14. 2001 PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 3. 1992 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
3. 1992 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 1st
Def: 3rd
1st NFC West
d. Redskins Div Rnd 20-13
lost NFC Title Cowboys 30-20
HC George Seifert OC Mike Shanahan DC Bill McPherson
Candlestick Park: 55 degrees
Joe Starkey/Wayne Walker
Offense
QB Steve Young 31 All Pro BYU
RB Ricky Watters 23-R N Dame
FB Tom Rathman 30 Nebraska
WR Jerry Rice 30 All Pro Miss Vall St
WR John Taylor 30 Delaware St
TE Brent Jones 29 S Clara
LT Steve Wallace 28 Auburn
LG Guy McIntyre 31 UGA
C Jesse Sapolu 31 Hawaii
RG Roy Foster 32 USC
RT Harris Barton 28 All Pro UNC
Defense
LDE Pierce Holt 30 Angelo St
NT Michael Carter 32 SMU
RDE Kevin Fagan 29 Miami
LOLB Tim Harris 28 Memphis
LILB Keith DeLong 25 Tenn
RILB Mike Walter 32 Ore
ROLB Bill Romanowski 26 B College
LCB Eric Davis 24 Jacksonville St
RCB Don Griffin 28 Midd Tenn
SS Dave Whitmore 25 SFA
FS Dana Hall 23-R Wash
K Mike Cofer 28 NC St
P Klaus Wilmsmeyer 25 Louisville
KR Marc Logan 27 UK
PR Alan Grant 26 Stanford
Bottom half of Region 9 starts with the third seeds, the '92 Niners. The '93, '96 and '12 49ers have already advanced. Here's the best 49er team we've seen so far; top offense, 3rd defense in 1992. Steve Young's 31, All Pro, 29 scores and 7 picks. 36 year old Joe Montana is ready if called upon. It's Ricky Watters rookie season, he rushed for over a thousand yds and scored 11 times. Jerry Rice is, of course, an All Pro, 30 years old, 11 scores and 1200 yds receiving. 28 year old Harris Barton is also All Pro. The defense is led by 28 year old Tim Harris and his 17 sacks.
14. 2001 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 7th
Def: 3rd
d. Ravens Div Round 27-10
Lost AFC Title Patriots 24-17
HC Bill Cowher OC Mike Mularkey DC Tim Lewis
Offense
QB Kordell Stewart 29
RB Jerome Bettis 29
FB Jon Witman 29
WR Plaxico Burress 24
WR Hines Ward 25
TE Mark Bruener 29
LT Wayne Gandy 30
LG Alan Faneca 25 All Pro
C Jeff Hartings 29
RG Rich Tylski 30
RT Marvel Smith 23
Defense
LDE Aaron Smith 25
NT Casey Hampton 24 R
RDE Kimo von Oelhoffen 30
LOLB Jason Gildon 29
LILB Earl Holmes 28
RILB Kendrell Bell 23 R
ROLB Joey Porter 24
LCB Chad Scott 27
RCB Dewayne Washington 29
SS Lee Flowers 28
FS Brent Alexander 30
K Kris Brown 25
P Josh Miller 31
KR Troy Edwards 24
PR Hank Poteat 24
The '75 and '78 Steelers have advanced, the '01 team is here because of its 3rd ranked defense. Just a ton of sacks - 25 year old Aaron Smith with 8, 29 year old All Pro Jason Gildon with 12, 23 year old Kendrell Bell and 24 year old Joey Porter with 9 each. The offense is okay - Kordell Stewaet is 29, 19 scores and 11 picks. 29 year old Jerome Bettis rushed for a thousand yards, 24 year old Plaxico Burress and 25 year old Hines Ward each had over a thousand yds receiving. 25 year old Alan Faneca is an All Pro
We have a 3/14 game - let's go out the Stick for the kick.
1st Qtr
Steelers start at the 32.
1/10 - Jerome Bettis opens the game with a 7 yard run.
2/3 - Bettis picks it up.
1/10 - One for Bettis.
