Rams Notebook : San Francisco Just Ran Out of Luck

“49ERS LOSE TO RAMS ON ‘FLUKE’ PLAYS,” screamed the page one banner of a San Francisco newspaper Tuesday morning. It seemed to reflect the opinion of some 49er players, including quarterback Joe Montana.

Were the Rams lucky to win, 27-20? Let us count the ways.

First quarter:

First play of the game, 49er rookie Jerry Rice breaks a reverse for 41 yards, but the play is erased because Dwight Clark clips LeRoy Irvin, who might have tackled Rice.

Ram break? Or San Francisco mistake?

Later, Irvin saves a touchdown by knocking down Montana’s pass to Freddie Solomon in the end zone.

Actually, LeRoy is waving to a friend when his hand gets in the way of the ball. Sorry, Freddie.

Eric Dickerson, suffering writer’s cramp from signing his new contract, fumbles on his own five-yard line, giving the 49ers an easy score.

How lucky can the Rams get?

Second quarter:

Ray Wersching kicks a 42-yard field goal, but 49er teammate John Frank is cited for holding. He’s innocent. Just trying to shake Gary Green’s hand as he goes by. The referee doesn’t understand and disallows the field goal.

Montana passes 19 yards to Clark, but guard John Ayers is caught holding. “Who, me?” says Ayers.

Third quarter:

Ron Brown returns the second-half kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. The Rams sure are lucky he can run fast.

Montana sprints out and fires a 66-yard touchdown pass to Rice. Line judge Dan Wilford moves downfield and doesn’t notice that Montana is beyond the line of scrimmage when he throws.

Dieter Brock passes deep to Henry Ellard in the end zone, but Ellard’s second foot comes down on the sideline--no catch.

If the Rams get any luckier, they might fall into the bay.

Fourth quarter:

Montana throws for Russ Francis in the end zone, but the Rams’ Vince Newsome, waiting for a cable car, spots the ball in the air and grabs it himself, thinking it’s a Frisbee.

Lucky Vince later slips and falls, allowing Montana to complete a bootleg pass to Roger Craig for a touchdown. A week earlier at New Orleans, Newsome sacked Bobby Hebert on the same play.

Ronnie Lott tips Brock’s pass into Ellard’s hands for a touchdown.

Carl Monroe tips Montana’s pass into Gary Green’s hands for a touchdown.

But it’s not the 49ers’ fault. The Rams told them they were playing volleyball. Dirty guys.

Finally, Gary Jeter tosses away 300 pounds of Bubba Paris, sacks Montana, causes a fumble and recovers it, killing the 49ers’ last hope.