The 49ers Most Lopsided Playoff Losses

The 49ers lost badly to the Seattle Seahawks this past Saturday. While the 41-6 spanking in the Emerald City was humbling enough, questions abound about the direction of the franchise. Let's take a look at their previous blowout losses in the playoffs and how the 49ers dealt with each humiliating loss.

1986 Divisional: 49-3 @ New York

The 49ers never stood a chance. Early in the second quarter, New York running back Joe Morris dashed up the middle of San Francisco's defense for a 45 yard touchdown that proved to be a gut punch for the Red and Gold. From then on, the 49ers knew that this game could not be won. Clearly, this Giants team had grown up since their last meeting just two months earlier when the Giants had clawed their way back from a 17 point halftime deficit.

The 49ers were down 21-3 when Joe Montana got blasted by nose tackle Jim Burt, lying limp on the Meadowlands turf while pass rushing dynamo Lawrence Taylor returned his pass 34 yards for another touchdown.

Montana didn't return in the second half and remained in New York long after the 49ers season ended while he was treated for a concussion.

1987 Divisional: 36-24 vs Minnesota Vikings

Entering the playoffs, the 49ers were on a tear. Joe Montana's passes rarely hit the turf and Jerry Rice seemed to scored touchdowns as will a he set a new league record with an incredible 22 in just 12 games. Even when Montana went down with a brief injury, newly acquired backup Steve Young more than held his own, showing a glimpse of all that he would become in the Bay Area. It seemed as if their offense was unstoppable.

The 49ers entered the playoffs as heavy favorites over the 8-7 Minnesota Vikings and were confident that they could contain one of the fiercest pass rushes in the game. Boy were they wrong!

After a first quarter that saw the teams end in a 3-3 stalemate, the Vikings slowly started to creep away from the 49ers. Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson had the game of his life that afternoon, consistently finding Anthony Carter for gains both short and long while repeatedly beating the gassed San Francisco secondary. At game's end, Carter would have 10 receptions for 227 yards.

With his team down 13-3 just before the half, Joe Montana tried to squeeze a pass to his favorite receiver Dwight Clark. He failed to see Minnesota cornerback Najee Mustafaa, who returned the interception 43 yards to put the Vikings up 20-3.

Montana stayed in the game for one last series before his coach pulled him in favor of Steve Young. Although Young proved to be electric and produced some positive drives, the 49ers fell short.

1993 NFC Championship: 38-21 @ Dallas

The 1993 Dallas Cowboys were a machine. Led by league MVP Emmitt Smith whose steady gains on the ground proved lethal behind the best offensive line in the game, the Cowboys were brimming with confidence as they tore through their schedule, their sites set clearly on a second straight Lombardi Trophy.

Meanwhile, after a bumpy start, the 49ers entered the playoffs with the second best record in the NFC. Even though they had lost to the Cowboys earlier in the year, they felt that the nine-point deficit was indicative of where they had started rather than where they were. After all, their quarterback Steve Young had come oh-so-close to earning his second straight league MVP award and was really starting to come into his own as a leader.

The game started innocently enough as the teams traded touchdowns, two gladiators feeling each other out before striking the more lethal blows. Then the tide began to turn against San Francisco as the Cowboys steady running attack began to make mincemeat of a talented defensive line. By the time halftime came around, the 7-7 tie had become a distant memory as the 49ers found themselves staring at a daunting 28-7 deficit.

Still, they had hope. In the second quarter, Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was knocked out of the game with a life changing concussion and in stepped Bernie Kosar, a man who had only recently joined the team after nine illustrious years in Cleveland. Although he hardly knew the plays, Kosar was a pro's pro. After 49ers running back Ricky Watters scored from four yards out to cut the deficit to 14, Kosar coolly lofted a 42 yard bomb to Alvin Harper. Although the fourth quarter had yet to begin, the game was essentially over from that point forward. The 49ers lost to their bitter rivals 38-21.

1996 Divisional: 35-14 @ Green Bay

This was never much of a contest. Just the week before, Steve Young had broken some ribs in their Wild Card triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles and he was still pretty sore when the 49ers landed in Green Bay. To make matters worse, the Packers had one of the bet pass rushes in the league, led by the indomitable Reggie White. Young stood his ground for five passing attempts before leaving the game. With Elvis Grbac filling in, the team knew that the game was already lost.

