1995 San Francisco 49ers season

Last updated

1995 San Francisco 49ers season
San Francisco 49ers Saloon Wordmark.svg
Owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr.
Head coach George Seifert
Offensive coordinator Marc Trestman
Defensive coordinator Pete Carroll
Home field 3Com Park
Results
Record11–5
Division place1st NFC West
Playoff finishLost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Packers) 17–27
Pro Bowlers C Bart Oates
TE Brent Jones
WR Jerry Rice
QB Steve Young
DT Dana Stubblefield
OLB Lee Woodall
MLB Ken Norton Jr.
CB Eric Davis
SS Tim McDonald
FS Merton Hanks

The 1995 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 50th overall.

Contents

Fresh from their victory in the Super Bowl the previous season, the 49ers lost cornerback Deion Sanders to Dallas and running back Ricky Watters to Philadelphia. Despite a mediocre 5–4 start, the 49ers went 11–5 and for the fourth straight time, they repeated as NFC West champions. The 49ers finished the season as the league's top scoring offense, averaging 28.6 points per game. They also finished number one in total defense, surrendering just 275 yards per game, along with being the top rushing defense and finishing second in points allowed. [1] However, a stunning 27–17 loss to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs stripped the 49ers of their title defense and ended their season. This would be the first of three consecutive seasons that the Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs. From 1990 to 2000, the 1995 49ers were the only NFC team to lose a divisional-round playoff game following a first-round bye.

Jerry Rice caught a career-high 122 receptions along with 1,848 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.

It was also the final season the 49ers wore their Super Bowl era uniforms.

Offseason

NFL draft

1995 San Francisco 49ers draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
1 10 J. J. Stokes   Wide receiver UCLA
4127 Tim Hanshaw   Guard BYU began play in 1996.
6201 Antonio Armstrong   Linebacker Texas A&M
7238 Herb Coleman   Defensive end Trinity International
      Made roster  

Personnel

Staff

1995 San Francisco 49ers staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

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

Roster

1995 San Francisco 49ers roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad

53 active, 4 inactive, 5 practice squad


Rookies in italics

[2]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 3at New Orleans Saints W 24–221–0 Louisiana Superdome 66,627
2September 10 Atlanta Falcons W 41–102–0 3Com Park 63,627
3September 17 New England Patriots W 28–33–03Com Park66,179
4September 25at Detroit Lions L 24–273–1 Pontiac Silverdome 76,236
5October 1 New York Giants W 20–64–13Com Park65,536
6 Bye
7October 15at Indianapolis Colts L 17–184–2 RCA Dome 60,273
8October 22at St. Louis Rams W 44–105–2 Busch Memorial Stadium 59,915
9October 29 New Orleans Saints L 7–115–33Com Park65,272
10November 5 Carolina Panthers L 7–135–43Com Park61,722
11November 12at Dallas Cowboys W 38–206–4 Texas Stadium 65,180
12November 20at Miami Dolphins W 44–207–4 Joe Robbie Stadium 73,080
13November 26 St. Louis Rams W 41–138–43Com Park66,049
14December 3 Buffalo Bills W 27–179–43Com Park65,568
15December 10at Carolina Panthers W 31–1010–4 Clemson Memorial Stadium 76,136
16December 18 Minnesota Vikings W 37–3011–43Com Park64,975
17December 24at Atlanta Falcons L 27–2811–5 Georgia Dome 51,785
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week One at New Orleans

The Niners began their Super Bowl defense on the road and raced to a 24–9 lead despite injury to Steve Young (accidentally kicked in the back of his neck) that necessitated play by Elvis Grbac for part of the first half. Two second-half Saints scores only closed the final to 24–22 Niners.

Week Four at Detroit Lions

The Niners suffered their first defeat of the season in a 27–24 loss at the 0–3 Lions. The game lead tied or changed four times in the second half and a last-second Niners field goal attempt failed.

Week 11 vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week Eleven: San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
49ers17140738
Cowboys076720

at Texas Stadium, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: November 12, 1995
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 48 °F or 8.9 °C, relative humidity 39 percent, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • TV announcers (Fox): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
Game information

In one of the biggest upsets of the year, the injury-depleted 49ers thrashed the Cowboys 38–20. Coming into this game, the Cowboys were the NFL's best team, with an 8–1 record. The 49ers, on the other hand, were sitting at 5–4 coming off disappointing losses to New Orleans and the expansion Panthers by a combined score of 24–14. Steve Young was out with injury and Elvis Grbac was the 49ers' starting quarterback, but he had consistently struggled, completing 55 passes for 570 yards but with four INTs. As a result, the Cowboys were 14-point favorites coming in.

