49ers Revel in Pouring It On Falcons : NFC: Rice scores on two touchdown pass plays and a reverse as San Francisco sets team record for points, 56-17.

There was some heavy-duty payback Sunday by the San Francisco 49ers.

They buried memories of two bitter losses to Atlanta last year by burying the Falcons 56-17. It was the most points ever scored by a 49er team, surpassing a 55-10 victory over Denver in the 1990 Super Bowl.

“This was fun,” said 49er quarterback Steve Young, who completed 18 of 28 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns.

Jerry Rice caught seven passes for 183 yards, including touchdown pass plays of 80 and 40 yards. The 80-yard reception was 100th touchdown of his career.

Ricky Watters rushed for touchdowns of one, four and eight yards.

The 49ers did not have to contend with Deion Sanders, the Falcons’ return specialist and cornerback who stayed in Atlanta to play for the Braves on Sunday night in the World Series.

“It wouldn’t have hurt us to have him, but the way we played today I don’t even think Deion could have pulled us out,” Falcon safety Jeff Donaldson said.

Rice, who became the eighth player in NFL history with 100 or more career touchdowns, took a handoff from Watters and scored his third touchdown on a 26-yard reverse. That put the 49ers ahead, 49-10, midway through the third quarter.

It was the kind of big game Rice had been waiting for after catching only two touchdown passes in the previous six games

“It’s so dangerous when Jerry Rice doesn’t get the stats he thinks he’s supposed to be getting,” 49er center Jesse Sapolu said. “Games like this happen and he just explodes.”

Eric Davis and Don Griffin of the 49ers intercepted passes by Chris Miller to prevent the Falcons from keeping up with the 49ers, who were ahead, 42-10, at halftime.

“It wasn’t a pretty sight,” Falcon Coach Jerry Glanville said. “They kicked our butts every way there was, no excuses, no alibis. We didn’t stop anything.”

The 49ers (6-1) scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters to eclipse the club record for most points in a half. They had 41 first-half points in a Sept. 8, 1983 game against Minnesota.

“I don’t ever remember scoring six touchdowns in the first half before--unbelievable,” Young said. “We were just on a roll.”

The 49ers had downplayed the revenge factor leading up to the game. But it was clear what was on their minds.

The Falcons (2-5) beat the 49ers in their first meeting last year 39-34 as Tim McKyer had two fourth-quarter interceptions of Young. McKyer, a former 49er, strutted along the San Francisco sideline in celebration after the second pickoff, and Niners owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. later said he’d rather lose than have a player like McKyer on his team.

In the second meeting, Falcon quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver completed a desperation pass in the last second to Michael Haynes, who outleaped six defenders in the end zone for a 17-14 win.

The 49ers finished 10-6 last season, missing a ninth straight trip to the playoffs by one win.

“If you couldn’t get up for this game, you’re not a 49er,” Rice said. “We were very aggressive and took control of the game early. If we can come out like this every game, there’s no telling how far we can go.”

The 49ers were in command from the outset. Young guided the team 90 yards in 11 plays and Tom Rathman scored on a one-yard run.

Watters, taking advantage of a gaping hole up the middle, scored on an eight-yard run.

On the 49ers’ ensuing series, Bruce Pickens intercepted a pass by Young. Miller connected with Michael Haynes on a 44-yard touchdown pass play to make the score 14-7.

But it was all 49ers after that. As soon as they got the ball back, Young connected with Rice for the 80-yard touchdown. Rice’s 40-yard scoring reception in the final moments of the second quarter.

Atlanta’s other scores came on Norm Johnson’s 51-yard field goal and Wade Wilson’s six-yard touchdown pass to Jason Phillips.