NFL EXHIBITION ROUNDUP : 49ers End Preseason Unbeaten

The San Francisco 49ers were without Joe Montana for the third consecutive game, but, once again, it hardly mattered with Steve Young starting at quarterback.

Young directed the 49ers to three first-half touchdowns in a 28-16 victory over the Seattle Seahawks Friday night at Seattle to complete an unbeaten exhibition season.

The 49ers finished their exhibition schedule with a 5-0 record, their first undefeated preseason since 1954 when they were 7-0.

With Montana on the sideline in street clothes because of tendinitis in his right elbow, Young drove the 49ers to touchdowns in their first three possessions for a 21-3 lead.

Young, who completed 10 of 11 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown, said he was prepared to start in the regular-season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Sept. 2, but he doesn’t want to take the starting job by default.

“You only get better if you play as much as I’ve been,” he said. “I’m ready. But it’s just a matter of time before Joe gets healthy. It could be five days or it could be longer.”

After Seattle (2-2) got to within 21-16 on Chris Warren’s one-yard touchdown run with 3:57 left, Spencer Tillman ran 91 yards for a touchdown for the 49ers with 2:49 remaining.

Phoenix 34, Denver 10--Anthony Thompson ran for a pair of one one-yard touchdowns at Tempe, Ariz., as the Cardinals (4-0) finished the preseason unbeaten for the first time since 1948, when the franchise was based in Chicago.

The Broncos (2-3) got a 40-yard field goal from David Treadwell in the second quarter and tied the score, 10-10, early in the third quarter on Robert Perryman’s 14-yard run after a 59-yard pass from John Elway to Derek Russell.

Philadelphia 23, Indianapolis 21--Jim McMahon replaced Randall Cunningham early in the second quarter and directed scoring drives of 80 and 63 yards as the Eagles held off a fourth-quarter rally at Philadelphia.

McMahon completed 12 of 21 for 158 yards and Cunningham completed five of seven passes for 30 yards for the Eagles (4-1).

Jeff George completed 11 of 24 passes for 121 yards and an interception for the Colts (1-3). Eric Dickerson, returning after missing a game because of an injured back, carried six times for 22 yards and a touchdown.

Tampa Bay 20, Kansas City 7--Vinny Testaverde connected with Bruce Hill on a 15-yard touchdown pass play and set up two field goals by Steve Christie that gave the Buccaneers (3-1) a 13-7 halftime lead en route to the victory at Tampa, Fla.

Testaverde played the first half and completed 11 of 19 passes for 197 yards.

Christian Okoye scored a 15-yard run for the Chiefs (2-2).

Pittsburgh 16, Detroit 3--Barry Foster scored the game’s only touchdown on a three-yard run and Gary Anderson kicked field goals of 51, 36 and 40 yards at Pontiac, Mich.

The Steelers (2-2) intercepted four passes and recovered two fumbles as the Lions (2-3) lost their third game in a row.

Dallas 20, Atlanta 17--The Cowboys (2-2) blew a 17-point lead, but Ken Willis kicked a 38-yard field goal 2:35 into overtime to give them the victory over the Falcons (2-2) at Irving, Tex.

Minnesota 31, Cleveland 7--Wade Wilson completed 14 of 16 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings (2-2) at Minneapolis before the Browns (2-2) had either a completion or a first down.