San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 Most Memorable NFC Divisional Home Playoff Games

As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to host the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, the city by the bay waits in anticipation.

A franchise rich in NFL playoff history, this game shines to be one for the ages.

An unstoppable offense in the New Orleans Saints verses an unyielding defense in the San Francisco 49ers.

Candlestick Park.  

January.  

Playoffs.

This is what memories are made of...

Ricky Watters Runs over the New York Giants

In the 1991 NFC Championship game in Candlestick, the New York Giants beat the 49ers after a heartbreaking Roger Craig fumble.

The 49ers' dreams of a three-peat were crushed, as well as Joe Montana's career in San Francisco.

But in the 1994 NFC divisional round, the 49ers relied on a new running back named Ricky Watters to carry the load.

Watters rushed for an NFL playoff record, five touchdowns and topped off an epic 44-3 victory over the Giants in what was to be Lawrence Taylor's last game.

However, the celebration was short-lived, as the 49ers lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game the following week.

49ers Beat the Bears in More Ways Than One.

It was the 1995 divisional round in muddy Candlestick Park and the San Francisco 49ers were once again poised to win it all.

The Chicago Bears were in town and decided to get tough by hitting Steve Young late after he powered over them for a rushing touchdown in the first half.

The 49ers roster came to the defense of their quarterback with some pushing and shoving of their own, including six consecutive scoring drives to drill the Bears 44-15.

Two games later, the 49ers won their fifth Super Bowl.

49ers Seek Revenge on the Vikings

In the 1988 NFC divisional game, the Minnesota Viking's Anthony Carter racked up an unbelievable 227 receiving yards against a top-ranked 49ers team and won in Candlestick.

The 1989 NFC divisional game was essentially the same matchup, except this time Joe Montana threw three touchdowns to Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns.  

The 49ers got their revenge by a final score of 34-9 and went on to win Super Bowl XXIII.

49ers Win a Playoff Game

The year was 1982 and the San Francisco 49ers hadn't won a playoff game since 1971.

The site was Candlestick Park and the coach was Bill Walsh and the quarterback was Joe Montana.

Both were facing their first playoff game as head coach and quarterback.

No one really knew what to expect.

The 49ers had lost a number of heartbreaking playoff games in decades past, but maybe this was a whole new era.

Maybe the 49ers were finally on to something after a decade of losing.

(Sound familiar?)

The 49ers beat the New York Giants in the 1982 NFC divisional round in Candlestick Park, by a score of 38-24.

The 49ers then stayed home to face the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game and the rest is 49ers and NFL history...

"Owens! Owens!" and the End of an Era

Young, almost falls down, throws to the end zone... Owens!  Owens!  Owens!  Owens!  He caught it!  He caught it!  He caught it!

Ah, the dulcet, nasal tones of Joe Starkey.  

OK, so it wasn't a Divisional game but still exciting nonetheless.

Let's face it, the San Francisco 49ers have had some of the most memorable moments in NFL playoff history.

Steve Young throwing to Terrell Owens for what was dubbed, "The Catch II," was one of them.  

And even though the 49ers didn't win the Super Bowl that year, the memories of that moment live on for football eternity.