The 49ers open 1995 at the Louisiana Superdome against the New Orleans Saints. Steve Young starts as the defending Super Bowl MVP. Jerry Rice and John Taylor are the receivers; William Floyd is the fullback.
Derek Loville and Ricky Ervins share the backfield. The defending Super Bowl XXIX champions enter the year intact at the top of the depth chart with Bryant Young and Dana Stubblefield rotating at defensive tackle.[1][2]
The defending Super Bowl champions open the year at the Louisiana Superdome. Steve Young, off the 49-26 win over the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX, takes his first start as the league's MVP and reigning champion. Jerry Rice, 33, returns as the WR1 with the Tom Rathman replaced by William Floyd at fullback. The Saints under Jim Mora open the year with Jim Everett at quarterback.
Opening Sunday begins the NFL year with the 49ers as defending Super Bowl champions. The Cowboys are picked second. The Packers are picked third. Around the league the early stories are the Browns' relocation to Baltimore, the Carolina Panthers' debut as an NFL franchise, and the Jacksonville Jaguars' opening week. The 49ers' Sunday at the Superdome is the only NFC West road game of opening week.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to last year's profile: 13-3, Super Bowl champions. Young threw for 3,969 in 1994 and 35 touchdowns; the league MVP. Rice caught 112 passes for 1,499. Watters has departed. The Saints opened 1994 7-9 with Everett averaging 220 passing per game. Vegas opens the 49ers as 9-point road favorites. Number to track today: snaps with William Floyd at fullback in his first opening start.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Houston Oilers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| St. Louis Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
Steve Young threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, Jerry Rice caught 6 for 87 with a touchdown and the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 24-22 at the Louisiana Superdome. Young ran for 50 yards on 9 carries. William Floyd caught 6 for 66 with a touchdown. Jim Everett threw for 266 with two touchdowns. The 49ers led 17-9 at halftime.[1][2]
Steve Young threw two touchdowns at the Louisiana Superdome and the 49ers opened the title defense 24-22. The defending Super Bowl champions' first start of the year produced 260 passing yards, 50 rushing yards on 9 scrambles, and the kind of clean game-script the staff has been projecting since training camp. Jerry Rice caught a touchdown; William Floyd caught a touchdown. The Saints' offense produced 22 points across the full sixty.
The 49ers walk back to the airport 1-0 with the home game against Atlanta on Sunday next. The wire copy is going to spend the column on Young's mobility off the Super Bowl XXIX win. The film room is going to start with William Floyd's first NFL start as the fullback.
49ers 24, Saints 22. Margin: plus 2. Record: 1-0.
A 24-22 road win at the Louisiana Superdome. The 49ers open 1-0 in the title defense.
How it unfolded
Young opened with a touchdown drive ending in a Rice 16-yard score. The Saints answered with a Haynes touchdown. A Wade Richey field goal made it 10-7. Floyd's touchdown reception pushed it to 17-7. The second quarter ended at 17-9 after a Saints field goal. The third quarter saw a Young touchdown to Brent Jones to push the lead to 24-9. The Saints scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to make it 24-22 but missed both two-point conversions.
The turning point
The second-quarter Floyd touchdown. With the 49ers up 10-7 and the offense facing third-and-three at the Saints' 16, Young found Floyd on a wheel route. The 17-7 cushion put the visitors in script-the-clock posture from the second quarter forward.
By the numbers
Young 21-of-27 for 260 with two touchdowns plus 50 rushing on 9 scrambles. Rice 6 catches for 87 with the score. Floyd 6 catches for 66 with a touchdown. Brent Jones 4 catches for 66 with a touchdown. Loville 49 on 14 carries. Defensively the front produced two sacks of Everett.
Personnel watch
Floyd's debut as starting fullback is the headline. The third-year pro caught 6 passes for 66 with a touchdown and the kind of receiving line that, in calendar 1995, framed the offense's new dimension. Young's 50 rushing on 9 carries was the highest single-game rushing line of his recent calendar.
What it means
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 21/27 | 260 | 2 | 0 | |
| Elvis Grbac | 5/8 | 49 | 0 | 1 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Jim Everett | 23/38 | 266 | 2 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Steve Young #8 | 9 | 50 | 0 | 16 |
| Derek Loville | 14 | 49 | 0 | 9 |
| William Floyd | 10 | 48 | 0 | 23 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Adam Walker | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| NOR | ||||
| Mario Bates | 13 | 26 | 0 | 8 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 6 | 87 | 1 | 50 |
| William Floyd | 6 | 66 | 1 | 23 |
| Brent Jones #84 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 21 |
| John Taylor #82 | 4 | 53 | 0 | 36 |
| Derek Loville | 6 | 37 | 0 | 11 |
| NOR | ||||
| Michael Haynes | 5 | 97 | 1 | 37 |
| Quinn Early | 6 | 66 | 1 | 28 |
| Wesley Walls | 5 | 40 | 0 | 12 |
| Torrance Small | 2 | 28 | 0 | 15 |
| Mario Bates | 3 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Derek Brown | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Irv Smith | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1995 W1 - 49ers at New Orleans Saints - Game Thread