On just the second play of the game, Grbac split two defenders and hit Jerry Rice for an 81-yard touchdown, putting the 49ers up 7–0. On the ensuing possession, Michael Irvin fumbled the ball and it was picked up by Merton Hanks for a 38-yard touchdown, putting the 49ers up by two touchdowns just 1 minute and 24 seconds into the game. On the Cowboys' ensuing drive, they again turned it over (Troy Aikman interception) that resulted in a 49ers field goal. The 49ers led 17–0 just 4 minutes and 58 seconds into the game. By halftime, the 49ers had an astonishing 31–7 lead and held on for the win, upsetting the red-hot Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys turned the ball over four times in the game, while the 49ers had no turnovers.

Standings

NFC West
WLTPCTPFPASTK
(2) San Francisco 49ers 1150.688457258L1
(6) Atlanta Falcons 970.563362349W1
St. Louis Rams 790.438309418L3
Carolina Panthers 790.438289325L1
New Orleans Saints 790.438319348W1

Playoffs

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordStadium
Wild Card First-round bye
DivisionalJanuary 6, 1996 Green Bay Packers (3)L 17–270–1 3Com Park

NFC Divisional Playoff vs. Green Bay Packers

NFC Divisional Playoff: Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Packers1473327
49ers037717

at Candlestick Park

  • Date: January 6, 1996
  • Game time: 1 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: 52 °F or 11.1 °C, relative humidity 85%, wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h; 4.3 kn)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Matt Millen (color commentator)

    First quarter

    Second quarter

    Third quarter

    • SF - Steve Young 1-yard rush (Jeff Wilkins kick). Packers 21–10
    • GB - Chris Jacke 27-yard field goal. Packers 24–10

    Fourth quarter

    • GB - Chris Jacke 26-yard field goal. Packers 27–10
    • SF - Derek Loville 2-yard rush (Jeff Wilkins kick). Packers 27–17

The 49ers, who were almost 10-point favorites in the game, were upset by the visiting Green Bay Packers. Green Bay set the tone early with a Craig Newsome 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown, and never looked back. Even though Steve Young had more pass attempts, completions and passing yards than his counterpart 1995 League MVP Brett Favre, he failed to throw for a touchdown and finished with 2 interceptions. The 49ers had 4 turnovers in the game. This was the final game for 49ers wide receiver John Taylor.

Awards and records

Related Research Articles

The 1996 season was the Green Bay Packers' 76th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th overall and their fifth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The franchise won its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL Championship. The Packers posted a league-best 13–3 regular season win-loss record, going 8–0 at home and 5–3 on the road. It was the first time since 1962 that the team went undefeated at home. Additionally, the Packers had the NFL's highest-scoring offense (456) and allowed the fewest points on defense (210). Green Bay was the first team to accomplish both feats in the same season since the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. They finished the season with the number one ranked offense, defense, and special teams. They also set a then NFL record for the fewest touchdowns allowed in a 16-game season, with 19. The Packers also allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and set a record for punt return yardage. Brett Favre won his second straight MVP award while also throwing for a career-high and league-leading 39 touchdown passes.

The 1989 Green Bay Packers season was their 71st overall and their 69th in the National Football League. The Packers finished with a 10–6 record, their best since 1972, but failed to make the playoffs. The team was often referred to as "The Cardiac Pack" due to several close-game wins. The 1989 Packers hold the NFL record for most one-point victories in a season with four. The team was coached by Lindy Infante and led by quarterback Don Majkowski, who attained his nickname "The Majik Man."

The 2000 season was the Green Bay Packers' 80th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 82nd overall. It was the first season for which Mike Sherman was the head coach of the team. Sherman was the thirteenth head coach in franchise history. The Packers finished 9–7, failing to qualify for the playoffs. Both the Packers' total offense and total defense ranked 15th in the league.

The 1997 Green Bay Packers season was their 79th season overall and their 77th in the National Football League (NFL). The season concluded with the team winning its second consecutive NFC championship, but losing 31–24 to John Elway's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII. The heavily favored team narrowly missed its opportunity to post back-to-back Super Bowl wins.

The 1995 season was the Green Bay Packers' 75th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 77th overall. The Packers finished with an 11–5 record in the regular season and won the NFC Central, their first division title since 1982. In the playoffs, the Packers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 37–20 at home and the defending champion San Francisco 49ers 27–17, on the road before losing to the Dallas Cowboys 38–27, in the NFC Championship Game. Packers' quarterback Brett Favre was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player, the first of three such awards he would win. This was the first season that the Packers played home games exclusively at Lambeau Field, after playing part of their home slate at Milwaukee County Stadium since 1953. After losing their home opener to St. Louis, the Packers would win an NFL-record 25 consecutive home games between the rest of 1995 and early in 1998.

The 1994 season was the Green Bay Packers' 74th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 76th overall. The Packers finished with a 9–7 record for their third straight winning season. 1994 marked the first of 8 seasons in which Packers' quarterback Brett Favre would throw more than 30 touchdown passes. It also marked the second season in which he started all 16 games for the Packers, starting a record-breaking starting streak which would continue throughout his career. This was the final season that the Packers played at Milwaukee County Stadium; they played home games exclusively at Lambeau beginning in 1995. Three Packers had the distinction of being named to the NFL's All-Time 75th Anniversary Team: Reggie White, Don Hutson, and Ray Nitschke. After defeating the Detroit Lions 16–12 in the NFC Wild Card Game, the season ended in a 35–9 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game.

The 1995 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL) and was the second year under head coach Barry Switzer and final of the three Super Bowl titles they would win during 1992 to 1995. Dallas would be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a span of four seasons. Switzer guided the Cowboys to a fifth Super Bowl win by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–17 in Super Bowl XXX.

The 1996 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's second season in the National Football League, the second under head coach Dom Capers, and the first at Ericsson Stadium. They improved upon their 7–9 record in 1995, and made it to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season (won 5th Super Bowl)

The 1994 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 45th in the National Football League (NFL), their 49th overall, and their sixth under head coach George Seifert. This season was highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. The championship made San Francisco the first team to win five Super Bowls. After losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the previous two conference championship games, the 49ers made significant acquisitions in the 1994 free agent market. This included the signing of two-sport star Deion Sanders and Cowboys linebacker Ken Norton, Jr. Sanders had a major impact on the team's success, winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and recording six interceptions. The 49ers won their division, the NFC West, for the eighth time in nine seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1990 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 45th overall. the team entered the 1990 season heavily favored to win their third consecutive Super Bowl. The season was highlighted by their victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 13. Throughout the season, the 49ers and the Giants were the two best teams in the NFL and they met again in the NFC Championship Game.

The 1994 Detroit Lions season was the 65th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Lions finished with a 9–7 record and made their second consecutive playoff appearance as one of the NFC's Wildcard teams—the first time the franchise had made the playoffs in consecutive non-strike seasons since 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 2000 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 55th overall. Jerry Rice entered the 2000 season as the oldest player in the league at the wide receiver position. At the end of the year, however, with the emergence of Terrell Owens, Rice decided to leave the team after sixteen seasons to join the Raiders. Running back Charlie Garner would join Rice in Oakland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1998 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 53rd overall. The 49ers were heavily favored to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XXXIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1997 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The team appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the fifth time in the 1990s. This season marked the 49ers' last appearance in the NFC title game until the 2011 season as well as the last time that they clinched the number 1 seed with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs until the 2019 season. The team's playoff run was ended by the Green Bay Packers for the third straight season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1996 San Francisco 49ers season was the club's 51st since its inception. In commemoration, the 49ers wore a special 50th anniversary patch. They also wore a new uniform reminiscent of the 1994 throwback uniforms with white pants and shadowed numbers, but with a darker shade of red and an updated logo. The franchise tied for first place in the NFC West with a 12–4 record, but lost the division title to the Carolina Panthers on the division-record tiebreaker. The 49ers ranked 3rd in the league in points scored and 4th in fewest points allowed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1993 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 44th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 48th overall. The 49ers appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the second consecutive season and for the fifth time in six seasons. For the first time since 1979, Joe Montana was not on their active roster; specifically, the 49ers had traded him away to the Kansas City Chiefs in April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 San Francisco 49ers season</span> 47th season in franchise history; final season with Joe Montana

The 1992 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 47th overall. The 49ers appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three seasons. This was the last season the 49ers had Joe Montana on the roster. The last game he played as a 49er was the December 28 Monday Night Football game against the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1987 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 38th season in the National Football League and their 42nd overall. The 49ers won the division for the second consecutive season, and ended the season as the top seed in the NFC playoffs. The season ended with an upset loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round of the playoffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1986 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 37th season in the National Football League and their 41st overall. The team returned to the top of the NFC West after a one-year absence, and lost in the divisional playoffs to the Giants, by a score of 49-3, possibly the biggest playoff loss suffered by the 49ers in the history of their franchise. This was the first of five consecutive NFC West titles for the 49ers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">49ers–Packers rivalry</span> American football rivalry

The 49ers–Packers rivalry is an American football rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. The two teams do not play every year; instead, they play once every three years and at least once every six seasons at each team's home stadium due to the NFL's rotating division schedules, if they meet in the playoffs, or if the two teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions, they would play each other the following season. The rivalry became prominent during the 1990s, as the Brett Favre-led Packers defeated the Steve Young-led 49ers in three of four playoff meetings. In the 2005 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected Alex Smith with the first overall selection, passing on northern California native Aaron Rodgers; Green Bay later selected Rodgers with the 24th pick. Since Rodgers became the Packers' starter in 2008, the Packers and 49ers met in the playoffs five times, four with Rodgers, though the 49ers have won all five of these meetings.

References

  1. ↑ "1995 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  2. ↑ "1995 San Francisco 49ers starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  3. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN   0-7611-2480-2, p. 455
  4. 1 2 3 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN   0-7611-2480-2, p. 142
  5. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN   0-7611-2480-2, p. 202
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.