▁he ▁preferred ▁it ▁that ▁way — he ▁believed ▁it ▁would ▁motiv ate ▁his ▁team ▁to ▁play ▁well . ▁O dd sm akers ▁apparently ▁believed ▁so , ▁too ; ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁went ▁in ▁an ▁ 1 1 - point ▁favorite . ▁ ▁Den ver ▁looked ▁strong ▁early ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁visit ing ▁ 4 9 ers ▁ 1 3 – 3 ▁at ▁hal ft ime , ▁but ▁San ▁Francisco ▁used ▁a ▁st ing y ▁goal - line ▁defense ▁and ▁a ▁heavy ▁do se ▁of ▁N FC ▁r ushing ▁champ ▁Frank ▁G ore ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁lead ▁late ▁into ▁the ▁second ▁half . ▁Cor ner back ▁D arr ent ▁Williams ▁( play ing ▁in ▁what ▁would ▁trag ically ▁be ▁his ▁final ▁game ) ▁also ▁left ▁the ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁shoulder ▁injury . ▁ ▁With ▁just ▁ 9 0 ▁seconds ▁left ▁on ▁the ▁clock , ▁ro ok ie ▁Q B ▁Jay ▁C ut ler ▁toss ed ▁a ▁nine - yard ▁touch down ▁to ▁tie ▁the ▁game ▁at ▁ 2 3 . ▁ ▁Ne ither ▁team ▁managed ▁another ▁score ▁in ▁reg ulation , ▁and ▁the ▁game ▁went ▁to ▁over time . ▁ ▁The ▁over time ▁period ▁consisted ▁of ▁classic ▁field - position ▁football , ▁with ▁San ▁Francisco ▁stead ily ▁gain ing ▁field ▁position ▁but ▁losing ▁the ▁battle ▁with ▁the ▁clock . ▁ ▁Despite ▁two ▁over time ▁poss essions , ▁Den ver ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁ball ▁into ▁field ▁goal ▁range . ▁ ▁The ▁Bron cos ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁to