Dallas Cowboys vs 49ers: History suggests winner is Super Bowl bound
By Dink Kearney
Dallas Cowboys 1981 NFC Championship Game “The Catch”
In the previous decade of the 1970’s, Dallas had defeated the 49ers three times in the playoffs. Two of those victories were in the NFCCG to advance to the Super Bowl, and the other was in the divisional round of the playoffs. Nevertheless, the 49ers fan base had a glimmer of hope when the 49ers thumped Dallas 45-14 in a regular season match up; therefore, playing their nemesis at home for the right to go to the Super Bowl felt good until late in the fourth quarter with Dallas leading 27-20.
Montana became a legend when he threw a clutch, game-winning touchdown with 58 seconds left in the fourth quarter to Dwight Clark, giving the 49ers a slight 28-27 lead with only 51 seconds left in the game for Dallas to mount a comeback. But in classic games between championship caliber teams, players make fantastic plays when they matter the most.
With only needing a field goal to win the game, the original #88 and Hall of Famer (Drew Pearson) caught a 31-yard pass and was on his way to score a touchdown until he was barely tackled by his shoulder pads at midfield. 49ers cornerback, Eric Wright, made the play of the game that eventually sealed Dallas’ fate and propelled the legacy of Montana as one of the best quarterbacks ever.
That game was the passing of the torch from one dynasty to another because Montana would lead the 49ers to its first of four Super Bowls with a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sidenote: Whenever Dallas and the 49ers come into the playoffs with 12 or more wins, their games are legendary like the heated college basketball rivalry between Duke and UNC. Those two heavyweights are always playing for a national championship, and the Dallas/49ers rivalry has the same vibe.