From: timr@sco.COM (Tim Ruckle)
Subject: 49ers topple Giants 31-14
Warning: LONG article
Organization: The Gifted and the Damned
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 23:43:48 GMT
Summary: 3 TD catches for Rathman, Watters 100 yards rushing, Bono in for Young
Keywords: revenge



Was it proof that the Niners have retained the momentum they had at the
end of last season, or merely an easy win against a Giants team very much
in decline?  Only time will tell...  But the 49ers looked very much on
track last Sunday.  

As one SF journalist remarked, the Giants made one key mistake--they hit
Steve Young just a little too hard. ;^)  Still, Young went 4 for 6 and
passed for a touchdown before coming out of the game.  But it was Bono--
coming off the bench to complete 15 of 22 for 187 yards, 2 TDs and no
INT's--who woke up Monday morning to find himself the highest rated passer
in the league.  No QB controversy here though--nosireebob--Young is still
the starter. 

Add to that the fact that the 49ers have finally found themselves a running
game, and they have an offense that looks like it can perform as well as any.
Rookie Ricky Watters rushed for 100 yards in his NFL debut--the first Niner
ever, and the first player in the league in five years to do so.  He averaged
7.7 yards per carry, and also had 5 catches for 50 yards.  The returning
offensive line of the 49ers, undersized by NFL standards, dominated the
Giant defense which had given them so much trouble in the last few years.
In short, it was sweet.  (In last year's 16 games, the 49ers' running backs
combined for 100 yards only four times...)

You might recall that earlier, in my analysis of the 49er running backs in
camp I'd said:

   After leading NFC with 78 receptions in '89, he's had only 48 in '90
   and 34 last year for 286 yards.  Respected as one of the best blocking
   backs in the NFL, he's started every game since '88.  But last year
   rushed 63 times for a dissapointing 183 yards (2.9 avg).  He did lead
   49ers running backs with 6 TD's, being the primary running back for
   short and goal situations.  While he has had relatively disappointing
   seasons the last two years, ``Woody'' is still one of my favorite
   characters on the team.

   And depending on how the 49er backfield shapes up, and what the
   offensive philosopy under Mike Shanahan turns out to be, he may
   very well have another exceptional year.  He's certainly still
   capable of it.  Last year he averaged 4 carries per game.  In '89,
   playing alongside a still potent Roger Craig, he averaged about 5
   catches per game.  With another franchise halfback on the team,
   especially one willing and able to block if need be, he could
   easily repeat that performance.

Well, Rathman caught 5 passes for 34 yards and 3 (!) touchdowns.  The
wide receivers were relatively unused in the game, and tight end Brent
Jones did not have a catch.  I hope that this wasn't just a fluke, and
they continue to use Rathman--and Watters learns to block a just little
better--they generally looked much better in the pro set than with
Henderson in the one back formation (of course I also want to see Rice
break the career TD record in the next couple games ;^).

The 49ers had previously fallen to the Giants in low-scoring games where
NY controlled the ball.  Last Sunday the Niners controlled the ball for
27 first downs and had a 10 1/2 minute edge in time of possesion.  The
score might have been 45-7, if not for a couple key penalties (one which
erased a touchdown, and another which kept a Giants scoring drive alive)
and the failure of the 49er offense to score on first-and-goal from the
1-yard line.

On the other hand, the 49ers fumbled five times, but only turned the ball
over once in the entire game.  The Giants kept the game close enough to
to make the game exciting (until the fourth quarter anyways), but the 49ers
really controlled the tempo of the game and it seemed to me that the game
was never really as close as the scoring summary might indicate...

The Niner defense played well overall.  Simms was sacked 4 times, Tim
Harris with two of them.  The revamped linebacking corps played very well,
and scored 7 points.  Cornerbacks Don Griffin and Eric Davis made two
nifty pass breakups each, and strong safety David Whitmore forced a fumble.
The major questionmark remains rookie safety Dana Hall, who missed a tackle
which resulted in a touchdown, and generally appeared outclassed on the
playing field.

Another problem point remains with penalties--the Niners were called for
9 in all for 54 yards.  Jerry Rice not only erased his own touchdown, he
also brought back a 52-yard pass to Taylor.  Harris' offsides kept a Giants
scoring drive alive.  Last year the 49ers registered the second most penalty
yards in the NFC, behind only Atlanta (and forth in the league, behind only
the Raiders and Steelers in the AFC)

Rookie punter Klaus Wilmsmeyer had only two punts--one pretty good, one not
so good, and neither one returned--so it's hard to evaluate his performance
yet, or the coverage teams.  Cofer hit one field goal from 36 yards, and
missed one from 49.  Amp Lee (1 for 27 yards) and Marc Logan (2 for 45 yards)
looked okay returning kickoffs, and Don Griffin averaged 15 yards on his four
punt returns (though I would find a second-stringer to do this duty if I were
them...).  The kickoff coverage looked decent, and the only real gaffe on
special teams was Harris' offsides penalty from punt formation.

