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49ers Given a Giant Shove to Early Exit From Playoffs, 17-3

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<i> Times Staff Writer </i>

In the Sunday chill and wind of Giants Stadium, the San Francisco 49ers and their one-season rule of the NFL tumbled as if pushed down a flight of steep stairs.

The New York Giants, playoff victims of the 49ers in 1981 and 1984, administered the shove and then watched as the 49ers bumbled and stumbled about in a state of confusion. The 17-3 victory doesn’t do the Giants justice. Three missed field goals by former school teacher Eric Schubert, all makeable, could have provided New York with proper numbers.

As it was, the Giants badgered 49er quarterback Joe Montana as if he owed them money. Montana, who took six pain-killing shots for his injured left ribs this week, completed 26 of 47 passes for 296 yards and threw 1 interception that eventually led to a Giant touchdown. Ten Montana passes were dropped.

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“The reason they dropped all those passes is that their receivers were looking for who the hell was going to hit them,” Giant linebacker Lawrence Taylor said.

As for Roger Craig, the 49er running back who established a league record this season by gaining more than 1,000 yards in both rushing and pass receiving, he was limited to 41 total yards (23 rushing, 18 receiving).

By the end of the third period, Craig, who bruised his left knee and aggravated a hyperextended right knee during the game, was asked by Coach Bill Walsh to retire to the sidelines. Craig, who dropped four passes during his stay on the field, didn’t argue with the decision.

“I couldn’t run, I couldn’t block, I couldn’t help the team,” Craig said. “I should have pulled myself a long time ago.”

The 49er loss marked the first time in 40 games (Nov. 27, 1983 vs. the Chicago Bears) that San Francisco didn’t score a touchdown. It also brought to an end the Giants’ playoff miseries on their home field. New York hadn’t won a post-season game at home since 1958. Of course, the Giants hadn’t played host to a playoff game since 1962.

“These guys are the world champions and I’m proud of beating them,” Giant Coach Bill Parcells said. “Somebody had to get rid of them and I’m glad we did.”

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Walsh calmly and gracefully accepted the defeat.

“As far as the 49ers are concerned, this game is already behind us,” he said. “I’m not ashamed. I guarantee you publicly we will be back.”

The Giants play the Bears at Soldier Field Sunday in the divisional playoff game, while the Rams meet the Dallas Cowboys in Anaheim Stadium Saturday. The Giants most likely will be greeted by sub-freezing temperatures, as well as the favored Bears and William (The Refrigerator) Perry.

At game’s end, the 75,842 fans who filled Giants Stadium began yelling, “We want the Bears! We want the Bears!”

Said Giant linebacker Harry Carson: “Yeah, but the crowd is not going to play. I laughed when I heard them. The crowd was chanting like they were going to take the field.”

Said Taylor: “I’m not going to even think about the Bears. I don’t want to think about a refrigerator, a stove. . . . I’m going to throw all of my appliances out of my house.”

Taylor preferred to savor the sight of a confused and frazzled Montana, an ineffective Craig and an overburdened 49er offensive line. And while on the sideline, he watched the Giant offense push and shove the 49ers down the field.

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Running back Joe Morris gained 141 yards, and two little-used tight ends, Mark Bavaro and Don Hasselbeck, provided two touchdown catches. Only Schubert’s misses from 43, 36 and 39 yards spoiled the afternoon.

“We tried to run the ball a little bit,” Montana said. “We did a little bit of everything. We had some success, but we couldn’t keep it constant.”

After several dropped passes by Craig, Montana said, “That’s when you start thinking, ‘God, it just wasn’t meant to be.”’

Little went wrong for the Giants. New York’s first score was a first-period, 47-yard field goal by Schubert, which just happened to be the longest of his brief career. The 3-0 lead increased by seven points midway through the second quarter when Bavaro made a one-handed catch deep in the end zone. Free safety Ronnie Lott was the nearest defender.

“Once (Bavaro) got around me and I saw the ball in the air, I knew I was in trouble,” said Lott, who had man-to-man coverage on the play.

The touchdown was made possible, in part, by a Montana interception that bounced off the hands of tight end Russ Francis.

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The 49ers received the kickoff and, much to the surprise of the Giants, began moving toward a score. Three times the 49ers were given first downs because of penalties (an unsportsmanlike conduct, roughing the passer and defensive holding). The Giants began looking vulnerable as running back Wendell Tyler, who recently had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his knee, gained 5 and 10 yards on every try. With three minutes remaining in the first half and the ball on the Giants’ six, nose guard Jim Burt and Taylor asked Carson to call a timeout.

“I hate to say it was the biggest play, but it enabled us to get our wind back, our composure,” Burt said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was tired. It might have been the best timeout we used all year.”

Craig gained one yard on the next play. Tyler tried the right side of the Giant defensive line, but was stopped after another yard. On third-and-eight, Montana overthrew wide receiver Mike Wilson in the end zone. Ray Wersching’s 21-yard field goal made it 10-3 at halftime.

The Giants scored again in the third period. After driving 74 yards, quarterback Phil Simms faked a handoff to running back George Adams. Linebacker Riki Ellison was fooled and Hasselbeck snuck behind Ellison for a touchdown catch.

Hasselbeck, who spent much of the season on injured reserve and in the stands, enjoyed the moment of notoriety. “I was in Section 329,” Hasselbeck said, laughing. “People were spilling beer on me and saying, ‘Hey, big guy sit down!’ ”

Hasselbeck’s touchdown reception with 10:56 left in the third period provided a comfort zone for the Giants.

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Midway through the fourth quarter, the 49ers failed on a fourth-and-five attempt from the New York 47. Another fourth-down try later in the period was five yards short. And when it looked as if San Francisco finally would score, this time on a 13-yard pass to tight end John Frank, the 49ers were called for holding.

On the next play, running back Carl Monroe dropped a perfect pass from Montana in the end zone.

So went the 49er brief dynasty. With a tumble and a thud.

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