" Jones. It was a violent hit that I'm still surprised Montana got up from.
Jim Miller, the Niners bare-footed punter, punted to midfield after the sack of Montana. Dallas return man James Jones muffed it and Amos Lawrence recovered the ball on the Dallas 42. The Niners were back in business! After a defensive holding call on Dallas moved the ball to the 35, the Niners got hit with another controversial call. Clark was penalized 15 yards for an illegal crackback block. Stram called it a "surprising call."
Instead of 1st-and-5 at the Dallas 30, it was first and twenty at the Dallas 45. The next play, Dallas knocked the ball out of Montana's hand before he could move it forward and Dallas recovered the fumble on the 49ers 48.
At the half, the 49ers had out-gained the Cowboys 206 yards to 108, however, San Francisco had turned the football over three times to the Cowboys one. Oh, those darned turnovers!
Halftime score: Dallas 17 - Niners 14
Halfway through the third quarter, the Niners were driving towards an apparent go-ahead touchdown. On 1st-and-10 at the Dallas 16, Montana threw a short pass over the middle intended for 49ers running back Lenvil Elliott. The pass was a tad high and bounced off Elliott's hands to be intercepted by Dallas defensive tackle Randy White at the Dallas 13 yard line. The mood was ugly at our game watch party, with our Dallas Cowboys fan in serious danger for cheering too loud.
Two plays later, the party was loudly jubilant because 49ers linebacker Bobby Leopold intercepted a pass and returned it to the Dallas 13! This game was an amazing roller coaster of emotions and it was building to a crescendo that would become NFL history.
After three runs gained nine yards and moved the ball inside the 5, Walsh decided to go for the yard on 4th down. I'm sure the Faithful worldwide held their collective breath. After a quarterback sneak gained two yards, Montana took some time to get up after the play. The play had been for naught because the Cowboys were offsides. The next play, fullback Johnny Davis rumbled up the middle behind Randy Cross for the 49ers touchdown.
49ers 21 - Cowboys 17
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January 15, 2021 at 11:31PM
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Faithful Time Machine: Relieving the 1981 NFC Championship Game - 49ers.com
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