I thought the coaching and play calling was very good, though some might
question the calls that failed to score from the Giants' goal line (but
i think it's one of those deals though where you're praised if it works,
and second guessed if it doesn't...)

Including Young's concussion, the 49ers suffered six injuries--all were
listed as "probable" for the home opener against the Bills: starters
Jerry Rice (bruised right elbow) and Mike Cofer (strained left arch) and
backups Keith Henderson (bruised thigh), Merton Hanks (strained wrist)
and Thane Gash (sprained shoulder).

Other notes: Seifert hinted that a Joe Montana could be considered for
their starter, and that "basically" Young would have to play his way out
of the job to lose it.  Joe on the other hand, denied the reports that
he'd asked to be traded, and seemed to accept the wisdom of his being
put on IR.  The NFL Commissioner threw out the ``first ball of opening day''
to Montana, and yes, there was bunting (per John Madden's suggestions).
Later in the game Montana was shown explaining to Steve Young what
happened on the play where he was knocked silly.
As the blimp was off in Florida helping with communications there, they
had a "nosebleed cam" set up on top of the lights in the stadium (which
was virtually useless, and used mostly before cutting away to comercials).
Madden seemed to correctly diagnose Young's condition before the 49ers did,
pointing out the doctors' shadowing him and Montana's explaination of the
hit.  The rolled tape of the Jan 4th, 1987 game where Jim Burt levelled
Montana (who was taken away in an ambulance).  Madden also said that both
Montana and Burt were seen in the same mexican resturant in New Jersey...
Other typical Madden stuff: shots of a tailgate party that got "too fancy"
where somebody was having trouble getting their wine bottle opened, "That
guy was never a nose-tackle, Vern."  And Madden likes Rathman to of course,
"The guy could've played before they had helmets!"


Here's a detailed recap of the game (from memory, a few notes, and the
papers--any mistakes are my own) for those who missed it and are interested:

49ers shut down the Giant offense on their first series, with Dennis Brown
registering his 1st sack of the season.  Cornerback Don Griffin looked a
bit tenative in his first try at a punt return.  On their very first play
from scrimmage, Quarterback Steve Young set up Jerry Rice by throwing to
him high over the middle.  Rice made a futile attempt to catch the ball
before taking a vicious hit from the strong safety Greg Jackson.  Jackson,
however, was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play.  Ricky
Watters got his first carry in a regular season game, sweeping left for 13
yards.  One their fifth play from scrimage, with the 49ers in a one-back
set using Keith Henderson, defensive end Leonard Marshall (who knocked
Joe Montana out of the '90 NFC championship game) flushed Young out of the
pocket and right into the other defensive end Eric Dorsey.  Young took a
crushing blow and left the field.

Steve Bono came off the bench and didn't miss a beat.  With 3rd down from
the Giants twenty-yard line, Rice beat cornerback Mark Collins, ran right
by the inside help, and caught a perfect pass from Bono.  However, there was
a flag on the play, and it turned out to be--of all things--a false start on 
Rice himself.  Even the officials were not spared from the hard hitting, as
the Field Judge was shaken up on the play.  One the next play Harris Barton
was called for holding.  With third-down and 22-yards-to-go, Bono connected
with Henderson, who promptly fumbled the ball, though wide Receiver Mike
Sherrard recovered for the 49ers.  Kicker Mike Cofer missed the 48-yard
field goal attempt (short and to the left).

As announcer John Madden put it, ``There's a fine line between high-intensity
and sloppy football.''

After the 49ers again held the Giants to three-and-out, Griffin fumbled at
the end of his 30-yard return.  Giants linebacker Kanavis McGhee looked to
have recovered, but the officials ruled that he did not have possession before
going out of bounds.  Young came back into the game to lead a five-play
scoring drive that he later confessed he could not even remember.

He immediately connected with Rice for 11-yards down to the New York 38.
Next Watters who made nifty 18-yard run to the 9.  After a couple more
Watters' runs, with third-and-goal on the three, Young faked a handoff
and bootleg'd--evading an unblocked Lawrence Taylor who took an inside
angle--and hit fullback Tom Rathman for a touchdown.  Rathman had not had
a TD catch since '89, and it would not his last on the day.  Afterwards
49ers' team doctors continued to quiz Young on the sidelines.

The Giants offense stalled once more.  There was nice coverage by 49er
cornerback Eric Davis on one play, and a dropped pass by the Giants
Calloway on third down.  At this point the Giants had -3 total yards.

