European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 4, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 34 the stars and stripes sports sunday september 4,1994, set and match to canny san Francisco by Bill Plaschke the los Angeles times a look at the National football conference West in predicted order of finish a a san Francisco 49ers last Yean 10-6, lost to cowboys in pfc championship game. This year 14-2, defeat Vikings in conference semifinals defeat cowboys in conference championship game defeat raiders in super bowl. Looking Good everything. Everybody. From Steve Young who has led the league in quarterback rating for a record three consecutive seasons to Doug Brien. Doug Brich he a the kid kicker drafted in the third round from California and the Only Guy we saw during the preseason a and this includes All of those Morten Andersen clones a who could consistently kick off into the end zone while remaining accurate on Field goals. With two exceptions the entire offence is Back. The newcomers arc one of the smartest centers in league history lawyer Bart dates and the new Tom Rathman a Rookie fullback named William Floyd. You know about All the changes on defense except for perhaps the most important one a defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes who returns from the packers after coaching with the 49ers during their glory decade of the 1980s. Done to look they have a distracting schedule and a potentially disruptive locker room. On that schedule is a season opening monday night game against the raiders and a game the next week in Kansas City against Joe Montana. By the time they visit the rams on sept. 18, they could already be emotionally wiped out. _ a the locker room is also strange. So Many leaders so Many big Mouths from Ken Norton or. To Gary Plummer to Tim Mcdonald. What happens when they Start Yelling at each other and that will happen / _ it figures opponents blitzed Young six or More times in four games last season. The 49ers lost three of those games. _ a Atlanta Falcons last year 6-10. A this Yean 9-7. Looking Good Well its Nice to listen to a Falcon coach who does no to sound like a former cast member of Hee Haw. We wish june Jones Well and wonder How Long it will take for Jerry Glanville to Start ripping him on Fox. A / 77 a and even though new quarterback Jeff George loosely compared himself to Jesus during his first news conference As a Falcon we think his selfishness is finally eroding in a new environment. Few in the league have a better Arm and better vision. After just two weeks he will have shown Why the Indianapolis Colts tried so desperately to keep him Happy. On the defensive line Chris Doleman joins a More comfortable Pierce Holt and one of the league s most underrated run stoppers Moe Gardner. In the secon daiy Kevin Ross formerly with the Kansas City chiefs and d j. Johnson formerly with the Pittsburgh pfc West preview Steeles add to the rising Star of safety Roger Harper. No if somebody could just get Deion on the phone. Done to look we done to believe running Back Erric be Gram 5-feet-9 and 188 pounds will be Able to repeat last seasons 1,185-Yard heroics. He can to take the beating arid will be ultimately replaced by a Bowling Ball who can Craig Heyward. We also done to believe receiver Andre Rison will be Able to repeat his 15-touchdown heroics. Its a lot easier getting open while running routes next to Michael Haynes and Mike Pritchard who have departed Ter Ance Mathis and Bert Emanuel Arentt exactly believable decoys. It figures seventeen nil running backs scored More Rushing touchdowns last season than the entire Falcon team which scored four. A los Angeles rams last Yean 5-11. This Yean 7-9. 7 looking Good St. Louis where the rams Are probably headed after the season. Defensive linemen Sean Gilbert and Robert Young Are also looking Good not that anyone in Anaheim is looking these Days. And of course Jerome Bettis is looking great. If you done to believe it just ask him. Done to look Baltimore which will probably be snubbed by the rams. Also not looking is quarterback Chris Miller who wishes now that he had a blockers stipulation in that free agent contract he signed with the rams this Spring. With arguably the worst offensive line in the league Miller May not last until halloween. A team that could have had Trent Dilfer if they had drafted As expected suddenly will be showcasing. Chris Chandler. Chuck Knox deserves better in his salad Days. A -7 it figures the last three franchises to change cities a the raiders the cardinals and the Cults a each won seven games in the final season at its former Home. A new Orleans saints last year 8-8. This Yean 4-12. Looking Good Jim Everett in something other than Blue and Gold. Rookie running Back Mario Bates in an nil Backfield. Michael Haynes going deep. Done to look the news conference will take place at the saints office sometime in late december. Owner. I a Floc everything a coming up roses for 49crs�?T Steve Young. Tom Benson will openly weep saying he feels like he is losing a son. But he will fire Jim Mora anyway. Previously a victim of teams that quit during crunch time morals nine year tenure will finally end under a Rush of players running out the door before the season starts. Free Agency and the salary Cap have stripped him of solid defensive backs Gene Atkins and Toi Cook Veteran linebacker Rickey Jackson and guard Derek Kennard. It figures Mora will unfortunately not be remembered for leading the saints into the playoffs in four of eight years but for never winning a playoff game. A some of the statistics in this Story were Courtesy of stats inc. 7 Quot Aphter Jerry Rice. Nears career to record by Dennis Georgatos Santa Clara Calif. Apr so much about Jerry Rice evokes Speed and Grace from his wind matted Jersey when he runs a pass pattern to his sleek Black Mercedes Sedan with the personalized a Flash so plates. The san Francisco 49er wide receiver is in no hurry though to look Back on an astonishing career especially not now with another Milestone in sight. A fall the records i have broken i really Haven to had a Chance to reflect or then because its almost like mgt career is just flying by on me a he said. A everything is happening so so could his next accomplishment. Rice entering his 10th season is just three touch Downs shy of breaking the nil career Mark of 126, set by running Back Jim Brown in 1965 after nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Chicago a Walter Payton had 125. A a when this is All Over a Rice said a i would like to put a song together for All my touchdowns to express the Way i do things on the football Field. Its not going to be rap music or anything like that. Its going to be something real Laid Rice who has scored two or More touchdowns 29 times gets his first crack at the Mark monday when the 49ers and los Angeles raiders tangle. A a in a not going to say when i go up against the raiders that in a going to break the record Quot said Rice whose 118 touchdown receptions Are the most in nil history. He also has six Rushing touchdowns a i done to know i done to feel like i have to break the record the first game. If its going to happen its going to happen and that a the attitude i that said the 31-year-old Rice believes he a starting the season at his Best a notion seconded by teammates. A a Jerry a not slowing Down Jerry a still the Best in the business a 49er safety Tim Mcdonald said. A i can to say anything different about Jerry than in be said in previous years. He a the hardest working Guy in be Ever been Rice a seven time pro Bowler got within striking distance of Browne a Mark with an nil High 16 touchdowns last season 15 of them on passes. His 1,503 receiving Yards also led the league and marked his eighth 1,000-Yard season tying him with Steve Largento a nil Mark. A defensive backs Are going to get beat. They re going to win some. They re going to lose some a Rice shrugs. A i feel Good this year. I done to have any nagging injuries. I feel Strong. I feel More explosive this year than in be Felt in nine years. Its weird because when i watch myself on film now i look quicker. And its not my imagination because my teammates they keep telling me a Jerry Man you look really explosive. You re a
