1997 season · Week 7

Pregame

AI summary based on verified facts

The 49ers (4-1) host the St. Louis Rams (2-4) at 3Com Park for a 1:00 PT kickoff. The Rams under Dick Vermeil are 2-4. Tony Banks is the starter. The 49ers come off the Week 6 bye and the 34-21 road win at Carolina.

Steve Young is the starter. Garrison Hearst is the lead back. Brent Jones is the tight end. J.J. Stokes is the WR1 with Jerry Rice on injured reserve.[1][2]

AI summary based on verified facts

The Rams visit 3Com Park having lost four of six. Dick Vermeil's first year has produced the kind of offensive struggle the offseason cap moves were supposed to anchor. Tony Banks has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns across the first six games. The 49ers' Sunday at 3Com is the second meeting of the year. The first ended 15-12 with Druckenmiller starting at quarterback.

AI summary based on verified facts

Week 7 has the schedule's first home rematch of the year plus a slate where the conference's playoff picture is taking shape. The Packers sit at 5-1; the Cowboys 3-3; the Vikings 5-1. The AFC East has the Patriots at 5-0 and the Bills 3-3. Around the league the storyline is the Patriots' undefeated start under Pete Carroll. The 49ers' Sunday at 3Com is the conference's only home matchup of NFC West rivals.

AI summary based on verified facts

Through five games the 49ers sit at 4-1 with a plus 59 point differential. Young is on pace for 4,200 passing yards. Hearst averages 4.7 yards per carry across the first five. Owens has 12 catches for 194 across the start. The Rams are 2-4 with Banks averaging 200 passing per game. Vegas opens the 49ers as 11-point home favorites. Stat worth watching today: 49ers' takeaway count, sitting at 9 across the first five games.

League standings entering Week 7

Standings as of kickoff, Week 7 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Best record league-wide: Denver Broncos (6-0).
  • Still unbeaten: Denver Broncos.
  • Still searching for win one: Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons.

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Jacksonville Jaguars4-1W1
Pittsburgh Steelers3-2W2
Baltimore Ravens3-3L2
Cincinnati Bengals1-4L4
Tennessee Oilers1-4L4

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
New England Patriots4-1L1
New York Jets4-2W3
Buffalo Bills3-2W2
Miami Dolphins3-2W1
Indianapolis Colts0-5L5

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Denver Broncos6-0W6
Kansas City Chiefs4-2L1
San Diego Chargers3-3W2
Seattle Seahawks3-3W1
Oakland Raiders2-4L1

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
San Francisco 49ers4-1W4
Carolina Panthers2-3L2
St. Louis Rams2-3L1
New Orleans Saints2-4W1
Atlanta Falcons0-5L5

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Tampa Bay Buccaneers5-1L1
Green Bay Packers4-2W1
Minnesota Vikings4-2W2
Detroit Lions3-3L1
Chicago Bears0-6L6

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
Dallas Cowboys3-2L1
Washington Redskins3-2L1
New York Giants3-3W2
Philadelphia Eagles2-3W1
Arizona Cardinals1-4--

Game video

▶ Open in YouTube 1997 Rams at 49ers Week 7 · channel: SW561

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Game info

Roof
outdoors
Surface
grass
Weather
59°F, 63% humidity, wind 13 mph
Vegas line
49ers -14
Over/Under
41 (under)

Score

Reveal through:

49ers 14, St. Louis Rams 049ers 20, St. Louis Rams 749ers 30, St. Louis Rams 1049ers 30, St. Louis Rams 1049ers 30, St. Louis Rams 10[1][2]

1234T
St. Louis Rams073007101010
San Francisco 49ers1461001420303030

Recap

AI summary based on verified facts

Steve Young threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns, Terrell Owens caught two scoring passes and the 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams 30-10 at 3Com Park. Garrison Hearst ran for 81 yards on 18 carries. The 49ers' defense produced four sacks and three interceptions. Tony Banks threw for 119 yards with no touchdowns. The 49ers led 17-3 at halftime.[1][2]

AI summary based on verified facts

Steve Young threw three touchdowns and the 49ers won 30-10 at 3Com Park. Terrell Owens caught two of them; the rookie WR2's first multi-touchdown afternoon. The defense produced four sacks of Tony Banks and three interceptions. The 49ers' Sunday at 3Com was the cleanest single-game three-phase performance of the start.

Hearst ran for 81 on 18 carries with no touchdown. The running game produced 117 yards. Defensively Bryant Young registered his sixth sack of the year. The linebacker rotation forced two of the three interceptions; the secondary's safety, Tim McDonald, caught the third.

The 49ers walk away 5-1 with the road trip to Atlanta on Sunday next. The home record is 3-0. The wire copy is going to spend the column on Owens' two touchdowns. The film room is going to spend the week on the front rotation's continued sack production and the three-interception line.

AI summary based on verified facts

49ers 30, Rams 10. Margin: plus 20. Record: 5-1.

  • Young: 19-of-30 for 223, 3 TDs, 1 INT; 7 rushes for 25.
  • Hearst: 18 carries for 81; 2 catches for 27.
  • Levy: 6 carries for 26.
  • Owens: 5 catches for 86, 2 TDs.
  • Stokes: 5 catches for 38.
  • Brent Jones: 2 catches for 30, 1 TD.
  • Banks: 9-of-23 for 119, 0 TDs.
  • Defense: 4 sacks, 3 INTs.
  • Quarter scoring: SF 0-17-7-6; STL 3-0-0-7.
AI summary based on verified facts

A 30-10 home win over the Rams. The 49ers improve to 5-1 with the cleanest single-game three-phase performance of the start.

How it unfolded

The Rams opened with a Jeff Wilkins field goal. Young answered with two second-quarter touchdowns: a 16-yard score to Owens and a 9-yard touchdown to Jones to push the lead to 14-3. A Wade Richey field goal made it 17-3 at the half. The third quarter saw a second Young touchdown to Owens to push the lead to 24-3. The Rams added a fourth-quarter touchdown reception to Ricky Proehl. A closing Richey field goal made the final 30-10.

The turning point

The second-quarter Owens first touchdown. With the 49ers down 3-0 and the offense facing third-and-six at the Rams' 16, Young found Owens on a slant. The 7-3 cushion put the home team in script-the-clock posture from the first quarter forward.

By the numbers

Young 19-of-30 for 223 with three touchdowns and one pick. Owens 5 catches for 86 with two scores; the rookie WR2's first multi-touchdown game. Hearst 81 on 18 carries; the running game produced 117 yards. Defensively the front produced four sacks (Bryant Young 2, Dana Stubblefield 1, Junior Bryant 1); the secondary forced three interceptions.

Personnel watch

Box score

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
SFO
Steve Young #819/3022331
STL
Tony Banks9/2311900

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
SFO
Garrison Hearst1881023
Chuck Levy62609
Steve Young #8325012
William Floyd71306
Jeff Brohm28010
Terry Kirby4304
STL
Ronald Moore725015
Craig Heyward2505
Tony Banks1202
Amp Lee3-204

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
SFO
Terrell Owens586229
J.J. Stokes538017
Garrison Hearst227019
Mark Harris225016
Greg Clark221111
Iheanyi Uwaezuoke113013
William Floyd111011
Terry Kirby1202
STL
Keith Crawford386069
Isaac Bruce214012
Amp Lee214018
Ronald Moore1505
Craig Heyward1000

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