2002 San Francisco 49ers season The first season following divisional realignment , the Niners won the new - look NFC West title with a 10 – 6 record ; they swept new division rivals Seattle and Arizona while splitting with the Rams ; the Niners lost to former division rival New Orleans . In the playoffs the Niners fell behind the New York Giants 38 – 14 but erupted with 25 unanswered points and survived a chaotic last - second field goal attempt by the Giants ; the 39 – 38 win was the 26th playoff win in the team ' s history . The Niners lost the next week at Tampa Bay and coach Steve Mariucci was fired . As of 2011 , this is the last season the 49ers have reached the playoffs . It was also the last true winning season for the 49ers until 2011 , when they finally snapped their eight - year non - winning jinx . 2002 Schedule . Week 1 : at New York Giants . " at Giants Stadium , East Rutherford , New Jersey " " Passing : " K . Collins ( NYG ) - 28 / 45 342 yards , 0 TD , 3 Int " Rushing : " G . Hearst ( SF ) - 12 ATT 40 yards , 0 TD " Receiving : " A . Toomer ( NYG ) - 9 REC 134 yards , 0 TD " First Quarter - " New York Giants - M . Bryant 29 yard Field Goal ( 11 plays , 69 yards ; 5 : 59 ) San Francisco 49ers - J . Cortez 23 yard Field Goal ( 9 plays , 63 yards ; 4 : 52 ) " Second Quarter - " New York Giants - M . Bryant 33 yard Field Goal ( 8 palys , 47 yards ; 1 : 03 ) " Third Quarter - " San Francisco 49ers - G . Hearst 9 yeard pass from J . Garcia ( J . Cotez kick ) ( 8 plays , 52 yards ; 4 : 26 ) " Forth Quarter - " San Francisco 49ers - J . Cortez 33 yard Field goal ( 9 plays , 49 yards ; 4 : 54 ) New York Giants - T . Barber 1 yard run ( M . Bryant Kick ) ( 14 plays , 77 yards ; 6 : 13 ) San Francisco 49ers - J . Cortez 36 yard Field Goal ( 6 Plays , 52 Yards ; 1 : 49 ) Week 2 : vs . Denver Broncos . " at Monster Park , San Francisco , California " " Passing : " J . Garcia ( SF ) - 27 / 36 205 yards , 1 TD , 1 INT " Rushing : " M . Anderson ( DEN ) - 10 ATT 95 yards , 0 TD " Receiving : " E . Johnson ( SF ) - 7 REC 69 yards , 0 TD " First Quarter - " No Scoring " Second Quarter - " San Francisco 49ers - T . Owens 8 yard pass from J . Garcia ( J . Cortez Kick ) ( 6 Plays , 56 Yards ; 2 : 37 ) Denver Broncos - J . Elam 28 yard Field goal ( 5 plays , 17 yards ; 1 : 19 ) " Third Quarter - " Denver Broncos - M . Anderson 1 yard pass from B . Griese ( J . Elam Kick ) ( 10 plays , 74 yards ; 5 : 59 ) " Forth Quarter - " Denver Broncos - O . Gary 1 yard run ( J . Elam Kick ) ( 4 plays , 46 yards ; 1 : 59 ) Denver Broncos - S . Montgomery 11 yard pass from B . Griese ( J . Elam Kick ) ( 13 plays , 99 yards ; 6 : 37 ) San Francisco 49ers - J . Garcia 1 yard run ( J . Cortez kick ) ( 8 Plays , 67 Yards ; 1 : 35 ) Notes . This was the first time in 14 years that a game between the 49ers and Broncos was " not " nationally televised . Between 1989 and 2000 , the teams met on national television four consecutive times , on four different networks : Super Bowl XXIV on CBS , a Saturday afternoon game in 1994 on NBC , a Monday night game on ABC in 1997 , and a Saturday afternoon game in 2000 on Fox . Playoffs . NFC Wild Card – January 5 , 2003 . " at 3Com Park , San Francisco , CA " The Steelers ' comeback earlier in the day ( 36 – 33 over the Cleveland Browns ) was matched by San Francisco ' s similar late drive , overcoming a 38 – 14 deficit by scoring 25 unanswered points in the second half . A last - minute Giants drive collapsed when Trey Junkin botched a field goal snap , leading to a desperation heave to the endzone that fell short .