The San Francisco 49ers are discovering that there is life without Jerry Rice, out for the year after surgery to a badly twisted knee. The 49ers have won every game after being upset by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener, the same game in which Rice was injured.
Heretical as it may sound, Rice's disappearance may be a blessing in disguise - at least for now. It has forced San Francisco to rely on other players, who have risen to the occasion. When Rice was in the game, Steve Young, the 49ers quarterback, would look to him more than anyone else. That was natural enough as Rice is the game's premier receiver, but it lent a certain predictability to San Francisco's attack.
Now, San Francisco's game possesses more variety, as Young has been forced to spread the ball around. Terrell Owens and J J Stokes may not be as illustrious as Rice, but they have been highly effective nonetheless. The 49ers have also discovered a fine back in Garrison Hearst, who rushed for 847 yards for the Cincinnati Bengals last year.
Few believed Bob McKittrick, the offensive line coach, when he said that Hearst may be the best back San Francisco has ever had, but Hearst has delivered so far. William Floyd and Terry Kirby, two other versatile backs who can also catch, further enrich the 49ers offence.
San Franciscos's varied attack was in full display on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, a team the 49ers have beaten six times in their last seven meetings. The game in Atlanta was a tad too close for comfort for the 49ers, but they came out on top once again, winning 35-28. Hearst rushed for 105 yards, including a lengthy dash in the first half that set up Kirby's one-yard touch down, his first of two TDs for the afternoon.
Kirby's pair of TDs and Owens's five-yard TD reception gave San Francisco a 21-14 lead at the half. Atlanta did well to stay within reach, despite the complete absence of a running attack, forcing Chris Chandler to attempt deep passes, most of which flew astray. Atlanta's rushing total was only 39 yards compared to San Francisco's 197.
Still, Atlanta, under their new coach Dan Reeves, was like a guest who refused to go away. The Falcons made it a 28-21 game when Chandler connected with Todd Kinchen for a 55-yard TD pass late in the third quarter. But the 49ers finally wrapped up matters, thanks to Kirby's 82-yard gallop after a short pass from Young. On the next play, the first in the fourth quarter, Floyd charged in for a one-yard TD.
"It was the kind of game you knew you'd get sooner or later," said Young, who threw for 259 yards and two TDs. We got tested and retested and our offence was able to come up with big plays.
Admittedly, the 49ers, under new coach Steve Mariucci, has benefited from a soft schedule so far and they will almost certainly lament Rice's absence when the going gets rougher.
The Oakland Raiders ended the Denver Broncos unbeaten streak thanks to a rampaging Napoleon Kaufman, who set a team rushing record with 227 yards. Kaufman's haul included an 83-yard scoring run as he broke free from a pile of bodies to sprint down the sideline and give the Raiders a 28-17 lead. The Raiders' eventually won 2825.
The New York Jets proved that they can compete with the best, when they overcame the New England Patriots 24-19. Bill Parcells, who took the Patriots to the Super Bowl last year, demonstrated his coaching acumen by benching Neill O'Donnell, the Jets starting quarterback, in favour of Glenn Foley. It was the first time the Jets had beaten the Patriots in their last seven encounters.
"You've got to give credit to Bill," said New England star receiver Terry Glenn."He made a change and it shocked everybody and it worked."
Jets starting quarterback Neil O'Donnell was six-of-15 for 59 yards in the first half before he was yanked by Parcells.
Foley, born and raised in nearby Cherry Hill, New Jersey, completed 17-of-23 passes, including 14 completions in a row, for 200 yards and one touchdown. His five-yard scoring pass to full-back Lorenzo Neal with 11:32 left in the final quarter gave New York the lead for good.
"This is a tough one to take," said Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who completed 24-of-38 passes for 294 yards, two touchdowns and one intercecption. "The Jets just came in and outplayed us in the second half."Guardian Service.
