NFL Miracle Memory for Week 4 – The Catch
The Catch refers to the winning touchdown reception by Dwight Clark off a Joe Montana pass in the January 10, 1982, NFC Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. The Catch is widely regarded as one of the most memorable events in NFL history. The game represented the end of Dallas’ domination in the NFC since the conference’s inception in 1970, and the beginning of San Francisco’s rise as both an NFC and Super Bowl power in the 1980s.
Some people claimed that Montana was trying to throw the ball away, leaving time for a fourth down. Clark disputes that assertion, claiming that it was a backup plan that they practiced many times. Montana confirmed that he could not see the end zone through the defenders, but claims that he knew exactly where Clark would be. The 49ers coach, Bill Walsh, assumed that it was a throw-away play and immediately began planning for the fourth down until he heard the cheers from the crowd.
As for the height of the catch, Montana has said that he didn’t feel that he threw the ball very high. However, Clark leaped as high as he could only to get his fingertips on the ball. In the Sports Illustrated article, Montana explained that he never saw The Catch, since he had just been knocked to the ground by Jones, but “I saw Dwight’s feet touch the ground. I heard the crowd scream.” Later, in the locker room, he expressed his amazement at how high Clark had jumped.
According to Clark, Jones reacted to the play by stating “You just beat America’s Team” to Montana after the pass was caught, to which Montana replied to Jones, “Well, you can sit at home with the rest of America and watch the Super Bowl.”
While Clark’s touchdown had given San Francisco the lead, the game was not yet over as there were still 51 seconds left on the clock, with Dallas needing only a field goal to win. After the ensuing kickoff, Dallas receiver Drew Pearson caught a long pass, but defensive back Eric Wright made a touchdown-saving horse collar-type tackle (then a legal tackle) to keep him from scoring. This play was known as “The Grab”. On the next play, quarterback Danny White fumbled the ball while being sacked by Lawrence Pillers, and San Francisco’s Jim Stuckey recovered the ball, sealing victory for the 49ers.
The 49ers won 28–27 and went on to win Super Bowl XVI 26-21 over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Week 3 Winner Update
Congrats to GreenLadyHere! She picked NYG to win last week, therefore she also had 12 correct picks for Week 3!
NYG @ WAS |
GB @ CHI |
BUF @ HOU |
TEN @ IND |
CAR @ BAL |
DET @ NYJ |
TB @ PIT |
MIA @ OAK |
JAC @ SD |
ATL @ MIN |
PHI @ SF |
NO @ DAL |
NE @ KC |
|
Tunisia |
NYG |
GB |
BUF |
IND |
CAR |
DET |
PIT |
OAK |
SD |
ATL |
PHI |
NO |
NE |
AdKomack |
NYG |
CHI |
BUF |
IND |
BAL |
DET |
PIT |
OAK |
JAC |
ATL |
PHI |
NO |
NE |
MsKitty |
WAS |
CHI |
HOU |
IND |
CAR |
NYJ |
PIT |
OAK |
SD |
MIN |
SF |
DAL |
KC |
KennyMack |
WAS |
GB |
BUF |
IND |
CAR |
DET |
PIT |
MIA |
SD |
ATL |
SF |
NO |
KC |
GreenLady |
WAS |
GB |
HOU |
IND |
BAL |
DET |
PIT |
MIA |
SD |
ATL |
SF |
NO |
NE |
Sagittarius |
WAS |
CHI |
HOU |
IND |
CAR |
DET |
PIT |
MIA |
SD |
ATL |
SF |
NO |
KC |
Pbomb |
WAS |
CHI |
HOU |
IND |
BAL |
NYJ |
PIT |
OAK |
SD |
ATL |
PHI |
DAL |
NE |
TyrenM |
NYG |
CHI |
HOU |
IND |
BAL |
DET |
PIT |
MIA |
SD |
ATL |
SF |
DAL |
NE |
Miranda |
WAS |
CHI |
HOU |
IND |
CAR |
NYJ |
PIT |
OAK |
SD |
ATL |
SF |
NO |
KC |