Still, they did manage to pounce when opportunity knocked. The 49ers were down 21-7 when they kicked off to start the second half and were pleasantly surprised when they realized that Desmond Howard was nowhere in sight. The game's best returner always took his sweet time getting out on the field, only this time he took a bit too long. The ball landed where Howard was supposed to be and the 49ers pounced on the live ball near the Green Bay end zone. Grbac made Green Bay pay a minute later with a four yard plunge. This only woke up the sleeping giant and the Packers pulled away to win 35-14.

2002 Divisional: 31-6 @ Tampa Bay

Steve Mariucci knew that his time was running out unless he could lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl. In fact, while the 49ers stared at a 24 point deficit against the New York Giants the previous week, the 49ers coach had a feeling that that would be his last game. When they prevailed in a 39-38 thriller, Mariucci saw a ray of hope.

All the confidence in the world could have prepared the 49ers for their bout in Tampa Bay. After years of banging their heads against the wall, the Buccaneers traded for Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden. With a defense headlined by four future Hall of Famers (safety John Lynch, defensive tackle Warren Sapp, nickelback Ronde Barber and outside linebacker Derrick Brooks) now they had both the roster and the moxie for a true championship run.

The first quarter ended quietly enough with Tampa Bay leading 7-3 thanks to a short plunge into the end zone by fullback Mike Alstott. They pulled away in the second quarter with touchdown receptions made by Joe Jurevicius and Rickey Dudley and a two-yard plunge into the end zone by Alstott.

The second half was a yawn for both sides as the Buccaneers fierce defense kept the 49ers out of the end zone the rest of the day. In the end, not even Terrell Owens couldn't break through as he was held to just four catches for 35 yards. When the 49er lost 31-, Steve Mariucci knew that that was his last game in the Red and Gold.

2022 NFC Championship: 31-7 @ Philadelphia

The game should have been much different. While the Eagles had established themselves as the best in the NFC, the 49ers were on a role, coning into the game on a 10 game winning streak. What's more, they won half of those games with a third string rookie quarterback who had been chosen last in that year's NFL Draft. His name? Brock Purdy.

Surrounded by an embarrassment of riches, Purdy took the league by storm while his more experienced teammates paved the way for victory after victory. To say the least, the 49ers came to Philadelphia brimming with confidence.

It was not meant to be. Down by seven after Philadelphia's opening drive, Purdy went down with a torn UCL on the 49ers opening drive. Still, the 49ers stayed in contention right up until halftime when an assortment of miscues by backup quarterback Josh Johnson led to a late Eagles touchdown to extend their lead to 21-7.

Later on, Johnson went down with a concussion and the 49ers were forced to put in their rookie quarterback who literally couldn't throw. The 49ers left Philadelphia feeling like they had unfinished business in the City of Brotherly Love.

Final Thoughts

No matter how great a gap a defeat may be, it always brings about change. Of course, the same can be said about life. Change is constant. But its how you use change that can define your legacy.

After being bludgeoned in New York, Bill Walsh recognized his quarterback's increasingly fragile state and caught a capable backup who could be groomed to replace Joe Montana in the future. Once the 49ers lost to the vikings in 1987 it launched the greatest quarterback controversy in history the next season. The result? Joe Montana became greater, winning two Super Bowls and two league MVP awards dover the course of the next three years.

After losing in the 1993 NFC Championship Game, the 49ers set about building a roster capable of eating one team: the Dallas Cowboys. The result: they won their fifth Super Bowl the very next year.

After losing in the 1996 and 2002 playoffs, the 49ers fired coaches George Seifert and Steve Mariucci. The results varied as the culture around the organization was changing but it didn't result in any more Super Bowl appearances.

After the 49ers lost to the Eagles in 2022, they came back with a vengeance the next year and decimated the Eagles on the same field where they ad been so badly humbled. Although they lost the Super Bowl that year, they had found their quarterback of the future.

Maybe their loss in Seattle this year is a blessing in disguise. Maybe its a harbinger of things to come. But one things is certain: change is inevitable.