remaining. As Montana had done for Notre Dame and the 49ers so many times, he led the 49ers on a sustained final 89-yard drive to the Cowboys' 6-yard line. On a 3rd-and-3 play, with his primary receiver covered, Montana rolled right and threw the ball off balance to Dwight Clark, who leaped in the end zone and caught the ball to tie the game at 27 ("The Catch"), with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead. The Cowboys had one last chance to win. On the first play of the next possession, Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson caught a pass from Danny White and reached midfield before he was pulled down by the jersey at the 49ers' 44-yard line by cornerback Eric Wright, who prevented a winning touchdown. On the next play, White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Jim Stuckey, giving the 49ers the win and a trip to their first-ever Super Bowl, against the Cincinnati Bengals, who were also in their first Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XVI The 49ers took a 20–0 halftime lead and held on to win 26–21 behind kicker Ray Wersching's four field goals and a key defensive stand. In the '81 season, the defense had been a significant reason for the team's success, despite hiding in the shadow of the then-innovative offense. Montana won MVP honors mostly on the strength of leading the 49ers on a 92-yard, 12-play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Earl Cooper. The 49ers completed one of the most dramatic and complete turnarounds in NFL history, going from a 2–14 season and a 6–10 season to a Super Bowl championship. The 1982 season was a retrogression; the team lost all five games at Candlestick Park en route to a 3–6 record in a strike-shortened season. This year was the 49ers' last losing season for the next 17 years. Joe Montana was the one highlight, passing for 2,613 yards in just nine games, highlighted by five straight games in which he broke the 300-yard barrier. In 1983, the 49ers won their final three games and finished 10–6, winning their second NFC Western Divisional Title in three years. Leading the rebound was Joe Montana with another stellar season; he passed for 3,910 yards and 26 touchdowns. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, the 49ers hosted the Detroit Lions. The 49ers jumped in front early