Sunday, January 29, 2006

Super Bowl Memory - Detroit's first big game


Next Sunday’s Super Bowl game will not be the first in Detroit....in 1982, Super Bowl XVI was played at the Pontiac Silverdome....it was the first time the Super Bowl was played in the northern half of the country....

It was also the first of four Super Bowl titles for San Francisco’s Joe Montana....two weeks earlier Montana’s waved his magic wand for the first time with his unforgettable touchdown pass to Dwight Clark with less than a minute left giving San Francisco the victory over Dallas....

On Super Bowl Sunday, the 49ers took advantage of the Cincinnati Bengals slow start and a great defensive stand en route to a 26-21 win....

Throughout the first half, the Bengals had chances to score, only to watch these opportunities fade away....after the 49ers fumbled the opening kick, Cincinnati moved to the San Fran five-yard line only to have Ken Anderson throw an interception.....at the beginning of the second quarter, the Bengals were driving again, but this time Cris Collinsworth fumbled at the 49er 27-yard line.....at halftime Cincinnati found themselves down 20-0....

In the third quarter the Bengals had another opportunity to cut into the 49ers lead....trailing 20-7, the Bengals had the ball first and goal on the 49ers three-yard line....with their backs to the wall and momentum hanging in the balance, the 49ers defense made the greatest goal line stand in Super Bowl history....

After Pete Johnson picked up two yards on the first play, the Niners held him to no gain on second down.....with third down and goal from the one-yard line, the Bengals opted for a pass play.....but running back Charles Alexander cut off his route short of the end zone and 49ers linebacker Dan Bunz made a spectacular solo tackle holding the Bengals from paydirt....with fourth down looming, the Bengals sent big ole Pete Johnson into the middle of the line once again, only to get stuffed as the 49ers front line penetrated into the backfield and linebacker Jack Reynolds ended the play.....

The Bengals would close to within 26-21 but it was a day of lost opportunities for Cincinnati....

Despite an average game, by his standards, Montana won his first of three Super Bowl MVPs.....and head coach Bill Walsh was annoited a "genius" with his new style of offense....

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