The 1981 NFC Championship game between the Cowboys and 49ers at Candlestick Park represented a clash of eras: Dallas, coached by Tom Landry, had posted 16 consecutive winning seasons, including a Super Bowl title most recently in 1977. San Francisco, on the other hand, was led by third-year coach Bill Walsh, who in his first two seasons had gone a combined 8-24. But the 49ers now boasted some young, maturing talent including the 25-year-old Joe Montana, in his first full season as starting quarterback, and 25-year-old receiver Dwight Clark. Montana threw a pair of first half touchdowns, one of them to Clark, but Dallas scored two TDs and a field goal to lead, 17-14, at halftime. In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys’ Danny White tossed a 21-yard touchdown to Doug Cosbie to put Dallas ahead, 27-21. That’s when Montana faced the biggest test of his young career; under five minutes remained, and the 49ers had to go 89 yards. Montana led San Francisco all the way to the Cowboys’ 6. With 58 seconds left, on a critical third down, he threw an off-balance pass that was caught by Clark in the back of the end zone. “The Catch,” as the iconic play became known, lifted the 49ers to a 28-27 victory and would prove an opening act in their 1980s dynasty.