THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 30, 1995 TAG: 9501300238
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: At the Super Bowl
SOURCE: Jim Ducibella
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
Don't kid yourself. The 7-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young to Jerry Rice early in the fourth quarter of San Francisco's 49-26 Super Bowl XXIX obliteration of the San Diego Chargers was more than just French pastry, more than just another sharp stick in the eye.
It was Young's sixth touchdown throw of the game, one more than the Ghost of 49ers' Triumphs Past - Joe Montana - ever had in orchestrating his series of Super Shellackings. More than any other quarterback in NFL history.
Montana wasn't the only demon Young exorcised during the playoffs.
He had this scenario in his head, he said. Win the NFC West. Beat the Dallas Cowboys. Put Montana on the back burner. Shut up the critics.
``All along, I've felt I was playing great football,'' Young said, referring to his four consecutive passing titles. ``The critics and the skeptics have continued to backpedal and backpedal.
``It was great to beat the Dallas Cowboys (for the NFC title), a tremendous game, something I felt we had to do. We faced every possible scenario and beat them all.''
Late last week, San Francisco coach George Seifert stunned nearly 2,000 pad-carriers by bragging that Young ``possessed the best understanding of the 49ers' offensive system than any quarterback we've had.'' The question, Seifert continued, was whether Young could play the total championship game Montana made seem routine.
The answer, now, is an unqualified yes. In completing 24 of 36 passes for 325 yards, those six touchdowns and no interceptions, Young took a chunk out of the Montana legacy while giving perfection a run for its money.
``It feels great to win a Super Bowl game, throw six touchdowns,'' Young said. ``It also feels great to get to the big game and play what you feel is your best game ever.''
If there was a glitch, Young said, it was missing a pass to a wide-open - who wasn't? - Brent Jones right before halftime. When the pass hit the ground, Young stomped up and down like a kid who'd lost his candy bar.
``I was upset,'' he said. ``That should have been a touchdown. It would have put the game away earlier.''
Despite that grievous error, the lefty from Brigham Young was named the game's MVP. In this case, that's short for Most Versatile Player.
Three plays into the game, Young was faking a draw to fullback William Floyd, then lofting a 44-yard scoring toss to Rice.
``That had to be a dagger in their hearts,'' Young said of the Chargers. ``They came out in a new defense, something we hadn't seen before. To read it, and get Jerry a touchdown, had to make them wonder.''
Three plays into the next series, Young's 21-yard dash up the middle turned a third-and-3 into a first down. Next snap, he lofted a spiral to running back Ricky Watters down the middle for a 51-yard touchdown.
After San Diego cut the margin to 14-7, Young let the air out of the Chargers' ballooning confidence slowly, methodically, brilliantly.
He hit Rice for 19 yards. He threw a block on Rice's end-around the next snap. He turned to throw left, found his path blocked by outstretched San Diego hands, then took off around right end for 14 yards.
Four plays later he hit Floyd with a 5-yard dart that pushed him halfway to history.
In an hour and a half, Young would cradle the MVP trophy in his arms as though it were a first-born child. Rice came up to him and whispered, ``This is a day you'll never forget.''
Fact is, it's been a postseason Young should never forget. He guided the 49ers to 131 points in three playoff blowouts, the highest total in league history.
``We put up the kind of numbers, won the Super Bowl, to record that many postseason records, I feel we've made our mark,'' Young said. ``We believe we put together something that won't be matched.''
A couple weeks ago, Young was eating lunch in an San Francisco deli when a boy approached him for an autograph.
``You know, I've got an autographed picture of Joe Montana hanging on my bedroom wall,'' the kid told Young, handing him a pen and napkin.
``You going to put this up next to it?'' Young asked.
``Maybe,'' came the answer.
``Promise me something,'' Young said. ``Promise me you'll think about it.''
The boy left without offering an answer.
If there's any justice, that kid reached for the thumbtacks about 10 last night. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photos
Steve Young celebrated touchdown pass No. 5 while flat on his back,
top, as Steve Wallace prepared to lend a hand. After the game,
receiver Jerry Rice, who caught three touchdown passes, joined in as
Young hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, above.
by CNB