From: marshall@NEBULA.SSD.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM (Bob Marshall)
Subject: 49ers/Bucs
Reply-To: marshall@NEBULA.SSD.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 92 00:25:29 GMT

It wasn't as easy as it should have been, but the 49ers prevailed over
the Bucs by a final score of 21-14. The 49ers had been favored to win
by nearly three touchdowns, but the Bucs played them tough; the game
was every bit as close as the final score indicates. In fact, with four
minutes to go the Bucs had first and goal on the seven and were
threatening to tie the game. But the 49ers held.

Tampa Bay scored first on a beautfilly designed and beautifully executed
play. From their own 49-yard line, the ball was given to Gary Anderson
on a sweep to the right. As he reached the right side of the line, he
reversed his field, as if he were hemmed in. As he ran back the other
way he turned and pitched the ball back to Testaverde. By then Dana Hall
had bitten all the way down on the fake, and the tight end Anthony McDowell
was wide open with no one within 20 yards of him. Easy touchdown. I *love*
to see innovation like this; how come the 49ers never come up with this
kind of stuff? Maybe they just don't need it; who knows. But I like it.

The 49ers came back to tie the score on a seven-yard pass to Taylor. The
score was tied at seven at the half.

The 49ers took the lead early in the second half on a beautifully thrown
TD pass to Rice. Later in the third quarter Rice worked himself wide open
for another potential touchdown catch, but he lost the ball in the sun;
I've rarely seen that happen. The Bucs came back with a very nice drive
to tie the score at 14, scoring on 4th and goal from the one early in
the fourth quarter. The 49ers then came back and scored the eventual
winning touchdown on a 31-yard TD to Rice on which the coverage was very
good, but the pass was just too perfectly thrown to defend.

Good game by Tampa Bay; one break here or there and they could have won
the thing. And they almost got that break due to some questionable play
calling near the end of the game. With about 90 seconds left in the game
and the 49ers trying to run out the clock, they called a reverse to Rice!
Nothing like an invitation to disaster! Sure enough, the ball was stripped
from Rice, but fortunately for the 49ers it bounced right to Guy McIntyre.
And just to prove that their brains really were frozen, the subsequent
call was a bomb to Rice, which wasn't even close, thus stopping the clock.
Thus Tampa Bay got the ball back with about 70 seconds left, but the best
they could manage was to get the ball to the 49ers' 36, where a Hail Mary
pass fell harmlessly to the ground as time ran out.

Amp Lee started at running back, but Rickey Watters came in later and
gained enough yards to put him over the 1000-yard mark. He looked to be
fully healed. On the injury front, Don Griffin went out late in the game,
and so did Bill Romanowski. There were no reports on the extent of
their injuries, but they did not appear to be serious.

So, not an impressive win, but a win nonetheless. At 13-2, the 49ers
have won the NFC West and have assured themselves of not having to
leave California for the rest of the season (their longest trip would
be to Pasadena!).

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Bob Marshall                     \\     "Women aren't as smart as they
Lockheed Missiles & Space Co.     \\     think they are; they think we
Sunnyvale, CA                      \\    men know a lot more than we
marshall@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com\\   really do."
"I tell the truth 'cept when I lie"  \\     - Tim the Toolman
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro