GOOD FORM : Return From Injuries of Craig, Carter and Montana Makes 49ers Fine Again

No one slept or listened to music. Nobody was reading or playing cards. The San Francisco 49ers had their attention riveted on the screen in the cabin of the charter flight home from New England last Sunday.

The quality of the picture wasn’t very good, but the 49ers were picking up the live telecast of the Rams’ game with Miami and, at the essential moment in overtime, it was quite clear enough to see Dan Marino complete a pass to Mark Duper.

“People went absolutely crazy,” said Joe Montana, the resurrected quarterback who the 49ers believe can lead them back to grace and glory.

Not long ago, with Montana flat on his bad back, the 49ers stuck in a lose-one, win-one syndrome and the Rams on a roll, most of these guys figured a wild-card berth was their only hope of playing after Christmas. And given the way they were playing, it was a slim hope at that.

Marino helped change all that, though, and tonight San Francisco will play host to the Rams with the NFC West title on the line.

The happy bunch on board that flight from New England is not the same team that floundered through much of the 1986 season, though. It’s not the same team that played half the season with a hobbled Roger Craig. It’s not the same team that went two three-week stretches without an effective Michael Carter at nose tackle. And it’s certainly not the same team that lined up for eight games without Montana.

Forget the seven new faces on the roster. The big difference in this 49er squad is the return to form of some of the Rams’ longtime nemeses.

CRAIG: Rebirth of the Run In San Francisco’s fourth game, Craig suffered a hip injury. He was out of the starting lineup for just one week, but he didn’t return to full strength for more than two months.

So Craig was struggling, the 49ers were staggering and, even with Montana sidelined, Craig became a point of contention.

“It’s been really frustrating going through the whole year because I didn’t have the year I had last year,” Craig said. “Statistically, I was behind everybody and they were pointing their fingers: ‘Well, he’s not running the same, he’s lost a step.’

“It was tearing me up inside, people thinking that. If you’re going to criticize me, criticize me when I’m healthy, not when I’m hurt. I kept that deep down inside, didn’t say anything or tell anybody (outside the team) that I was hurt. I didn’t want to cry.”

Craig says he’s back to 100% now. It’s showing. Last week against New England, he had 86 yards in 16 carries. Running mate Joe Cribbs, who has missed two games this season because of injuries, ran for 107 yards in 23 attempts. San Francisco had 82 yards rushing and nine first downs in the first quarter.

Cribbs, who has been sidelined this season with calf and hip injuries, says he’s being more patient and using his blocking better lately. And Guy McIntyre, a very good run blocker, has moved into the starting left guard spot.

But Craig’s return to form has been the big difference in the revived running attack.

Montana maintains that the 49ers have been able to win three of their last four games because they have been able to move the ball on the ground. A solid running game, he says, is essential to their success from here on out.

“You have to have a running game to be a contender,” Montana said. “Even if you don’t have a consistent 100-yard guy, you need a combined effort to get over that 100-yard mark. It makes things easier on the passing game, which we tend to do a lot of.

“To see those guys back up and running the ball is great. It takes a lot of pressure off. You don’t have to make every single throw.”

The return to the run has meant fewer turnovers and better ball control, too. The 49er offense has turned the ball over just three times in the last four games and has enjoyed at least a four-minute advantage in time of possession each time.

CARTER: A Nose for the Run Guard Randy Cross says the 49ers have a “certain nastiness” about them. But for much of this season, they were downright agreeable to opposing running backs.

A month ago, San Francisco was a polite 11th in the league in rushing defense. These days, they’re as unpleasant as ever, having allowed just 186 yards on the ground in the last four games to move up to fourth. Their last four opponents have managed just 75, 13, 38 and 60 net yards rushing.

“Our (defensive) formula is very good for playing the running game,” Coach Bill Walsh said. “We are a disciplined defense. Our linebackers attack the line of scrimmage, and we get excellent safety support.

“But Carter and (safety Ronnie) Lott are the critical people in our defense. Without them at full strength, we’re not the same team.”

Last year, Carter got off the injured-reserve list before the Ram-49er game Oct. 27 and San Francisco did not allow a touchdown on the ground until the playoffs, nine games later.

This season, Carter missed game No. 9, against New Orleans, and didn’t start the next three because of an injury to his left ankle. Then he hurt his right ankle Nov. 23. The right ankle still bothers him a bit.

Lott, who leads the league with nine interceptions and still manages to play the run as well as any safety in the game, missed two midseason games because of a knee injury.

“We’re putting (defensive) pressure on teams again,” Montana said. “That’s taken some of the pressure off our offense. We don’t feel like we have to score a touchdown every time we get the ball.”

The 49ers have always been tough against the run at home. No team has gained more than 100 yards rushing on the often sloppy Candlestick Park turf in the last seven games. The last running back to surpass the 100-yard mark there was Walter Payton on Oct. 13, 1985.

MONTANA: No Average Joe Ram fans remember Montana. This Joe is always smokin’ when he’s facing guys dressed in blue and gold. In the last five games against the Rams, he has thrown for 14 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. In five of the last six, he has thrown for more than 300 yards.

But is this man with the leaking disks the same player who regularly ruins whole seasons for the Rams?

He thinks so, even if no one else does.

“All of sudden, everybody’s an expert on what I can do and what I can’t do,” he said.

Some say he doesn’t run anymore. He says he hasn’t needed to. They say he’s jittery in the pocket and he says he feels as calm as ever. They say he can’t roll left and throw right. He says he’s not going to roll left if he’s getting chased to the right.

The debate goes on, but the only obvious difference in Montana since his return is a slightly diminished productivity in the second half. In six games since returning, Montana has completed 77 of 113 first-half passes for exactly 1,000 yards with 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the second half, he has completed 59 of 112 for 642 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

Montana says the layoff hasn’t hurt his conditioning, and he can’t remember ever being fatigued.

And if it’s numbers you want, how’s a 5-2 record when he’s at quarterback?

Most 49ers will tell you that the Montana Mystique is far more important than his physical prowess, anyway. The 49ers believe they can win with their two-time Super Bowl MVP behind center.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the locker room when Joe came back, and that sort of sums up our feelings,” veteran tight end Russ Francis said with a playful grin. “Seriously though, this team cannot win this year without a healthy Joe Montana. That’s taking nothing away from (backups) Jeff Kemp or Mike Moroski, but it takes a while to learn this offense, and certainly Joe performs the task better than most mortals.”