Young came back in on the next 49er possession.  He had a 12-yard pass
to Rice, and ran on first down for 3 yards--sliding down for perhaps the
first time in his career.  Watters had a run up the middle for a couple,
but on third-and-four the Giants blitzed and Young was sacked by Lawrence
Taylor.  Young did not enter the game again.

Rookie free-agent punter Klaus Wilmsmeyer, who was just activated for the
game, got off a nice punt, which was fair caught by Dave Megget on the
Giants 14-yard line.  With two minutes left in the first quarter the Giants
managed to secure their first first-down.  After an incomplete pass and
a stuffed Jarrod Bunch run, Dave Megget picked up a blitzing Thane Gash
and Simms connected to Ed McCaffrey for 25 yards.  But on the next series,
when Doug Reasonburg tried to cut Tim Harris, Harris quickly jumped up and
batted down the ball being passed his way.  On third down the 49ers went
with only three defensive lineman, and cornerback Eric Griffin made a nice
play to break up the pass.  Landeta's fourth punt went out of bounds on
the 49ers' 12-yard line.

Bono came back in, hitting Watters in the flat for a 1st down.  Henderson
then got the ball for a few yards.  On the next play Bono hit John Taylor
for 52-yards, but had it called back--unbelievably, it was Jerry Rice pulling
another illegal motion penalty.  Seifert was livid on the sidelines.  On
2nd-and-13 the 49ers lined up in a 4-WR set with Henderson the lone setback,
and handed off to him for four yards or so.  The pass to Sherrard on third
down was dropped, and Wilmsmeyer this time shanked his punt to the right.
Luckily for the 49ers, they would not need to call on his services again
in the course of the game.

On the Giants next possession they finally showed some life in their
offense.  Simms had a 20-yard pass to Mark Ingram down the the 49ers
24-yard line.  Rodney Hapmton carried the ball 13 yards down to the 11,
then took if from there around the left side for a touchdown.  Rookie
Dana Hall made a poor attempt at an open-field tackle, taking the wrong
angle and only getting a hand on him.  The drive went 5 plays for 54 yards,
and tied up the game at 7 all.

Rookie Amp Lee fielded the kickoff and had a very nice return.  He was
tackled by--of all people--kicker Matt Barr.  Not only that, but Barr
was called on a personal foul for a 15-yard facemask penalty, and he came
up limping.  (while I think it's admirable when kickers want to get in
there and play like ``real'' football players, it seems to me the kind
of risk that can loose you the game or even the season...)

The 49ers continued to dominate the Giants defensive line.  With the
ball on the 47, Watters got the call on first down for seven yards or
so.  On the next play Bono hit Taylor for a 24-yard pass, who used his
"stiff-arm" to take it down to the Giants 22-yard line.  After a motion
penalty which made it first and fifteen, Henderson got the ball for a
4 yard run.  Next a pass to Watters who took it "prancing" down to the
18-yard-line.  But on third and six the pass went incomplete to tight
end Brent Jones, who was covered well by linebacker Pepper Johnson.
Coffer came in to make the 36-yard field goal, and then came back to
knock the kickoff out of the end zone.

Then the 49er defense ruined a Giants drive.  Tight end Howard Cross
got the toss from Simms, but fumbled after a smashing hit from safety
David Whitmore (with some help from John Johnson).  Cornerback Eric Davis
recovered for the 49ers.  With the ball on the Giants 40 they then put
together an impressive 6-play drive:  a 10-yard reverse to Taylor, a trap
play to Henderson for about 6, on third and six a 9-yard pass in flat to
Watters taking it down to the New York 17.  Then a bootleg--to the right
this time--pass to Rathman, who launched himself into the endzone from
the 3-yard line for a touchdown.

On their next drive the Giants managed a couple first downs--one on a
49er offsides penalty, before sputtering.  Dave Megget had his first
catch of the night to take it into 49er territory, but Simms paid for
it with a hit from Pierce Holt.  Holt got to Simms again, and this time
the pass went incomplete.  On second and ten, from the shotgun, Simms
had his pass dropped.  On third down Giant tackle Doug Riesenburg was
called for a facemask against Harris.  The 49ers declined the penalty,
and Landeta came on and punted it into the endzone.  The 49ers kneeled
down to end the half.

The 49ers were moving the ball again on the opening drive of the third
quarter.  Rice caught a pass for a first down on the Niner 45.  Rathman
had an 11-yard un up the middle, and then another down to the Giants 40.
Eric Howard was called for encroachment after knocking center Jesse Sapulo
on his backside before the ball was snapped.  One first down guard Guy
McIntyre somehow ended up with Bono's pass, so he ran with it (and came
back to the huddle laughing).  After throwing an incomplete pass towards
Rice, Bono scrambled away from the blitzing Giants and ran for the first
down.  The drive stalled though, when a Watters fumble was recovered by
Leonard Marshall on the Giants 22 (though it looks like Bono was actually
credited with the fumble for some reason).