2/9 - Bettis gets another yd
3/8 - Kordell Stewart's first attempt - its deep - Kordell to Plaxico Burress - big 38 yard strike, the Steelers are all the way at the Niner 20.
1/10 - Bettis again - and he's got 13 yards and the Steelers have a first and goal at the 7.
But that's it - the Niner defense stiffens, Steelers settle for the FG.
Niners at the 36.
1/10 - Ricky Watters gets a yard.
2/9 - Steve Young - over the middle to Brent Jones, sitting right at the sticks.
1/10 - Give to Tom Rathman, one yd.
2/9 - Give to Watters, 3 yds.
3/6 - Young - throws in the tight window to Jerry Rice, he's got 10 yards at the first. Niners at the Steeler 40.
1/10 - Young - forced to escape the pocket - Young is running - Young's got a dozen yards to the 28.
1/10 - Ricky Watters goes for 12, Niners now at the 16.
But that's it - Aaron Smith gets a sack - Niners match the FG and we are tied.
Steelers at the 33.
3 and out. Niners at the 31.
1/10 Incomplete
2/10 - 3 for Watters and that's the end of the qtr.
2nd Qtr: Niners 3 Steelers 3
Dead even through 1, both clubs with good drives that end in FGs, Niners have a 3rd and 7 at their own 34.
Jason Gildon sacks Young - Niners punt, Steelers take over at their own 29.
1/10 - 2 for the Bus
2/8 - It's Hines Ward's first reception - good battle today with Griffin/Davis, the Niners corners, against Burress/Ward, the Steelers receivers, Ward's got 14 and the first.
1/10 - Bettis breaks it. The Bus rolls for a 43 yard gain, dragged down at the 49er 12.
1/10 - Stewart. Endzone. Ward. TOUCHDOWN STEELERS - Kordell Stewart hits Hines Ward in the endzone for a 12 yard score, the 14th seeded Steelers again go up on San Francisco.
Niners at the 25.
1/10 - Gadget play. Young - inside handoff to Rathman -- he pitches back to Young, flea flicker -- Young hands to John Taylor on the end around - Taylor runs wide - stops -- Throws the Backward Pass to Young. Young -- Young Downfield -- Wide Open Ricky Watters! Wide Open Ricky Watters! Watters at the 40-3-20-10 - TOUCHDOWN NINERS - Great play call by Mike Shanahan here - Rathman, back to Young, to Taylor, back to Young -- and the 75 yard TD bomb to the wide open Ricky Watters who leaked free down the sideline -- like a lightning bolt the 49ers have tied this score at 10.
Steelers at the 12.
They get 1 first down, Hines Ward 6 yard reception the biggest play - after the punt, Niners at the 27. Midway 2nd qtr. 10-10.
1/10 - Rathman gets 4.
2/6 - Young finds Mike Sherrard at the sticks, he's just a little short.
3/1 - Watters picks it up, Niners at the 40.
1/10 - Young, quick out to Rice, 6 yards.
2/4 - Watters is stopped at the line.
3/4 - Young - Taylor - Niners cross midfield now with less than 4 minutes to go in the half.
1/10 - Watters for 2.
2/8 - Young, busted play - Young looking for a receiver, Rice comes open, 6 yards, another third down.
3/2 - Young -- over the middle -- Brent Jones is there, Jones has the first down, Niners at the Steeler 26 at the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Watters gets 6. Niners stop the clock.
2/4 - Rathman is stopped at the line - Niners use their second timeout.
3/4 - Young -- Taylor with the crossing route- John Taylor has the first down - he is out of bounds at the Steeler 13 yard line with a little more than a minute to go.
1/10 - Young - to Rathman coming out of the backfield -- Rathman breaking tackles -- Tom Rathman bulldozes his way into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN NINERS - San Francisco goes 73 yards, taking up most of the back half of the quarter and they grab their first lead of the day.
Steelers at the 30 - they get a first down on a big Stewart to Ward 27 yard gain - but 3 incompletions later the Niners have the ball at their own 8 with 26 seconds left.
