Super Bowl XXIII vs San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers defeated the Bengals 26–21 in Super Bowl XVI, the first Super Bowl held in a cold-weather city.
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1981 season. The 49ers defeated the Bengals by the score of 26–21 to win their first Super Bowl.
Quick Facts
- Key turnover
- Montana intercepted by David Fulcher at the Bengals' 23-yard line
Lore & Background
The game was played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. It was the first Super Bowl to be held in a cold-weather city. For the first time since Super Bowl III, both teams were making their first Super Bowl appearance. The 49ers posted a 13–3 regular season record; the Bengals finished 12–4. Cincinnati's 356 yards of offense to San Francisco's 275 marked the first time in Super Bowl history that the losing team outgained the winning team in total yards. However, the Bengals committed four turnovers to San Francisco's one. The 49ers scored 20 of their 26 points off of Bengals turnovers.
Reader's Guide
Super Bowl XVI was initially dominated by the 49ers. Three Cincinnati turnovers helped San Francisco build a then-Super Bowl record 20–0 halftime lead on a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown from quarterback Joe Montana and two field goals by Ray Wersching. The Bengals rallied in the second half with quarterback Ken Anderson's 5-yard touchdown run and 4-yard touchdown pass, but a third-quarter goal-line stand by the 49ers defense and two more Wersching field goals ultimately decided the game. The Bengals managed to draw within less than a touchdown with 16 seconds remaining but could not recover the ensuing onside kick. Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP, completing 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 18 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati tight end Dan Ross recorded a then-Super Bowl record 11 receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
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