ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 25, 1996 TAG: 9611260051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
STEVE YOUNG RETURNS to San Francisco's lineup and beats Washington in overtime.
After overtime losses to Green Bay and Dallas, the San Francisco 49ers proved they could beat a good team in a close game.
After suffering concussions against Houston and Dallas, Steve Young proved he still has no fear in the pocket.
Young, who sat out last week's game to clear the cobwebs, completed 33 of 41 passes for 295 yards, and scrambled for 25 yards as the 49ers beat the Washington Redskins 19-16 in overtime Sunday.
At one point, Young completed 20 straight passes, including seven for 68 yards on the 73-yard touchdown drive that tied the score with 1:57 remaining in regulation.
While Young played down his psychological hurdle, the rest of the 49ers were playing up the huge boost gained from beating a team with a winning record for only the second time this season. San Francisco (9-3) has lost 23-20 to Green Bay and 20-17 to Dallas - both in overtime.
With that in mind, 49ers coach George Seifert noted that his players were rooting harder than usual to win the coin toss at the start of the extra period.
``We were so guarded against losing this game,'' center Jesse Sapolu said, ``because we didn't want it to be a mental block for this team. To lose three overtime games in one year, against pretty darn good teams, it would have played with our minds probably a little bit. To overcome it is a big lift.''
Conversely, the Redskins (8-4) suffered their second consecutive home overtime defeat. Now they have to travel to Dallas for a Thanksgiving Day game.
``These games are so rough on you,'' said quarterback Gus Frerotte, who completed 18 of 26 passes for 294 yards. ``Everybody knows that these games are a lot harder than being blown out.''
``We are at their level now, but we didn't pull it out today,'' linebacker Ken Harvey said. ``Now we just have to get mad about it and use that to focus on Dallas.''
The 49ers took the overtime kickoff and moved the ball to the Redskins' 20 in seven plays. The biggest gain was a 25-yard blast between the tackles by former Virginia standout Terry Kirby.
Kirby, who finished with 13 carries for 69 yards and 11 receptions for 74 yards, then ran the next three plays to set up Jeff Wilkins' 38-yard game-winning kick 3:24 into overtime.
Both teams drove the ball well between the 20s the entire game, but found various ways to self-destruct in the red zone until the fourth quarter. After six field goals had the the score tied 9-9, the Redskins went ahead on tight end Jamie Asher's 20-yard touchdown reception with 7:28 to play.
Dexter Carter fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Scott Turner appeared to recover for the Redskins. But Junior Bryant won a lengthy scramble at the bottom of the pile.
Young then moved the 49ers for their only touchdown, eventually setting up William Floyd's 1-yard score with his seventh completion of the drive, a 21-yard gainer to tight end Brent Jones.
The back-to-back touchdowns ended a game full of red zone futility. The 49ers moved into Redskins territory on eight of their 11 drives; Washington got past the 50 on seven of nine drives. Yet each team reached the end zone only once.
``We need to stop scoring field goals,'' Kirby said. ``Field goals aren't going to win the championships.''
The score was tied 6-6 at halftime on field goals of 20 and 48 yards by Wilkins, and 19 and 22 by Scott Blanton. Blanton hit a 31-yarder in the third quarter, but Wilkins tied it on the next drive with a 44-yard kick.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Washington Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte fumblesby CNBthe ball after being crunched by San Francisco defender Roy Barker
in the second half of their NFC game Sunday at RFK Stadium in
Washington. color. KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL