Playoff losses over the years

Originally posted by Leathaface:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

• I was there and it is by far the hardest loss ever. Cost us a 3 peat.

I wasn't old enough to experience that one but from everyone's comments that loss might have been the worst of all.

Outside of genuine tough life moments, that was one of the hardest thing I've experienced. We were destined for historic greatness prior to that fumble.
Think of all the great teams you've witnessed - Pats, Chiefs, whoever. None of them have achieved the three-peat. You've seen how hard it is to win the big one just once, right? We were so close.

This one probably ranks at the bottom - it was never a contest. I am sad, but not crushed. Last year was pretty bad, though I felt we had kind of stolen it the week before at GB so it got even in the end.

For me the worst one was 2011, because it was a Cinderella season that was derailed by just two (human - I have forgiven Kyle long ago) errors. It really jarred the perfect season. 1990 was bad, obviously, but for me 1992 was much more damaging. I felt we had the equivalent of the 89 team there, only rebooted in certain positions and was willing Young to finally climb the pinnacle after a monster of a season. The called-back TD for what I still hold to be a BS holding call infuriated me, and the whole "How bout them" rubbish afterwards rubbed salt in the wound. Objectively, even with the TD not rubbed out we might have lost to what was -objectively- a fantastic Dallas team. But the way it transpired deeply damaged me. I am too young to remember the early 70s losses - this is what made me hate Dallas, and they are still the greatest enemy.'13 was fairly bad, again because we had a chance at the end, but I never felt Seattle to be a real rival.

Of the two SB losses, 19 was worse than 12. In 12 we had kind of stolen it again in the NFCCG (Bowman held like crazy on that 4th down), plus we didn't turn up in the first half. '19 was again a wonderful narrative of defence winning it all on its own with the modern game being rigged in favour of offence as much as it did. And up 10 with the ball in the start of the 4th... that was bad.

'87 was fairly shocking, simply because it came out of nowhere. But the pain was rubbed out immediately after. 93 we were just outplayed by a better, though hated, rival. Same with '85 and '86. They were better. None of the GB losses hurt me as badly to be honest, I really thought we were a team on the downswing by then.

So, for me it's: 11, 90, 92, gold, silver and bronze of heartbreak. 19 just below 92, then 12, 13 and then the GB losses and last year's. This year at the bottom together with 86-86, and just below 87 which still shocks me to recall.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by frankieuc68:

Originally posted by Leathaface:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

• I was there and it is by far the hardest loss ever. Cost us a 3 peat.

I wasn't old enough to experience that one but from everyone's comments that loss might have been the worst of all.

Originally posted by Leathaface:
The playoff heartbreak for my time as a 49er fan continues. This team has been awesome but has done so much more big time losing than winning in the last 30 years.

Here are the worst losses in order that I've experienced as a fan. Did get to see the team win SB XXIX, though.

1. 1992 NFCCG vs Dallas - upstart Cowboys...lose at home
2. 1997 NFCCG vs GB - finally had home field but of course Jerry Rice is hurt
3. 2011 NFCCG vs NYG - Kyle Williams game...we were the better team. Also Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled..."Forward progress"
4. 2019 SB loss vs KC - Blow a 10 point lead with the ball. Bosa was held.
5. 2012 SB loss vs BAL - Crabtree mugged in the corner on 3 straight plays. Bad play selection anyway.
6. 1993 NFCCG @ Dallas - 2nd year in a row they smoked us...this one was hard to take
7. 1995 NFC Div vs GB - Coming off of a SB win, heavily favored and got smacked by Favre/Holmgren
8. 2013 NFCCG @ SEA - Screwed by the refs left/right in this one. Also a terrible choice to throw the fade to Crabtree by CK
9. 2021 NFCCG @ LAR - KS/Jimmy G find a way to blow another 10 point 4th quarter lead. Tartt huge INT drop
10. 2022 NFCCG @ PHI - Brock Purdy injury game...and of course replay review screwed us early on
11. 1996 NFC Div @ GB - Elvis Grbac was in so can't be that mad
12. 1998 NFC Div loss @ ATL - Garrison Hearst injury game...we would've won but I'm not sure we win the SB that year
13. 2002 NFC Div loss @ TB - overmatched by TB after epic comeback vs NYG
14. 2001 NFC WC loss @ GB - closer game that it seemed, we had a shot to win at the end but a late Garcia pick sealed it.

