As we approach tonight's Sunday Night Football clash with the Chicago Bears, Paul Kadwill continues his series looking back at famous games from the past by recalling a Week 2 meeting from the 49ers' first Super Bowl winning campaign.
The last time the 49ers faced the Bears in week 2 was the also the teams first Super Bowl year: 1981.
This was the year that San Francisco famously replaced the entire secondary with three high draft picks, namely Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson, and journeyman Dwight Hicks.
Alongside the new secondary the team added the quirky genius of Jack 'Hacksaw Reynolds and a mid-season trade brought in the original pass-rush specialist Fred Dean.
These manoeuvres overhauled the 49er defense, which when combined with a talented offense that began to click during the '81 season, escalated the team into the upper echelon of the league.
The 49ers first championship season started dubiously however, with a week one loss away to the Detroit Lions. Hoping to get back on track, the team flew home to face the Bears.
The 1981 Bears team were average at best.
Although they had not won a conference or league championship since 1963, they had made the playoffs in 1977 and '79.
The team was also part way through equipping itself with many of the players that would lead them to Super Bowl glory four years later.
The 1981 team also included the prodigious talent of Walter Payton, who had been a Pro Bowl player in each of the last five seasons.
Chicago would go on to finish bottom of the NFC Central division with a 6-10 record in '81.
This game, played in perfect footballing weather at Candlestick Park, was a close, tense affair that really could have gone either way.
The 49ers built an early 14-point lead with quarterback Joe Montana completing touchdown passes to running-back Ricky Patton and wide receiver Freddie Soloman.
But before the half-time whistle had been blown, the Bears had clawed themselves back into the game with a two-yard score from Payton and a field goal cutting the Niners' advantage to 14-10 at the interval.
Chicago took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter, but that only served to reawaken the 49ers' offense, who answered with a touchdown pass to veteran tight end Charle Young, making it 21-17 San Francisco.
Young went on to be voted the 49ers most inspirational player for 1981, partly for a little known but highly influential motivational speech at Super Bowl XVI, which began when he scrawled 'We are world champions' on a locker room chalkboard before the biggest game in the team'a history.
Patton then rushed for his second touchdown to ensure a more flattering 28-17 final score.
Although the scoreline appears comfortable for the 49ers, it really does not do justice to the back and forth nature of the game.
Statistically there was very little between the two teams, which perhaps gives a better indication of the game'scompetitiveness.
Both teams lost two fumbles and both had one rushing touchdown, with the 49ers edging the yardage on the ground with 125 yards to Chicago's 123.
Interestingly, even this early into the '81 season, the 49ers were using a 'running-back by committee' approach to their run game.
Ricky Patton and Earl Cooper were both handed the ball 14 times during the game, with Patton being slightly more successful, gaining 67 yards to Cooper's 56.
During 1981, San Francisco had five players who had 60 or more rushing attempts and would be without a true leading rusher until the 1983 draft brought Roger Craig to the team.
For Chicago, Payton finished with 97 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
The real difference maker was Joe Montana.
Despite having virtually identical passing attempt and completion stats to Bears signal-caller Vince Evans, Montana threw for over 70 yards more.
'Joe Cool' also threw three touchdowns with no interceptions, compared to one score and one pick for Evans.
As the old saying goes, 'a win is a win' and this week 2 win was the first of 13 victories for the 49ers as they went all the way to Super Bowl glory in 1981.
Thanks for reading,
Paul Kadwill
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