The 49ers (0-1) travel to Trans World Dome for a 1:00 ET kickoff against the St. Louis Rams (0-1). Jim Druckenmiller starts at quarterback in his NFL debut with Steve Young in the concussion protocol. Jerry Rice is on injured reserve.
The Rams under Dick Vermeil's first year are 0-1 after a 38-24 loss at the Saints. Tony Banks is the starter; Lawrence Phillips is the back. Isaac Bruce is the WR1. The Rams' offense produced 24 in the opening loss.[1]
Jim Druckenmiller makes his NFL debut at Trans World Dome on Sunday. The first-round rookie out of Virginia Tech replaces the concussed Steve Young. Jerry Rice is on injured reserve. J.J. Stokes is the WR1. Terrell Owens is the WR2. The Mariucci tenure heads into its second start with the offense rebuilt around the players who were not on the roster when training camp opened.
Week 2 has the schedule's only matchup of two 0-1 NFC teams plus a slate where the early-season picture is taking shape. The Packers opened 1-0 with Brett Favre's 36-yard touchdown to Antonio Freeman. The Cowboys opened 0-1 at Pittsburgh. Around the league the early stories are the Patriots' Pete Carroll debut, the Jaguars at 1-0, the Broncos' Terrell Davis 121-yard rushing day.
Through one game the 49ers sit at 0-1 with a minus 7 point differential. Druckenmiller makes his NFL debut. Hearst averaged 4.7 yards per carry in the opener. Stokes is the WR1 with Rice on injured reserve. The Rams opened with Banks throwing for 154 and one touchdown in the Saints loss. Phillips averaged 3.6 a carry. Vegas opens the 49ers as 3-point road underdogs. Number to track today: Druckenmiller's first-quarter completion percentage in his NFL debut.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-0 | W1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1-0 | W1 |
| Tennessee Oilers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 0-1 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 1-0 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-0 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0-1 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 1-0 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-1 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-1 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 1-0 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-1 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-1 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 1-0 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-0 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 1-0 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-0 | W1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-1 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-1 | L1 |
49ers 0, St. Louis Rams 349ers 7, St. Louis Rams 949ers 7, St. Louis Rams 1249ers 15, St. Louis Rams 1249ers 15, St. Louis Rams 12[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0771515 |
| St. Louis Rams | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 39121212 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Jeff Wilkins 40 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Jeff Wilkins 49 yard field goal | 0-6 |
| 49ers | J.J. Stokes 25 yard pass from Jim Druckenmiller ( Gary Anderson kick) | 7-6 |
| Rams | Jeff Wilkins 52 yard field goal | 7-9 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Jeff Wilkins 34 yard field goal | 7-12 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Garrison Hearst 35 yard rush ( Terry Kirby pass from Jim Druckenmiller ) | 15-12 |
Jim Druckenmiller threw a 4-yard touchdown to J.J. Stokes in his NFL debut, Garrison Hearst ran for 92 and a touchdown and the 49ers held off the St. Louis Rams 15-12 at Trans World Dome. Druckenmiller went 10 of 28 for 102 yards with three interceptions. The 49ers' defense produced five sacks and held Tony Banks to 123 passing yards. The 49ers led 12-3 at halftime and held on after a Rams late field goal.[1]
Jim Druckenmiller threw a four-yard touchdown to J.J. Stokes in his NFL debut and the 49ers won 15-12 at Trans World Dome. The rookie first-round pick went 10-of-28 for 102 yards with three interceptions. The 49ers' defense, on the field for the Rams' offense across the back half, produced five sacks and held Tony Banks under 130 passing.
Hearst ran for 92 yards on 16 carries with the only 49ers rushing touchdown. Owens did not catch a pass. The 49ers' wide receivers combined for nine catches. The defensive front, with Bryant Young and Junior Bryant rotating, produced the kind of multi-sack afternoon that, in calendar 1997, anchors the road win against a Rams team that produced 24 points last Sunday.
49ers 15, Rams 12. Margin: plus 3. Record: 1-1.
A 15-12 road win at Trans World Dome. The 49ers improve to 1-1 in Jim Druckenmiller's NFL debut.
How it unfolded
Druckenmiller opened with a three-and-out. The Rams scored a Jeff Wilkins field goal. The 49ers' second drive ended in Druckenmiller's first interception, returned by Toby Wright to set up the Rams' second field goal. The 49ers' third drive ended in a Hearst rushing touchdown to take a 6-3 lead. A Wade Richey field goal pushed it to 9-3. Druckenmiller found Stokes for the 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter to make it 15-3. The Rams added a field goal to make it 15-6 at the half. The second half was scoreless until a Wilkins fourth-quarter field goal made the final 15-12.
The turning point
The second-quarter Druckenmiller-to-Stokes touchdown. With the 49ers up 9-3 and the offense facing third-and-six at the Rams' 4 yard line, the rookie quarterback found Stokes on a fade. The 15-3 cushion put the visitors in protect-the-lead posture against a Rams offense that produced 123 passing yards across the full sixty minutes.
By the numbers
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jim Druckenmiller | 10/28 | 102 | 1 | 3 | |
| STL | |||||
| Tony Banks | 9/25 | 123 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Garrison Hearst | 16 | 92 | 1 | 35 |
| Terry Kirby | 7 | 25 | 0 | 11 |
| William Floyd | 5 | 21 | 0 | 16 |
| Jim Druckenmiller | 6 | -3 | 0 | 2 |
| STL | ||||
| Lawrence Phillips | 23 | 72 | 0 | 28 |
| Tony Banks | 8 | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| Amp Lee | 2 | 9 | 0 | 7 |
| Ronald Moore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Brent Jones #84 | 3 | 39 | 0 | 17 |
| J.J. Stokes | 3 | 35 | 1 | 25 |
| Terrell Owens | 2 | 24 | 0 | 17 |
| William Floyd | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Garrison Hearst | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
| STL | ||||
| Torrance Small | 2 | 54 | 0 | 46 |
| Ernie Conwell | 3 | 28 | 0 | 18 |
| Amp Lee | 2 | 21 | 0 | 12 |
| Eddie Kennison | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Jermaine Ross | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
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