Young is able to get a big shot - 43 yards to Odessa Turner - but that's where the half ends.
3rd Qtr: Niners 17 Steelers 10
San Francisco takes its first lead late in the half - Niners with the big gadget play to Watters and then the long TD drive. Niners will start at the 20.
3 and out. Kendrell Bell gets Pittsburgh's 3rd sack.
Steelers at the 42, good field position.
1/10 - Bettis gets 1.
2/9 - Incomplete
3/9 - Stewart - Ward -- Picked Off By Don Griffin -- Griffin steps in front of Ward and we have the game's first turnover -- Niners take over at their own 43 yard line.
They get 1 first down - Young to Watters, 13 yards. But that's all - and after the punt, Steelers have the ball at their own 13.
1/10 - Bettis gets 1.
2/9 - Big gain again for Bettis - 34 yards - Bettis out to the 48.
1/10 - Jon Witman's first carry, he gets 5.
2/5 - 2 for Bettis.
3/3 - Stewart. Burress. 9 yards and Pittsburgh's at the Niner 36.
1/10 - Amos Zereoue's first carry, he gets 1.
2/9 - Zereoue again, he's near the first down.
3/1 - Bettis picks it up - Pittsburgh is at the Niner 26. 4 minutes left in the third.
That's as far is it goes -- John Brown with his second FG and the Niner lead is cut to 17-13.
Niners at the 37.
1/10 - Ricky Watters breaks one -- 44 yards, Watters all the way to the Steeler 19 yard line.
1/10 - Amp Lee's first carry, he gets a yard.
2/9 - Broken play - Young keeps the play alive - Young scrambling - Young pulls it down - Young breaks tackles -- Steve Young breaks tackles -- Steve Young is gonna go into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN NINERS - An 18 yard Steve Young scramble into the endzone and San Francisco goes up 24-13 with less than a minute to go in the third qtr.
Steelers start at the 16, Bettis gets 5 on first down and the qtr ends.
4th Qtr: Niners 24 Steelers 13
San Francisco has its biggest lead, Steelers need to get some points on the board on this opening drive, they've got 2nd and 5 at their own 21.
They don't pick it up - Niners will start at their own 39.
3 and out - 4th Steelers sack belongs to Joey Porter.
Steelers at their own 41, they get a first down - Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala's first carry goes for 11 yards - but they punt again, clock working against Pittsburgh now, Niners at the 22 with 9 minutes left.
1/10 - Watters gets 7.
2/3 - Amp Lee stopped at the line.
3/3 - Young - Rice - 16 yards and the chains move, and the clock moves.
1/10 - Nothing for Watters.
2/10 - Young, planned run - gets 4 yards.
3/6 - Another third down -- and Young hits Rice again -- big play for Jerry, he's all the way to the Steeler 27 yard line, and with a little more than 4 minutes left and an 11 point lead - that's probably the kill shot.
1/10 - Rathman gets 2. Steelers use their first timeout.
2/8 - Rathman just bowling his way through for a 9 yard gain - another first down, Steelers have to stop the clock again. Niners at the 16.
1/10 - Amp Lee sweep gets 6 yards, stays in bounds - Steelers are now out of timeouts, there's not really a path forward from here.
2/4 - Watters --- Watters is gonna go into the the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN NINERS - it is 31-13 San Francisco, the Niners cruising into round two.
Pittsburgh gets 1 first down, 15 yard Burress reception - but thats it - victory formation for Young and San Francisco moves on.
Final: 49ers 31 Steelers 13
Steelers had a 10-3 lead and then San Francisco dominated the rest of the way, both sides of the ball - they'll head to round 2 and host the winners of the next game.
Young: 16 for 22, 264 yds, 2 TD (1 rushing)
Stewart: 8 for 16, 1 TD/1 INT
Watters: 18 carries, 108 yds, 3 receptions, 105 yds, 2 TD
Bettis: 19 carries, 125 yds
Rice: 5 catches, 55 yds
Burress: 4 catches, 89 yds
Player of the Game: Steve Young
