The 49ers (5-1) travel to the Georgia Dome for a 1:00 ET kickoff against the Atlanta Falcons (2-5). Dan Reeves' Falcons come off back-to-back losses. Chris Chandler is the starter; Jamal Anderson is the back. Tony Martin and Terance Mathis are the receivers.
The 49ers come off the 30-10 home win over the Rams. Steve Young is the starter; Garrison Hearst is the lead back. Brent Jones is the tight end.[1][2]
Chris Chandler returns at starter for the Falcons after the Tolliver-led losses across the front half. Atlanta's offense, with Chandler back, projects as the kind of unit Reeves built around the running game. Jamal Anderson is averaging 4.5 a carry across the start. The 49ers' Sunday at the Georgia Dome is the second NFC West road game of the year. The first ended 34-21 in St. Louis.
Week 8 has the schedule's third NFC West road game plus a slate where the conference's playoff seeding is settling. The Packers sit at 6-1; the Cowboys 4-3; the Vikings 6-1. The AFC East has the Patriots at 5-1 and the Bills 4-3. Inside the NFC the early-season storyline is the Packers' rematch against the Cowboys in two weeks. The 49ers' Sunday at the Georgia Dome is the only NFC West-road game on the slate.
Through six games the 49ers sit at 5-1 with a plus 79 point differential. Young is on pace for 4,000 passing yards. Hearst is on pace for 1,260 rushing. Owens has 17 catches for 280 across the start. Atlanta is 2-5 with Chandler averaging 230 passing per game and Anderson 4.5 a carry. Vegas opens the 49ers as 4-point road favorites. A figure to follow: Hearst's chase of a third consecutive 100-yard rushing day.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 5-1 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4-2 | W3 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 3-3 | L2 |
| Tennessee Oilers | 2-4 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1-5 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 5-1 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 4-2 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 4-3 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3-3 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-6 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 6-0 | W6 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-2 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 3-3 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3-3 | W1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 2-4 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 5-1 | W5 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2-4 | L3 |
| St. Louis Rams | 2-4 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-5 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-5 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 5-2 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-2 | W3 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-2 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-3 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 0-7 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 4-2 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 4-3 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-3 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-4 | L1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1-5 | -- |
1997 49ers at Falcons Week 8
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49ers vs Falcons 1997 SF35-ALT28 #49ersfan #49erfaithful #atlantafalcons 34
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49ers vs Falcons 1997 SF35-ALT28 #49ersfan #49erfaithful #atlantafalcons 31Steve Young threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, Garrison Hearst ran for 105 on 18 carries and the 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons 35-28 at the Georgia Dome. Terrell Owens caught two touchdowns. Chris Chandler threw for 230 yards with two touchdowns; Jamal Anderson ran for 19. Terry Kirby caught 3 for 93. The 49ers led 28-14 at halftime.[1][2]
Steve Young threw two touchdowns. Terrell Owens caught both. Garrison Hearst ran for one hundred and five and the 49ers won 35-28 at the Georgia Dome. The Sunday in Atlanta was the kind of road game that, in calendar 1997, secured the divisional cushion against a back-half schedule that was about to tighten.
The 49ers led 28-14 at the half. The Falcons cut it to 28-21 in the third quarter on a Chris Chandler touchdown reception. Young added a William Floyd rushing touchdown to make it 35-21. Atlanta scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to make the final 35-28.
The 49ers walk back to the airport 6-1 with the road trip to New Orleans on Sunday next. The road record is 3-1. 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 against Anderson, who was held under 20 rushing yards.
49ers 35, Falcons 28. Margin: plus 7. Record: 6-1. • Young: 16-of-25 for 259, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 5 rushes for 29. • Hearst: 18 carries for 105, 0 TDs (third straight 100-yard game). • Floyd: 7 carries for 39, 1 TD; 2 catches for 15. • Owens: 6 catches for 93, 2 TDs. • Kirby: 3 catches for 93. • Stokes: 4 catches for 52. • Chandler: 15-of-30 for 230, 2 TDs. • Anderson: 13 carries for 19 (1.5 ypc; held below 20 for the year's lowest). • Mathis: 7 catches for 75, 1 TD.
A 35-28 road win at the Georgia Dome. The 49ers improve to 6-1.
How it unfolded
Young opened with a touchdown drive ending in an Owens 21-yard score. The Falcons answered with a Chandler touchdown to Todd Kinchen. The second quarter produced three 49ers scores: a Hearst rushing touchdown, a second Owens touchdown reception, and a Wade Richey field goal to push the lead to 28-7. Atlanta added a closing first-half touchdown to make it 28-14 at the half. The third quarter saw a Chandler touchdown to make it 28-21. A William Floyd rushing touchdown pushed the lead to 35-21. A closing Atlanta touchdown made the final 35-28.
The turning point
The second-quarter Owens second touchdown. With the 49ers up 14-7 and the offense facing third-and-six at the Falcons' 22, Young found Owens on a slant. The 21-7 cushion put the visitors in script-the-clock posture from the second quarter forward.
By the numbers
Young 16-of-25 for 259 with two touchdowns and one pick. Owens 6 catches for 93 with two touchdowns; second consecutive multi-touchdown afternoon. Hearst 105 on 18 carries; the third straight 100-yard rushing day. Kirby 3 catches for 93. Defensively the front produced three sacks (Bryant Young 1, Stubblefield 2); the linebacker rotation held Anderson to 19 rushing on 13 carries.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 16/25 | 259 | 2 | 1 | |
| ATL | |||||
| Chris Chandler | 15/30 | 230 | 2 | 0 | |
| Billy Joe Tolliver | 6/13 | 42 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jamal Anderson | 1/1 | 27 | 1 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Garrison Hearst | 18 | 105 | 0 | 51 |
| William Floyd | 7 | 39 | 1 | 22 |
| Steve Young #8 | 4 | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| Terry Kirby | 6 | 24 | 2 | 7 |
| ATL | ||||
| Jamal Anderson | 13 | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| Billy Joe Tolliver | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Byron Hanspard | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Bob Christian | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terry Kirby | 3 | 93 | 0 | 82 |
| Terrell Owens | 6 | 93 | 2 | 31 |
| J.J. Stokes | 4 | 52 | 0 | 30 |
| William Floyd | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Greg Clark | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| ATL | ||||
| Todd Kinchen | 3 | 85 | 1 | 53 |
| Terance Mathis | 7 | 75 | 1 | 25 |
| Bert Emanuel | 4 | 60 | 1 | 27 |
| Jamal Anderson | 2 | 28 | 0 | 21 |
| Michael Haynes | 2 | 23 | 0 | 13 |
| Ed West | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| O.J. Santiago | 2 | 11 | 1 | 7 |
| Harold Green | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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