The 49ers defense didn't look as good on this possession.  Simms completed
a 14-yard pass on 3rd-and-5 to the Giants 39.  Still, Eric Davis broke up
an potential TD pass, and the Niners had them stopped on their own 45.  But
on 4th-and-five in punt formation, Tim Harris jumped off-sides to keep the
Giants drive alive.  Bunch had a nice 29-yard carry, running over Dana Hall
(who was also called for a 5-yard facemask).  With first-and-goal on the
49ers 6, all it took was a couple Hampton runs to knock it into the endzone.

Marc Logan and Amp Lee were both back deep for the kickoff, and Logan brought
it out to the 29.  Bono hit Taylor on play action, and JT broke the tackle
of cornerback Collins for a 36-yard gain to the NY 35.  After Watters dropped
one ball, he caught one in the flat for an 11-yard gain.   Then Sherrard got
his one catch of the day for 10 yards.  Watters had a nifty run, spinning off
tacklers and getting a good block from Rathman on Banks, before being tackled
on the 4-yard-line by collins for a 10-yard gain.  The 49ers had a scare when
Henderson fumbled on the next play, but he recoved it on his own.  They then
called a time out.  With second-and-goal on the 4, they sent Taylor in motion
and Bono hit Rathman in the flat for yet another touchdown.  The drive went
71 yards on 7 plays in 3:57.

Giants WR Joey Smith bobbled the kickoff in the endzone before getting control
of it and accepting the touchback.  Simms had a 4-yard toss to Hampton, before
being sacked--this time by Harris.  On 3rd-and-14, Simms took the ball from the
shotgun and completed the pass to TE Howard Cross for only 11 yards, and the
Giants once again were forced to punt.

Griffin was back for Landeta's punt, which hung in the air for 3.6 seconds,
and ran the ball out of bounds at the Niners 45.  Henderson then ran the
ball for 9 yards.  On the next play Marshall was called for encroachment,
giving the 49ers a first down.  Rice then had a 7 yard catch before Rathman
got the ball again, this time carrying it down to the Giants 30.  Rice caught
a wobbly pass and took it down to the 15.  Watters caught another pass and
faught his way to the 1-yard-line.  A penalty set them back five yards, and
with first-and-goal from the six Bono was nearly intercepted by Pepper Johnson
after Marshall tipped the ball.  Rathman got the call again but was stopped
just short of the goal line.  Then Rice got the ball on a reverse, but had
no gain after being tackled by Collins on the 1.  The 49ers went for it on
4th down--but Collins again made the play by tipping the ball away--and
the Giants took over on downs. 

Down by ten points, the Giants could have changed the momentum of the game
with a scoring drive.  Instead, the 49er defense put it away.  With Jeff
Hostetler--ball in hand--looking on from the sidelines, Simms overthrew
Ingram not once but twice.  But on third down, with seemingly no 49ers
covering him, he finally connected to Ingram for 21 yards and the first
down.  He then connected with Hampton for 14, and then hit Ingram again
for 12 or so.  At this point the only thing the 49er defense seemed to be
preventing was a NY fourth down.  But on their sixth play from scrimmage,
linebacker John Johnson stepped in front of McCaffrey and wrestled away
Simms' pass--returning it 56 yards for a touchdown.  Dennis Brown (who
was later to get the defensive game ball) provided the final block by
knocking down Simms.  Brown, who's down to 305 pounds this year and playing
very well, was described by Madden as one of the quickest big men he has
ever seen.

Johnson later said that there was confustion on the play and the defense
had been in the wrong coverage, though it seemed to work out well for him.
It was only his second interception in his life, counting just one in
college.  Johnson was a second-round draft pick who last year spent his
rookie season playing mostly on special teams in 9 games.

The final Giant's possession was largely uneventful.  Harris had another
sack, but this time was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for using his
"six guns" (something he had done on his previous sack with no infraction).
Megget, who was coming off an injury and didn't play very well all day,
dropped a screen pass on second down.  Simms overthrew Calloway on third,
and on fourth down the Niners stuffed the Megget run for a loss of yardage
and took over on downs.

Watters then continued to pile up yardage at will against the Giants--
11 yards, 6 yards, 8 yards.  As the Giants fans chanted ``Ray Must Go!''
Watters converted on second down to effectively end the game.  After one
more Watters run, the 49ers gave the ball to Amp Lee to run out the game.
Lee did not fair as well, and the Niners actually turned over the ball on
downs with 13 seconds left in the game, which ended on a Bunch run up the
middle.

I'll take it. One down, fifteen to go.  Bring on the defending AFC champs.

-timr

--
I'm going after *Jerry Rice's* record.                      --Tom Rathman