1990 NFC Divisional Playoff

Lore & Background

The Redskins opened the scoring with an 8-play, 78-yard drive culminating in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Rypien to Art Monk. San Francisco tied the game on a 1-yard touchdown run by Tom Rathman, aided by an unnecessary roughness penalty on Darrell Green. Chip Lohmiller's 44-yard field goal put Washington ahead 10–7. Montana rallied the 49ers with an 80-yard scoring drive featuring a halfback option pass from Harry Sydney to Brent Jones, and a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice.

After a punt, Montana led another 89-yard drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mike Sherrard, making the score 21–10 at halftime. In the second half, Washington advanced inside the 49ers' 15-yard line three times but failed to score. Johnnie Jackson intercepted a pass in the end zone, Darryl Pollard intercepted another, and a fourth-down pass to Gary Clark fell incomplete. Charles Haley deflected a pass that Michael Carter intercepted and returned 61 yards for a touchdown, making the final score 28–10.

Reader's Guide

The 49ers won the NFC Divisional Playoff against the Washington Redskins with a final score of 28–10. The game was played in the 1990 postseason. The 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the New York Giants on a field goal as time expired.

Season Overview and Playoff Clinching

The 2023 campaign marked a significant transition for the San Francisco 49ers, serving as their seventy-fourth season in the NFL and seventh under the leadership of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. Despite a mid-season slump that included three consecutive losses after a perfect five-game start, the team rallied with six straight victories. Although they finished with a 12–5 record, falling short of their previous year's mark, the 49ers clinched the number one seed in the NFC. Their resilience was evident as they became the first team to secure a playoff berth that season, ultimately advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in five years.

Historic Offensive and Defensive Dominance

Statistically, the 2023 squad established itself as an elite unit on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the unit was equally formidable, allowing just 17.5 points per game while tying for the league lead with 22 interceptions. Their ability to dominate opponents was highlighted by their regular-season schedule, where they defeated every team that eventually qualified for the NFC playoffs, a feat not accomplished by any conference team since 1993.

Fan Engagement and Franchise Consistency

Beyond the on-field statistics, the 2023 season underscored the enduring popularity of the franchise. This era also highlighted the organization's remarkable consistency in reaching the postseason; making the playoffs for four consecutive seasons mirrored their historic runs in the late 1980s and early 2010s. The season concluded with a mix of triumph and heartbreak, as the team successfully navigated a difficult regular season to host record-breaking playoff games, only to fall just short of the ultimate prize in overtime against a formidable rival.