Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the 10 Best Teams in Franchise History

By Peter Panacy

Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) chat before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) chat before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next

No. 7: The 1981 49ers

Regular-Season Record: 13-3, first place in the NFC West, Super Bowl XVI Champions

1981 marked the year in which the 49ers’ dynasty was born, and it was for all the right reasons.

Head coach Bill Walsh had finally seen his experiment working, and developing quarterback Joe Montana was emerging as one of the NFL’s best.

Two years removed from a two-win season, the 1984 49ers ended up finishing with a 13-3 record and the league’s second-best defense.

This was thanks, in large measure, to the budding developments of defenders like Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson and Dwight Hicks.

San Francisco’s offense, employing Walsh’s West Coast approach, was also effective enough to gain the seventh-most points in the league that year (357).

And, of course, fans know all too well how the Niners reached the Super Bowl over the Dallas Cowboys in one of the most unforgettable moments in NFL history.

Yes, “The Catch” has to give this team some boost on the rankings. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to assign the team’s first Super Bowl crown to this year either.

Next: No. 6