The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints will face off for the 80th time in the regular season. The 49ers lead the regular season history with a 50-27-2 record and won the only postseason meeting (I’m sure that game will come up here in a bit) in 2012.
Which moment between the 49ers and Saints is the most memorable?
Joe Montana comes back from a 35-7 halftime lead in 1980
This is a canon event for Montana and what was to come in his career. The 49ers quarterback pulled off the greatest comeback in NFL regular-season history and put the league on notice that no game is out of reach as long as Montana has the ball. Montana rushed for a touchdown and threw two touchdowns (14 yards to Freddie Solomon & a 71-yarder to Dwight Clark) in the second half before a field goal tied the game, and another to win it in overtime.
Montana and the 49ers stunned New Orleans and Archie Manning to pull off the greatest comeback of all time in front of the fans at Candlestick Park.
The Catch 3
Let me set the scene. First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh led the 49ers to 13 wins and a divisional round matchup with the Saints, and their high-powered offense led by Drew Brees and Sean Payton. The 49ers quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead, thanks to two passing touchdowns from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree.
The Saints responded with two touchdowns in the second quarter, which brought the score to 17-14 at halftime in favor of the 49ers. The third quarter was quiet for scoring, with only a David Akers field goal to pad the 49ers’ lead to six.
The two teams traded field goals in the early going of the fourth quarter. Then all hell broke loose. The final four plus minutes were a ping pong match with the Saints scoring from 44 yards out, followed by a 28-yard touchdown run by Alex Smith.
The Saints answered right back with a 66-yard quick strike touchdown to Jimmy Graham, and the stage was set.
The Catch III was born, and every 49ers fan knows exactly where they were when Smith connected with Davis. I can still see Davis crying in the arms of Harbaugh as he was overcome with emotion.
Bountygate made this win all the more sweet.
The infamous Drew Brees/Ahmad Brooks call
It isn’t all fond memories for 49ers fans. The ripple effect of this game will forever haunt 49ers fans. Ahmad Brooks sealed a 49ers victory on the road, only to have the strip sack overturned with an illegal hit. The drive continued, and the Saints pulled out the win.
The 49ers finished with a 12-4 record. That was the last regular-season loss of the season for them. However, 12 wins only secured a wild card spot, and the 49ers would have to go on the road to begin the playoffs with Seattle finishing with a 13-3 record.
San Francisco would beat Green Bay in Lambeau and the second-seed Panthers in Carolina before losing the NFC Championship in Seattle. One has to wonder if the controversial call never happened on November 18, 2013, would the 49ers have had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs?
Jimmy G outduels Drew Brees in Superdome shootout
Where were you when the 49ers and Saints threw defense out the window and scored a total of 94 points combined? This game had literally everything. The Saints jumped out quickly with two touchdowns by Jared Cook from Drew Brees. Emmanuel Sanders threw a touchdown pass to Raheem Mostert. Jimmy Garoppolo completed a deep downfield shot to Sanders in between two Saints defenders. Brees and the Saints left the 49ers 53 seconds to take the lead. George Kittle did the rest before Robbie Gould drilled a field goal with time expiring.
Kendrick Bourne even caught two touchdown passes, and this game was essentially the game for the number one seed in the NFC. 2019 was a fun season, and this game is arguably the best game Garoppolo commanded as the 49ers quarterback.
Which is your most memorable moment between the 49ers and the Saints?
About the Author: Insidethe49
