(October 17, 1999)--After spending most of the afternoon fighting from behind against the Carolina Panthers, the 49ers still had a chance to forge a tie after Jeff Garcia hit Jerry Rice for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 left. However, an attempted two-point conversion went awry, and a last-minute drive stalled, dooming San Francisco to a 31-29 defeat. The loss was the 49ers' first in the regular season at home since Dec. 8, 1996, which also came to the Panthers. "There isn't any finger pointing in this locker room," QB Jeff Garcia said. "I think everybody realizes we're just not as good as we need to be."
DEFINENTLY NOT THE SAME OL' RAMS
(October 11, 1999) -- Every loss for the 49ers seems to take on greater significance these days. And, let it be known, when the 49ers lose, they don't fool around. A year ago the balance of power in the NFC West swung toward the Atlanta Falcons. On Sunday, the St. Louis Rams served notice that they are now the team to beat in the division. The Rams? You better believe it. Once a punchline to every 49ers joke, the Rams made believers of everyone, including 65,872 cautious home fans, in a 42-20 rout of the 49ers at the Trans World Dome to halt a 17-game head-to-head losing streak.
GARCIA SHINES IN FIRST NFL START
(October 4, 1999) -- It would have been a huge mistake for 49ers backup quarterback Jeff Garcia to think he could have untucked his shirt and told his teammates that he was going to carry them to victory. He was realistic about his role Sunday against the Tennessee Titans in his first NFL start. And so was 49ers coach Steve Mariucci, who addressed the issue in his lecture to his team the night before the game. "I told the team last night in the big meeting that Jeff wasn't going to win this game by himself," Mariucci said. "Jeff had to allow the system to work for him, and to play within his own abilities. He had to allow his teammates to play for him." Garcia did not win it by himself, but he certainly carried as much weight as anybody else in the 49ers' 24-22 victory over the previously undefeated Titans. With starter Steve Young out of action after sustaining a concussion six days earlier, Garcia proved to be more than just a capable fill-in. Garcia completed 21-of-33 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in the 49ers' third consecutive victory after opening the season with a loss in Jacksonville.
YOUNG SUFFERS CONCUSSION IN 49ERS WIN
(September 27, 1999)--With Steve Young, San Francisco was overpowering. Without him, the 49ers were able to hold on, then punctuated their 24-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night with a 68-yard touchdown run by Lawrence Phillips. Young staked San Francisco (2-1) to a 17-0 lead before being knocked out of the game with a mild concussion with 28 seconds left in the first half. Jake Plummer, the quarterback San Francisco passed up in the 1997 draft, has rallied Arizona to victory 10 times in his 29 games with the Cardinals. But this one fell short. Young threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice before he was knocked woozy by the blitzing Cardinals. The 85th time the two combined on a scoring pass.
49ERS ACQUIRE ROBERT WILLIAMS FROM CHIEFS
(Sept. 22, 1999)-- Looking to further bolster their secondary, the San Francisco 49ers acquired cornerback Robert Williams from the Kansas City Chiefs for an undisclosed draft pick in 2000. Williams, a fifth-round draft pick out of North Carolina in 1998, played in all 16 games for the Chiefs last season, starting one, at the San Diego Chargers on Nov. 22, 1998. He posted 23 total tackles for the Chiefs, including seven on special teams, and added four passed defensed and a ½ sack. Williams notched a career high 6 tackles in that lone start against the Chargers.
NINERS EDGE SAINTS
(September 19, 1999) -- The San Francisco 49ers might be nearing the end of a two-decade long run of success. That doesn't mean they can't beat the New Orleans Saints. Steve Young threw two touchdown passes to Terrell Owens, including the tying score in the late going, and Lance Schulters won it with a 64-yard interception return with 1:31 left as the 49ers beat the Saints 28-21 Sunday. It was San Francisco's seventh straight win over New Orleans (1-1) and marked their 12th straight regular-season win following a loss. The 49ers were coming off a 41-3 loss at Jacksonville, their worst defeat in the regular season since 1980, prompting predictions of doom and gloom for the 49ers (1-1).
NOT OFF TO A VERY GOOD START
(September 12, 1999) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars were better than advertised. The San Francisco 49ers looked older and more worn out than their worst fears. In a game that may have signaled a shift of power in the NFL, Mark Brunell threw for 265 yards and Mike Hollis kicked four field goals to lift the Jaguars to a 41-3 victory Sunday. Led by new coordinator Dom Capers, the Jaguars revamped defense clamped down on Steve Young, who was 9-for-26 for 96 yards with two interceptions.
CRAIG NEWSOME IN, MERTON HANKS OUT
(September 7, 1999)--San Francisco continues to shake up its roster in advance of Sunday's critical season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. One day after trading QB Jim Druckenmiller to the Miami Dolphins and just a few hours after acquiring defensive back Craig Newsome from the Packers, the 49ers waived free safety Merton Hanks. One of the 49ers' standout defenders of the 1990s, Hanks made four Pro Bowls while with the team and started every game for the last six seasons. "It's truly one of the most difficult decisions we had to make," general manager Bill Walsh said. "He's one of those guys who will never completely be replaced."
