49ers at Atlanta Falcons

Tim Dwight returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown and caught two touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons beat the 49ers 34-29 at the Georgia Dome in the regular-season finale. Jeff Garcia threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns. Jerry Rice caught 6 for 143; J.J. Stokes caught 5 for 130 and a touchdown; Terrell Owens caught 5 for 31 and a touchdown. Charlie Garner did not play after exiting on the first 49ers drive; the 49ers finished 4-12.[1][2]

Tim Dwight ran a punt seventy-five yards for a touchdown and caught two more from Chris Chandler and the Falcons won 34-29 at the Georgia Dome. Jeff Garcia threw for 373 yards. Jerry Rice caught six for 143 in what is potentially his last 49ers game. J.J. Stokes caught five for 130 with a touchdown.

The Sunday at the Georgia Dome was the offensive shootout the year's back half had been building toward in road games. Garcia's 373 was the second 300-yard passing day of the calendar. The receiver room's production was the cleanest of the year. The 49ers' defense surrendered 306 yards on the Chandler passing line and gave up the punt-return touchdown to Dwight. Charlie Garner exited on the first drive with an ankle injury and did not return; his 91-yard chase of the 1,000-rushing barrier ended on the first 49ers possession.

Falcons 34, 49ers 29. Margin: minus 5. Final record: 4-12, minus 158 differential. • Garcia: 26-of-34 for 373, 2 TDs, 0 INTs; 6 rushes for 36, 1 rushing TD. • Garner: 1 carry for 0 (exited with ankle injury). • Terry Jackson: 5 carries for 35; 2 catches for 3. • Rice: 6 catches for 143. • Stokes: 5 catches for 130, 1 TD. • Owens: 5 catches for 31, 1 TD. • Chandler: 19-of-37 for 306, 3 TDs. • Dwight: 7 catches for 162, 2 TDs; 1 punt-return TD (75 yards).

A 34-29 road loss at the Georgia Dome. The 49ers close 4-12 with the club's worst record since 1979.

How it unfolded

The Falcons opened with a Dwight 7-yard touchdown reception to take a 7-0 lead. Garcia answered with a 9-yard touchdown to Owens to tie at 7. The Falcons added a Mathis touchdown to make it 14-7. Stokes caught a 47-yard touchdown to tie at 14 at the half. The third quarter saw a Falcons field goal, a Dwight 75-yard punt-return touchdown to push the lead to 24-14, and a Wade Richey field goal to cut it to 24-17. A Garcia rushing touchdown made it 24-23. The fourth quarter produced two Atlanta touchdowns: a Dwight second touchdown reception and a Falcons field goal to push the lead to 34-23. Garcia threw a closing touchdown to make the final 34-29.

The turning point

The third-quarter Dwight 75-yard punt return. With the 49ers down 17-14 and the defense having held on third-and-eight to force the punt, Dwight took the kick at his own 25 and went 75 yards for the touchdown. The 24-14 cushion became the margin the offense could not close.

By the numbers