When the Saints met the 49ers in Game 9 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, rookie RB Virgil Robinson had caught four passes–all against Oakland the week before.

Rookie sensation Archie Manning was out of action from multiple injuries against the Raiders. So Edd Hargett, who threw all four of Robinson's completions the week before, played the entire game against the Niners. No one expected that the unlikely combination of Hargett-to-Robinson would produce the winning touchdown.

The game went back and forth. The 49ers scored the first 10 points, and the Saints got the next 10. After Frisco went ahead 13-10 on a field goal in the third quarter, the Saints took the lead for the first time on Hargett's 22y pass to former 49er WR Dave Parks. But the PAT was blocked.

Charlie Durkee's field goal extended the NO lead to 19-13 early in the fourth quarter. Neither team close to scoring until the 49ers cranked up a drive that culminated in John Brodie's 7y touchdown pass to FB Vic Washington. Bruce Gossett's PAT put Frisco ahead 20-19 with only 2:34 remaining. No doubt many fatalistic Saints fans were thinking, "Just our luck to lose this game on a blocked field goal."

The Saints' possession started badly when Hargett was dropped for a 9y loss, then threw an incompletion. But Cedrick Hardman was called for unnecessary roughness. So instead of third and 24, it was first and 10 on the 43.

Then came the big play. Hargett sent WR Danny Abramowicz deep down the right sideline while receiver Al Dodd ran a short out pattern from the slot position on the same side. When Edd threw to Al, S Johnny Fuller tried for the interception and missed. Helped by Danny's block downfield, Al raced for 49y before DB Mike Simpson ran him out of bounds on the 10 with a little over a minute left.

Everyone expected the Saints to run the ball several times, then kick the winning field goal. Hargett said afterward, "I thought we'd keep the ball on the ground." But after LB Dave Wilcox smashed Bob Gresham for a loss of two on first down, the sideline sent in a surprising play. As Hargett dropped back to pass, rookie RB Virgil Robinson circled out of the backfield and caught the ball on the goal line. "It's a basic play in our attack," said Coach J. D. Roberts. "We had planned to run the clock down," said Hargett, "but Robin­son made a good move and got open."

57 seconds was more than enough time for veteran QB John Brodie to lead a touch­down drive to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But SS Hugo Hollas picked off a Brodie aerial with 27 seconds to go. The 49er fans, disgusted that their 6-2 club had lost to the 2-4-2 Saints after beating them in the Crescent City in Week 2, made hooting noises.

Saints president John Mecom, Jr., went around happily shaking players' hands in the locker room, saying "Thank you, sir," to each.