European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday. January 25, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 19 a bomb by bib a Mph Bottom line it s Elway against san Francisco Rush super bowl xxiv b Bob   los Angeles times new Orleans the question As Many Sec it now in t whether the san Francisco 49crs will beat the Denver Broncos Here sunday. It s being assumed that the 49ers will win their fourth super bowl in nine years. The question is whether they will continue to look like inc Best football team Ever. Against an acc team can they get Hack up to the performance level reached earlier this month when they overwhelmed two pfc Powers the Minnesota Vikings and the los Angeles rams a resourceful opponent. John , could make the Road difficult. It won t be a runaway if the Broncos get say. Two cheap touchdowns alter Breaks on an afternoon when Luay earns two More touchdowns. But that in t realistic. The 4mcrs Sim ply Are stronger the Anatomy of the 4l ers As created by Hill Walsh the nil s coach of the ifs is. The 49ers Are basically the same team that won the super bowl a year ago. They have a few stars who won it in 81 and 84. Thus they have several advantages Over every other team the 49crs arc still using Walsh s Short pass Quick strike offence which is probably the nil s most effective with Joe Montana at quarterback. They have been refining and perfecting this very Way of playing football for 11 years throughout Montana s pro career. They arc still being Coath cd by the staff that Walsh brought in to carry out his ideas on offence and defense among them George Scifert. Formerly defensive coordinator now1 head coach and Mike Holmgren the former quarterback Coch and now offensive coordinator. They continue to pm phase a depth in All positions. To keep the ship afloat in any storm. Walsh formulated the plan that is still in place recruiting the league s Best paid backups  with some of the league s Best starters. After injuries struck both teams this season. The rams had to change their defense the 49crs simply plugged in the spare parts paid for by owner Eddie Dibartolo. Most significant of All. The 49crs Are still highly motivated. This year s goal is to win without Walsh to show him that they can. It s made everybody concentrate a Little  said Montana. Running game two things distinguish the 49ers when they re running the Ball the Effort that Roger Craig and Tom Rathman put into every play whether they re carrying or blocking and the Way they so often aim at inc ends of the line. Craig who weighs 214 pounds and Rauhman. 232. Both played at Nebraska. Where they Learned to take a hit. Both work hard on every play. The 49crs ground game is based on a analysis super figures composite standings g a Gay in Ichijo a icy int Oakland i. A  los Ang Eirl nit eng Aryl pet i t 000 1 oco i 000 1 oco i 000i Tyx 000 000 000 000 combination of traps and sweeps. They run More Handoff sweeps with line men pulling to Lead the Hall Amer than any other team. Thus the Broncos in a manner of speaking May have picked the wrong year to rebuild. In a deliberate overhaul by coach Dan Reeves the Broncos in recent months have bulked up their offensive and defensive lines in match the inside Power of the Nic teams that knocked them out of previous super bowls the Washington redskins and new York giants. The 49ers. However Aren t that kind of team. Their idea of Power in t to out weigh the defense at the Point of attack but. For example to use three tall Light ends at once As they often do. The Denver defense of several years ago. With its Small Quick smart athletes was better armed than tins one to Stop Walsh football. As defensively prepared by former coordinator Joe Oiler the i Broncos have gone 4-0 in their most recent fames against the 49ers. The agile Broncos in those Days were a perfect match for the Mobile 4 ers. They Aren t now. Passing game running backs Raig and Kathman caught 122 passes this season. The 49er hanker. Jerry Rice who holds the nil s single season record for touchdown catches. 22. Had 17 this sea son. In the nil s 70 seasons Only one other player has Ever caught More than 17 touchdown passes in any one year the Miami dolphins Mark Clay on. When caught 18 in 1984. Rice is a Force. So is John Taylor the 49er split end who scored those 90-Yard touchdowns against the rams. So is Light end Brent Jones whose 40 catches More than doubled inc production of last year s tight end. John Frank. In sunday s game. Montana will be looking for All five of them in the seams of Denver s zone defences before throwing his three step rhythm passes. Montana who also throws Roll out passes More accurately than anyone Ever has. Has been Well protected this month by an always fresh offensive line in which seven blockers Trade off in the five positions. The Bronco Rush in any Case does t worry most teams. Fat. 4 reducing the equation l Enier chances in sunday minho Hii Iki on How Well John  lop ran Cripe ill a san Francisco pass Rush led by inc 49m dim n four Riim left Lii Illren Pierce Holt. Jim Burl. Kevin i aum and c Hurles half. Defense inc 49cn have so much Talent in their secondary that they can play a Good defensive Back. Darryl i Ollard at the left Corner instead of a great one. Tim Mckyer. Simply because Mckyer is an unlovable pop off. So one thing for 49crs fans to worry about will be whether the Broncos can beat i Ollard for an Early touchdown be fore the 49ers Hustle in Mckyer. Otherwise the 49crs secondary is so gifted with starters Ronnie Lott Don Griffin and Chet Brooks and Nickel backs Mckyer and Eric Wright that it can give Elway five seconds or so to run around and still deny him the bomb. Trouble will Start for the 49ers if their front seven can t get to Elway within five seconds. He becomes progressively More dangerous As he scrambles. The Denver offensive team protects him with big. Young linemen resembling the 1987 redskins. The 49ers will attack him with a Quick stunting pass Rush. There Are no All pros in the 49ers Rush line except for nose tackle Michael Carter who. Coming off a serious injury might not be a Factor but they arc All Limber and Pushy. That makes the Day s decisive match up the 49ers Rush is. Elway