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 Owner – Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. President – Carmen Policy Vice President/Director of Football Operations – Dwight Clark Director of Player Personnel – Vinny Cerrato Head coaches Head Coach – Steve Mariucci Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Marty Mornhinweg Running Backs – Tom Rathman Wide Receivers – Larry Kirksey Tight Ends – Patrick Morris Offensive Line – Bobb McKittrick Offensive Quality Control – Greg Knapp			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – John Marshall Defensive Line – Dwaine Board Linebackers – Richard Smith Defensive Backs – Jim Mora Defensive Assistant – Bill McPherson Defensive Quality Control – Jaime Hill 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 ¹⁄₂ 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	3	4	Total
Vikings	7	0	7	8	22
49ers	7	14	10	7	38

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 SF - William Floyd 1 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick). 49ers 7–0 Min - Cris Carter 66 yard pass from Randall Cunningham (Eddie Murray kick). Tie 7–7 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 SF - Gary Anderson 34 yard field goal. 49ers 24–7 Min - Cris Carter 3 yard pass from Randall Cunningham (Eddie Murray kick). 49ers 24–14 SF - Terrell Owens 15 yard pass from Steve Young (Gary Anderson kick). 49ers 31–14 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	3	4	Total
Packers	3	10	0	10	23
49ers	0	3	0	7	10

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 GB - Ryan Longwell 19 yard field goal. Packers 3–0 Second Quarter GB - Antonio Freeman 27 yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick). Packers 10–0 SF - Gary Anderson 34 yard field goal. Packers 10–3 GB - Ryan Longwell 43 yard field goal. Packers 13–3 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

• Steve Young, Led NFL, Passer Rating, 104.7 Rating ^[2]

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

• 49ers on Pro Football Reference
• 49ers Schedule on jt-sw.com