The 49ers (7-3) host the New Orleans Saints (4-7) at 3Com Park for a 1:00 PT kickoff. Kerry Collins, signed by Mike Ditka in November, is the listed starter. Sean Dawkins and Cam Cleeland are the receivers. The Saints come off a Week 11 loss to Carolina.
The 49ers come off the 31-19 road loss at Atlanta. Steve Young is the starter; Garrison Hearst is the lead back. Jerry Rice is the WR1.[1][2]
Kerry Collins is the Saints' starter Sunday after Mike Ditka signed him on November 10. The former Panthers franchise quarterback, cut by Carolina in October, is making his first start for New Orleans. Sean Dawkins is the WR1; Cam Cleeland is the rookie tight end the Saints drafted as a second-round selection. The 49ers' Sunday issue is the third-quarter script. The Atlanta game produced 14 third-quarter points for the Falcons and zero for San Francisco.
Week 12 has the schedule's home matchup against the NFC's wild-card chasers plus a slate where the playoff field is settling. The Broncos sit at 10-1; the Vikings 10-1; the Falcons 8-2. The AFC East has the Dolphins at 8-3 and the Bills 6-5. Inside the West, the storyline is the Broncos' first loss of the year to the Giants. The 49ers' Sunday at 3Com is the only NFC West matchup of the week. Conference reading list this week: the wild-card seeding.
Through ten games the 49ers sit at 7-3 with a plus 75 point differential. Young is on pace for 4,600 passing yards. Hearst is on pace for 1,440 rushing. Bryant Young leads the team with 11 sacks. The Saints are 4-7 with Collins making his first start. Vegas opens the 49ers as 8-point home favorites. Stat worth watching today: 49ers' third-quarter scoring, which has produced zero points in two of the last three games.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 8-2 | W3 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-4 | L1 |
| Tennessee Oilers | 6-4 | W3 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 3-7 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-8 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 7-3 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-4 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 6-4 | L1 |
| New England Patriots | 5-5 | L2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2-8 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 10-0 | W10 |
| Oakland Raiders | 7-3 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5-5 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-6 | L5 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-6 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 8-2 | W3 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7-3 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-5 | W1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 3-7 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 1-9 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 9-1 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7-3 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-6 | L2 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-7 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 3-7 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 7-3 | W3 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 5-5 | -- |
| New York Giants | 3-7 | L3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-8 | L1 |
| Washington Redskins | 2-8 | W1 |
Steve Young threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns, Garrison Hearst caught a 41-yard touchdown to go with 90 rushing yards, and the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints 31-20 at 3Com Park. Terrell Owens caught two touchdowns. Kerry Collins threw for 328 yards with no touchdowns and ran in a touchdown of his own. Sean Dawkins caught 8 for 148. The 49ers led 21-13 at halftime and 28-20 in the third quarter.[1][2]
Steve Young threw four touchdowns and the 49ers won 31-20 at 3Com Park. Terrell Owens caught two of them. Garrison Hearst added 90 rushing and 103 receiving including a 41-yard touchdown reception out of the backfield. The Sunday at 3Com was the kind of home win the club has been producing across the back half of every recent calendar.
Kerry Collins threw for 328 in his first Saints start. The 49ers' defensive secondary held him without a touchdown pass. The front rotation produced two sacks. The Saints' offense moved the ball, 410 total yards, but the third-down defense was 6-of-15. The 49ers' offense scored on five of nine possessions.
The 49ers walk away 8-3 with the home game against the Giants on Sunday next. The wire copy is going to spend the column on Young's four-touchdown afternoon. The film room is going to spend the week on the Saints' offensive line against the defensive front.
49ers 31, Saints 20. Margin: plus 11. Record: 8-3, plus 86 differential. • Young: 22-of-31 for 290, 4 TDs, 1 INT; 5 rushes for 35. • Hearst: 25 carries for 90; 4 catches for 103, 1 TD (41-yard receiving TD). • Stokes: 6 catches for 72. • Owens: 4 catches for 42, 2 TDs. • Collins: 22-of-44 for 328, 0 TDs; 6 rushes for 30, 1 rushing TD. • Dawkins: 8 catches for 148. • Cleeland: 4 catches for 50. • Quarter scoring: SF 7-14-7-3; NO 7-6-7-0.
A 31-20 home win over the Saints. The 49ers improve to 8-3.
How it unfolded
The Saints opened with a Collins rushing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. Young answered with a 25-yard touchdown to Hearst out of the backfield to tie at 7. The second quarter produced two more 49ers touchdowns: a Young touchdown to Owens and a Young touchdown to Stokes to push the lead to 21-13 at the half. The third quarter saw a Young second touchdown to Owens to make it 28-13. The Saints cut it to 28-20 on a second Collins drive. A Wade Richey field goal in the fourth quarter made the final 31-20.
The turning point
The first-quarter Young-to-Hearst touchdown. With the Saints up 7-0 and the offense facing third-and-eight at the New Orleans 25, Young found Hearst on a wheel route. The 7-7 tie became 14-7 within the next four minutes of game clock.
By the numbers
Young 22-of-31 for 290 with four touchdowns and one pick; his cleanest passing line in three weeks. Hearst the dual-production afternoon: 90 rushing on 25 carries plus 103 receiving on 4 catches including the 41-yard touchdown. Owens 4 catches for 42 with two scores. Stokes 6 catches for 72. Collins 328 passing with no touchdowns but a rushing score. Dawkins 148 receiving.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Steve Young #8 | 22/31 | 290 | 4 | 1 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Kerry Collins | 22/44 | 328 | 0 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Garrison Hearst | 25 | 90 | 0 | 27 |
| Steve Young #8 | 5 | 35 | 0 | 15 |
| Terrell Owens | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Terry Kirby | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Marc Edwards | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| NOR | ||||
| Kerry Collins | 6 | 30 | 1 | 16 |
| Lamar Smith | 4 | 28 | 0 | 23 |
| Aaron Craver | 4 | 23 | 1 | 18 |
| Ray Zellars | 2 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Troy Davis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Garrison Hearst | 4 | 103 | 1 | 81 |
| J.J. Stokes | 6 | 72 | 0 | 19 |
| Terrell Owens | 4 | 42 | 2 | 17 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 3 | 27 | 1 | 19 |
| Terry Kirby | 2 | 21 | 0 | 19 |
| Marc Edwards | 2 | 15 | 0 | 10 |
| Greg Clark | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| NOR | ||||
| Sean Dawkins | 8 | 148 | 0 | 31 |
| Cam Cleeland | 4 | 50 | 0 | 28 |
| Keith Poole | 2 | 38 | 0 | 25 |
| Lamar Smith | 3 | 34 | 0 | 18 |
| Andre Hastings | 2 | 30 | 0 | 16 |
| John Farquhar | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Brett Bech | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Aaron Craver | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
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