Montana Says He’ll Be Ready to Start Against Rams Monday

Bruised ribs, flak jacket and all, Joe Montana says he will be the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in their showdown with the Rams Monday night in Anaheim Stadium.

“It doesn’t feel any worse than it has the last couple of weeks,” Montana said of his rib injury. “I’ll be ready to play Monday night.”

Surprised? Were you expecting Steve Young?

Not when Montana has started seven games against the Rams in Anaheim Stadium and won seven times.

Montana was removed from last Sunday’s game with Atlanta just before halftime after reinjuring his bruised ribs.

But he attended 49er practice Wednesday, and said he would join in Thursday’s workout. It wasn’t a day off for Montana, however. It was the second of three days of electric stimulation treatment to his rib cage by trainer Lindsy McLean.

“Every time I took a breath I felt this sharp pain above my rib cage,” Montana said.

X-rays were taken at halftime to rule out the possibility of a punctured lung.

Montana said he could have played in the second half, if needed, but that the pain would have limited his mobility.

George Seifert, 49er coach, making it clear that Montana would be his starter against the Rams, expressed concern for his quarterback’s well-being.

“If Joe is healthy, and I go by what he tells me and what our medical staff tells me, he’s our quarterback. We’ve got a great quarterback who’s banged up, but he’s played hurt quite a bit of his career, and done a heck of a job.”

Montana has been sacked 29 times in 11 games, six more than the comparable period last year, raising questions about his protection.

“Maybe there could be more protection from the offensive line,” Seifert said. “I know that’s something we’re working on.”

Seifert also acknowledged his game plan included doing “something new” to combat the Rams’ accent on the passing game.

“Jim Everett is a fine quarterback and I’m sure the Rams will try to do whatever they can to spread out our defense,” Seifert said.

In the teams’ first meeting this season, a 13-12 Ram victory on Mike Lansford’s last-minute field goal, Everett hooked up with Flipper Anderson for a 65-yard scoring pass play, the game’s only touchdown. In all, Anderson had four receptions for 112 yards.

“I think (Anderson) is awfully good,” Seifert said. “He’s a tough man to deal with. And, if their quarterback has any time at all, he’s been particularly effective in the latter stages of the game, as he was in ours.”

To combat the Everett-Anderson combination and the expected return of Henry Ellard after a two-game absence due to a strained hamstring, Seifert said: “I think we’ll have to do something different (in contrast to the first meeting). Just to say we’ll play our basic defense against them won’t get the job done.”

Notes

Ram defensive end Doug Reed was put on injured reserve Wednesday with a sprained ankle, and rookie linebacker Brian Smith was activated to take his place. Reed, the team’s starter at left end, was injured in the Rams’ victory over Phoenix Nov. 19. He will spend a minimum of six weeks on injured reserve, effectively ending his season unless the Rams advance through the playoffs. . . . In the week’s first injury report to league headquarters, quarterback Joe Montana was listed as “probable” for Monday night’s game. Montana is one of three 49ers who lead NFC individual statistical categories. Montana is the top-rated passer with a 116.1 rating. Receiver Jerry Rice is the leading receiver with 70 catches for 1,298 yards, and kicker Mike Cofer leads the conference in scoring with 113 points. . . . With a two-game lead with three to play, Monday night doesn’t present a “must-win” situation for the 49ers. But Coach George Seifert makes it clear he wants a victory badly. A victory would not only wrap up the NFC West title, but would ensure a home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

HOW THEY COMPARE How the 49ers’ passing tandem of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice compares with the Rams’ Jim Everett and his top two receivers, Henry Ellard and Willie Anderson:

THE QUARTERBACKS

Avg Rat Att Cp Yds Gain TD Int Pts Montana 323 231 2957 9.15 22 5 116.1 Everett 432 257 3617 8.37 24 15 90.6

THE RECEIVERS

Avg Rec Yds Gain Long TD Rice 70 1298 18.5 68 15 Ellard 61 1176 19.3 49 8 Anderson 38 997 26.2 78 4

THE JOE MONTANA ANAHEIM STADIUM HEX

If Joe Montana can continue his Anaheim Stadium dominance of the Rams

Monday night, the San Francisco 49ers will wrap up the National Football

Conference’s West Division championship. Montana has beaten the Rams in

all seven of his appearances in Anaheim Stadium and his overall record

against L.A. is 11 victories against only 5 losses.

Montana, by the numbers:

Year Site Score Att. Compl. Yards TD Long Int. 1981 S.F. 20-17 32 18 287 2 50 0 Anaheim 33-31 30 19 283 0 44 1 1982 Anaheim 30-24 37 26 305 2 38t 0 S.F. 20-21 38 20 200 2 29t 1 1983 S.F. 7-10 42 28 316 0 29 0 Anaheim 45-35 39 25 358 3 46t 0 1984 Anaheim 33- 0 31 21 365 3 64t 0 S.F. 19-16 31 20 219 2 47t 0 1985 Anaheim 28-14 30 22 306 3 73 0 S.F. 20-27 36 26 328 3 66t 2 1986 Anaheim Did not play S.F. 24-14 36 23 238 2 44t 1 1987 Anaheim 31-10 30 21 294 3 51t 1 S.F. 48- 0 9 6 107 2 46 0 1988 Anaheim 24-21 31 21 203 0 38 1 S.F. 16-38 26 15 171 0 20 0 1989 S.F. 12-13 35 25 227 0 30 0 TOTALS 410-291 513 336 4,207 27 73 7

t denoted touchdown Source: 49ers Media Guide