NFL game summary for 12/12/1971:
Forty-niner quarterback John Brodie threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Larry Schreiber and scored later on a five-yard run as San Francisco kept its hopes alive for a playoff position, while eliminating the Falcons.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 132.1 (12) | 160.4 (9) | 292.5 (13) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 151.1 (20) | 115.3 (1) | 266.4 (7) | 36 | |
 | OFFENSE | 148.9 (9) | 189.3 (3) | 338.2 (2) | 40 |
| DEFENSE | 122.8 (10) | 147.2 (10) | 269.9 (9) | 26 |
Line: n/a
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (6-6-1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| San Francisco 49ers (8-5-0) | 7 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
( 0- 7) SF Ken Willard 1 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick)
( 0-14) SF Larry Schreiber 23 yard pass from John Brodie (Bruce Gossett kick)
( 0-21) SF John Brodie 5 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick)
( 3-21) ATL Bill Bell 18 yard field goal
( 3-24) SF Bruce Gossett 48 yard field goal
ATL SF
First Downs: 8 18
Rushes-yards: 22-61 46-171
Yards/rush: 2.8 3.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 9-23-80-2 9-18-126-1
Sacked-yards: 2-11 1-7
Net pass yards: 69 119
Net yards/pass: 2.8 6.3
Total net yards: 130 290
Total plays: 47 (46% run) 65 (70% run)
Yards/play: 2.8 4.5
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 3-0
Turnovers: 4 1
Penalties-yards: 3-18 4-40
Attendance: 44,582
Passing:
ATL: Bob Berry, 9 of 23 for 80 yards (2 int) SF: John Brodie, 9 of 18 for 126 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
ATL: Cannonball Butler, 12 for 14 yards; Art Malone, 4 for 13 yards; Harmon Wages, 2 for 31 yards; Bob Berry, 2 for 6 yards; Sonny Campbell, 1 for 5 yards; Jim Mitchell, 1 for -8 yards SF: Ken Willard, 22 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Vic Washington, 13 for 33 yards; Larry Schreiber, 6 for 54 yards; John Brodie, 2 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Ted Kwalick, 1 for 12 yards; John Isenbarger, 1 for 1 yard; Jimmy Thomas, 1 for -8 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Jim Mitchell, 3 for 40 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 16 yards; Cannonball Butler, 2 for 6 yards; Harmon Wages, 1 for 9 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 9 yards SF: Vic Washington, 3 for 30 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 45 yards; Ted Kwalick, 2 for 12 yards; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Dick Witcher, 1 for 16 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 2 for 42 yards; Cannonball Butler, 2 for 41 yards; Sonny Campbell, 1 for 22 yards SF: Vic Washington, 1 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 2 for 2 yards; Ray Brown, 1 for 0 yards SF: Bruce Taylor, 2 for 7 yards; Preston Riley, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Greg Brezina, 1 for 4 yards SF: Skip Vanderbundt, 1 for 10 yards; Jimmy Johnson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: Billy Lothridge, 4 for 154 yards SF: Jim McCann, 5 for 194 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Bill Bell, 1/1 SF: Bruce Gossett, 1/2
ATL: Bob Berry, 9 of 23 for 80 yards (2 int) SF: John Brodie, 9 of 18 for 126 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
ATL: Cannonball Butler, 12 for 14 yards; Art Malone, 4 for 13 yards; Harmon Wages, 2 for 31 yards; Bob Berry, 2 for 6 yards; Sonny Campbell, 1 for 5 yards; Jim Mitchell, 1 for -8 yards SF: Ken Willard, 22 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Vic Washington, 13 for 33 yards; Larry Schreiber, 6 for 54 yards; John Brodie, 2 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Ted Kwalick, 1 for 12 yards; John Isenbarger, 1 for 1 yard; Jimmy Thomas, 1 for -8 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Jim Mitchell, 3 for 40 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 16 yards; Cannonball Butler, 2 for 6 yards; Harmon Wages, 1 for 9 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 9 yards SF: Vic Washington, 3 for 30 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 45 yards; Ted Kwalick, 2 for 12 yards; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Dick Witcher, 1 for 16 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 2 for 42 yards; Cannonball Butler, 2 for 41 yards; Sonny Campbell, 1 for 22 yards SF: Vic Washington, 1 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Willie Belton, 2 for 2 yards; Ray Brown, 1 for 0 yards SF: Bruce Taylor, 2 for 7 yards; Preston Riley, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Greg Brezina, 1 for 4 yards SF: Skip Vanderbundt, 1 for 10 yards; Jimmy Johnson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: Billy Lothridge, 4 for 154 yards SF: Jim McCann, 5 for 194 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Bill Bell, 1/1 SF: Bruce Gossett, 1/2