So many painful losses. Parcells' Giants was a thorn on our side in the 80s,90s. They destroyed us in 86 with Jim Burt knocking out Montana. The 90 was probably the hardest for me as mentioned above. Leonard Marshall this time destroyed and knocked out Joe. Of course, the Roger Craig fumbled and they won on a FG 15-13. That was a classic defensive struggle and we had Steve Young, Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Brent Jones, Craig, Rathman and we only came up with 13 points and both defenses were loaded. Lott and Craig left the following year while Joe only played in the last home game (farewell game). Those were some of my saddest moments as with all the ones mentioned above.

The Jim Burt hit and the Purdy hit, emotionally affected me the same way. It was a gut punch.

Funny thing Jim Burt ended up playing for us from 89-91 and he witnessed his ex-linemate knocked out Joe. Hated that guy when he was a Giants especially knocking out Joe, but he was like Sherman (when he joined us from Seattle) and ended up cool with him. By the way, I forgot about the biggest upset of 87 vs Anthony Carter Vikings game. We were the big dog that year which eventually spring board us winning the trophy the following 2 years.

Its what we do.

we are the sorry sad sack losers of the league.

11- the worst of the modern era losses imo. Set the tone for heartbreak and the dark cloud that lingers over us. Had we won this, I think don't have this doubt/foreboding feeling that a loss is coming.
12- Harbaugh's ineptitude on full display.
13- window slammed shut. I had very little hope for 2014 onwards on that evening of January 19, 2014.

19- Felt different. Somebody yanked the cloth from right out under the dinner table.
21- similar to 19. Jimmy shat the bed late.
22- similar to 98… somebody took the wind out of our sail before we could even get started

Originally posted by LayTheWoodall:
11- the worst of the modern era losses imo. Set the tone for heartbreak and the dark cloud that lingers over us. Had we won this, I think don't have this doubt/foreboding feeling that a loss is coming.
12- Harbaugh's ineptitude on full display.
13- window slammed shut. I had very little hope for 2014 onwards on that evening of January 19, 2014.

19- Felt different. Somebody yanked the cloth from right out under the dinner table.
21- similar to 19. Jimmy shat the bed late.
22- similar to 98… somebody took the wind out of our sail before we could even get started

I agree that 2011 was the worst. It was a game where we dominated the LOS on both sides of the ball yet somehow still lost due to KW 3 fumbles (yes I said 3, he fumbled a reverse earlier in the game and the 2 muffed PR later). Also, Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled, they called forward progress on a literally routine play. If the fumble stands we get the ball with 2:30 left in the game at the Giants 25 yard line.

To me 1997-98 was a terrible game as well. Home field for the NFCCG only to be an underdog to the Packers with Jerry Rice being out.

We've had an insane amount of playoff failure and heartbreak around the 94-95 season.

So tired of coming so close all these years and coming up empty EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!

I don't even enjoy watching the game anymore. Until they can finally win another Super Bowl, whatever other thing the 49ers might "accomplish" will be meaningless to me

1987 vs the Vikings was horrific
1990 NFC Champ was about as brutal of an event as I have ever witnessed..well sports wise!
2011 NFC Champ Triple roundhouse to the gut with a freaking sledge hammer

This year yeah it sucked but it was over so quick, almost feels like they didn't even play

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

Me too. I was in my early 20's. I kicked a football sized hole in my door and cried myself to sleep. I t was miserable. 😔

Originally posted by Deebo:
Its what we do.

we are the sorry sad sack losers of the league.

What a foolish comment.

Originally posted by NinerJeff:

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

Me too. I was in my early 20's. I kicked a football sized hole in my door and cried myself to sleep. I t was miserable. 😔

That was brutal. (The 3-peat was there for the taking)

I still love Roger Craig.

Originally posted by cortana49:

Originally posted by NinerJeff:

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

Me too. I was in my early 20's. I kicked a football sized hole in my door and cried myself to sleep. I t was miserable. 😔

That was brutal. (The 3-peat was there for the taking)

I still love Roger Craig.

No doubt about it. Nothing tops that one. I thought we were getting that Three-peat at every moment of that whole deal until the kick went sailing thru the uprights. Kick straight to the nuts.

Y'all old as hell.

Originally posted by Leathaface:

Originally posted by SteveWallacesHelmet:
I took the NFCCG where Roger Craig fumbled harder than any one on your list.

Yes, I hear about that one a lot. I wasn't old enough to experience that one but I know it was probably the worst of all.

THE worst

Originally posted by linkboy:
As a kid, that 90 NFC Championship sucked.

Today's game hurts a lot.

Here's a stat, we've got the record for most NFC Championship appearances at 18.

We also hold the record for the most losses at 11.

We're 7 for 11.

One win ties us with Dallas for the most wins at 8.

😢

Just think of how many more chances we had of making it to the Super Bowl? New England has got the most appearances, 10? Well we should be at about 15 in my opinion.