Washingtonpost.com: 49ers 28, Saints 21
By Dennis Georgatos
Associated Press
Sunday, September 19, 1999; 7:44 p.m. EDT
SAN FRANCISCO 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).
The game had some bizarre turns, with two botched snaps on punts, a dropped pitch, a trick play that saw Saints holder Tommy Barnhardt line up at quarterback and Young complete a handoff while he was flat on his back.
It also included a woozy Young, battered by a ferocious rush, coming back to throw the game-saving touchdown to Owens with 2:03 left.
Shulters, who replaced the released Merton Hanks, then intercepted Billy Joe Hobert's pass intended for Eddie Kennison.
Schulters reversed field and took it in. The comeback came after 49ers coach Steve Mariucci's questionable decision to pass up an easy field goal and go for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 2 with 8:25 remaining.
Tommy Vardell tried to run it in, but was stuffed by Mark Fields for a 2-yard loss, and New Orleans took over on downs. But the Saints had to punt, and San Francisco tied it the next time it got the ball, with a crucial assist from instant replay and two New Orleans penalties.
A late hit by Chris Hewitt on Young kept the drive alive and a fourth-down pass to Jerry Rice, initially ruled incomplete by officials, was turned into a 14-yard reception when San Francisco's challenge was upheld by replay.
A pass interference penalty on Tyrone Drakeford moved the ball to the 4, and one play later, Young hit Owens for the winning score.
The Saints broke away from a 14-14 halftime tie on their opening possession of the third quarter.
Ricky Williams, who finished with 80 yards rushing in his first full game, got the drive started, shaking loose for a 15-yard run. Cam Cleeland kept it going with a 26-yard reception and Hobert finally passed 12 yards to Lawrence Dawsey for a touchdown, Hobert's third TD pass of the day.
New Orleans' second touchdown included a touch of the bizarre. Charles Haley jumped offsides, but the Saints kept playing while the 49ers appeared to relax. Keith Poole shot past cornerback Craig Newsome, and Hobert hit him in stride to turn the short slant pattern into a 58-yard touchdown pass.
San Francisco fought back to tie at halftime, getting a 1-yard scoring run from Vardell after a drive that began when Barnhardt fumbled the snap on a punt.
San Francisco scored first on Young's first touchdown pass, a 5-yarder to Owens. The 49ers picked up a key first down on Charlie Garner's 11-yard run after scooping the ball off Young's chest when the quarterback tripped and fell backpedaling from center.
New Orleans drove to a tying score, twice converting fourth downs on the 67-yard drive, including one off a trick play with the field-goal team on the field. Barnhardt took the snap from center and handed off to Lamar Smith, who ran 4 yards for a first down to the 23.
Hobert then completed two passes to Kennison, the last a 2-yarder for the score.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
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