DRUCKENMILLER IS NOW A DOLPHIN
(September 6, 1999) -- Quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, a first-round bust in San Francisco, was traded to the Miami Dolphins on Monday for a conditional draft choice. The trade had been expected since the 49ers kept four quarterbacks when they cut their roster on Sunday: Steve Young, Jeff Garcia, Steve Stentstrom and Druckenmiller. In Miami, Druckenmiller joins coach Jimmy Johnson's cast of other unwanteds, some of whom have produced, some of whom haven't and some of whom are still waiting, like defensive end Dimitrius Underwood, the defensive end who walked out of Minnesota's camp after being taken No. 1 and was injured last week in his first exhibition game.
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NOT A GOOD LAST OUTING
(September 3, 1999)--For the last two decades, the 49ers have come to stand for offensive innovation and proficiency. Without QB Steve Young and receivers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens — all of whom sat out on Friday night — neither of those qualities were in evidence as the Denver Broncos trampled the 49ers 34-3. Denver held the 49ers to an unfathomable 141 total yards and just 5 first downs, while the Broncos' offense amassed 459 yards and 27 first downs. "It wasn't a fun game to go through," coach Steve Mariucci said.
NINERS OWN THE BAY!!!!
(August 30, 1999) -- It was taken as seriously as an exhibition game can be, at least by the Oakland Raiders and their fans. Given a chance to show their stuff against San Francisco, their more glamorous and successful cross-bay rival, the Raiders couldn't prevent second-half scoring passes by Jim Druckenmiller and Jeff Garcia in a 16-8 loss to the 49ers on Monday night. Billed as the Battle of the Bay, the game produced the Raiders' first sellout in two years.
GREG CLARK INJURED IN 49ERS WIN
(August 21, 1999)--Tight end Greg Clark who was hurt Thursday night against the Seahawks suffered a broken rib according to the team and will be out 2 to 4 weeks. He will be re-evaluated at that time. ... For a moment last Sunday, Terrell Owens caused everyone's heart to skip a beat during practice. Owens dived for a pass on Sunday, making the catch, but remaining on the field. Owens got up slowly, favoring his shoulder, and was taken to the locker room. However, the injury isn't serious and Owens shouldn't miss much time. "We think it's probably a strained nerve that's causing him some pain. Hopefully, it will calm down," Mariucci told The San Francisco Chronicle. Owens had X-rays on Monday which were negative. He's listed as day to day. He did not play Thursday against the Seahawks.
JUST CALL EM' THE COMEBACK KIDS!
(August 20, 1999)--The 49ers scored 3 fourth-quarter touchdowns and survived a late scare by the Seahawks on Thursday, winning 24-23 to go to 2-0 in the preseason. Rookie Damon Griffin started the rally by returning a kickoff for a touchdown and then, after the Seahawks fumbled the kickoff, Steve Stenstrom threw a touchdown pass to Na'il Benjamin to tie the Seahawks 17-17. Lastly, David Richie returned an interception for a touchdown. The Seahawks scored with 9 seconds left, but their two-point conversion attempt failed. Rookie Wasswa Serwanga stole the show with 2 interceptions.
49ERS END CAMP
August 18, 1999) -- This was to be a summer of fun. Twenty-two short days of practice, not a lot of hitting, not a lot of pain. They even managed to keep the mercury below 100. But as the 49ers headed back to Santa Clara on Tuesday with another training camp under their belts, almost every position on the roster was marked by big bumps and deep bruises going into Thursday's exhibition game at 3Com Park against Seattle. For a team already dealing with advancing age and a lack of depth, the injury situation is reaching critical less than a month before the season-opener in Jacksonville. Even Steve Mariucci's philosophy of resting veterans and keeping padded practices to a minimum hasn't spared his team from a rash of injuries.
JEFF GARCIA CHARGES IN WIN OVER CHARGERS, BUT NOT WITHOUT HELP.
(August 12, 1999)--Steve Young played long enough to throw for a touchdown and Jeff Garcia passed for two, strengthening his bid for the No. 2 job, as the San Francisco 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers 31-24 Thursday night. The exhibition game couldn't end soon enough for the Chargers (0-2). Both Jim Druckenmiller and Steve Stenstrom lost ground in their battle with Garcia for the job backing up Young.
Druckenmiller was 2-of-7 for 19 yards in about a quarter of play and became flustered under pressure as he backpedaled near his own goal line, tossing a pass into the arms of defensive tackle Norman Hand, who dropped it. Stenstrom had a pass intercepted by Orlando Ruff late in the game, leading to a Chargers touchdown on the next play.
BRYANT'S FIRST DAY BACK!
(August 10, 1999)--Bryant Young stepped onto the field — very carefully — for the first time in almost nine months on Tuesday, making a remarkable recovery from his broken leg. For now, he's participating only in individual drills. He's not the only one taking it easy. Coach Steve Mariucci is making his veterans rest, whether they want to or not. The 49ers are an older team, with Steve Young and Jerry Rice entering their 15th seasons. Mariucci wants them to be refreshed and ready for the long regular season. "These guys don't want hear that," he said. "They want to work, to work every practice, every snap."
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