1997 San Francisco 49ers season

1997 San Francisco 49ers season
Head coach Steve Mariucci
Home field Candlestick Park
Results
Record 13–3
Division place 1st NFC West
Playoff finish Won Divisional Playoff (Vikings) 38–22
Lost NFC Championship Game (Packers) 23–10
Uniform

The 1997 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 48th year with the National Football League. The franchise appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the fifth time in the 1990s. This season marked their last appearance in the NFC title game until the 2011 season. The team's playoff run was ended by the Green Bay Packers for the third straight year.

Personnel

Staff

1997 San Francisco 49ers staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special Teams Coordinator – George Stewart

Strength and conditioning

  • Physical Development Coordinator – Jerry Attaway
  • Strength Development Coordinator – Michael Barnes

[1]

Regular season

Opening the 1997 season with new coach Steve Mariucci and halfback Garrison Hearst, the 49ers seemed to have shored up their one major weakness from the season before. Also, additions Kevin Gogan to the offensive line and Rod Woodson to the defense were clear improvements over last season's roster. However, in the first game of the season at Tampa Bay, both quarterback Steve Young and receiver Jerry Rice went down with injuries. Rice appeared to be out for the season with a serious knee injury and Young, with yet another concussion, had discussed retirement.

Young eventually came back, as did Rice for 1 12 quarters (before getting another unrelated injury to his knee), and the team, with the league's number one defense leading the way, pulled together and finished strongly at 13–3.

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result TV Time Attendance
1 August 31, 1997 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 6–13 FOX 4:05et
62,554
2 September 7, 1997 at St. Louis Rams W 15–12 FOX 1:00et/12:00ct
64,630
3 September 14, 1997 New Orleans Saints W 33–7 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
61,838
4 September 21, 1997 Atlanta Falcons W 34–17 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
60,404
5 September 29, 1997 (Mon) at Carolina Panthers W 34–21 ABC 9:00et
70,972
6 BYE WEEK
7 October 12, 1997 St. Louis Rams W 30–10 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
63,825
8 October 19, 1997 at Atlanta Falcons W 35–28 FOX 1:00et
53,378
9 October 26, 1997 at New Orleans Saints W 23–0 FOX 1:00et/12:00ct
60,443
10 November 2, 1997 Dallas Cowboys W 17–10 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
68,657
11 November 10, 1997 (Mon) at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–12 ABC 9:00et
67,133
12 November 16, 1997 Carolina Panthers W 27–19 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
61,500
13 November 23, 1997 San Diego Chargers W 17–10 NBC 4:15et/1:15pt
61,195
14 November 30, 1997 at Kansas City Chiefs L 9–44 FOX 1:00et/12:00ct
77,535
15 December 7, 1997 Minnesota Vikings W 28–17 FOX 4:15et/1:15pt
55,761
16 December 15, 1997 (Mon) Denver Broncos W 34–17 ABC 9:00et/6:00pt
68,461
17 December 21, 1997 at Seattle Seahawks L 9–38 ESPN 8:15et/5:15pt
66,253

Standings

NFC West
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(1) San Francisco 49ers 13 3 0 .813 375 265 L1
Carolina Panthers 7 9 0 .438 265 314 L2
Atlanta Falcons 7 9 0 .438 320 361 L1
New Orleans Saints 6 10 0 .375 237 327 L1
St. Louis Rams 5 11 0 .313 299 359 W1

Playoffs

Toward the end of the season, things appeared to be going well for the team's postseason prospects. However, in the second to last game of the season, Rice was injured again and deemed out for the playoffs. Similarly, the team's offensive heart for the season, running back Garrison Hearst, had a broken collar bone through the post season and didn't return to full health prior to the end of the season.

Despite not having either their leading receiver or their starting running back, the 49ers were able to make it to their 7th NFC championship in 10 years. However, not having an elite receiver or solid running back showed glaringly in their loss to the Packers in the conference championship (Hearst returned, but his injury was clearly still a problem as he only played a few ineffective snaps).

NFC Divisional Game vs. Minnesota Vikings

NFC Divisional Playoff: Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 0 7822
49ers 7 14 10738

at 3Com Park

  • Date: January 3, 1998
  • Game time: 1 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 54 degrees, relative humidity 88%, wind 13 mph
Game information

First Quarter
Second Quarter
  • SF - Terry Kirby 1 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick). 49ers 14–7
  • SF - Ken Norton 23 yard interception return (Gary Anderson kick). 49ers 21–7
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
  • SF - Terry Kirby 1 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick). 49ers 38–14
  • Min - Matthew Hatchette 13 yard pass from Randall Cunningham (2 point successful). 49ers 38–22

Viking
  • Randall Cunningham. 18-40, 331 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
  • Cris Carter. 6 Rec, 93 yards, 2 TD
49ers
  • Steve Young. 21-30, 224 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int.
  • Terry Kirby. 25 rush, 120 yards, 2 TD.
  • JJ Stokes. 9 rec, 101 yards

NFC Championship Game vs. Green Bay Packers

NFC Championship at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Packers 3 10 01023
49ers 0 3 0710

at 3Com Park

  • Date: January 11, 1998
  • Game time: 1 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 54 degrees, relative humidity 90%, wind 10 mph
Game information

First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter

no scoring

Fourth Quarter
  • GB - Ryan Longwell 25 yard field goal. Packers 16–3
  • GB - Dorsey Levens 5 yard rush (Ryan Longwell kick). Packers 23–3
  • SF - Chuck Levy 95 yard kickoff return. (Gary Anderson kick). Packers 23–10

Packers
  • Brett Favre. 16-27, 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int
  • Dorsey Levens. 27 rush, 114 yards, 1 TD
49ers
  • Steve Young. 23-38, 250 yards, 0 TD, 1 Int
  • Terrell Owens. 6 rec, 100 yards
Turnovers
  • Packers - 0
  • 49ers - 2

The 49ers and Packers meet for the 3rd year in a row in the playoffs, and for the 3rd year in a row, the Packers defeat the 49ers. The 49ers were battling multiple injuries in the game, including missing star wide receiver Jerry Rice. The lack of depth on offense showed throughout the game, as the offense generated just 3 points. The only touchdown of the game for the 49ers was when Chuck Levy returned a 95-yard kick off return for a touchdown. But by then, the Packers had a commanding 23-10 lead in the 4th quarter. With the loss, the 49ers finish the year at 14-4.

Awards and records

References

  1. "Organization". 1997 San Francisco 49ers Media Guide. pp. 5–23.
  2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 450
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