Leading by 17, 49ers Hand It to Falcons : Pro football: Norm Johnson kicks two field goals in the final 2:12 to give Atlanta 27-24 victory.

Even Jerry Glanville had trouble believing this one.

The Atlanta Falcons were in trouble Saturday as the San Francisco 49ers appeared en route to another NFC West title, leading, 24-7, to start the fourth quarter.

Then, the 49ers crumbled, blowing the 17-point lead that kept the Falcons’ playoff hopes alive.

Norm Johnson, whose string of 26 consecutive field goals ended in the first half, kicked two in the final 2 minutes 12 seconds--from 47 and 37 yards--as Atlanta rallied for a 27-24 victory, snapping the 49ers six-game winning streak.

“This team won’t surrender,” Glanville said. “Absolutely unbelievable. They pull themselves out of trouble every time we get into it.”

The 49ers (9-4) had a chance to move within a victory of clinching their fourth division crown in five seasons under Coach George Seifert. This one appeared to be safely in hand after Steve Young built a 17-point lead on a 10-yard scoring run with 2:22 left in the third quarter.

“We should never have allowed them to move down the field and score the way we did,” Seifert said. “It is one of those bitter defeats. It is just one of those things you go through in this business.”

Atlanta (6-7) rallied behind the passing of Bobby Hebert and the fumbling of San Francisco’s kick return specialist Dexter Carter.

Hebert passed to Michael Haynes for a one-yard touchdown to cap an 80-yard drive 1:23 into the final period. Less than seven minutes later, Andre Rison caught his second touchdown pass from Hebert, a six-yarder that was set up when Carter fumbled Harold Alexander’s punt.

Atlanta stopped San Francisco on the next possession, forcing a punt that gave the Falcons the ball on their 38. Johnson’s 47-yard kick tied the score with 2:12 left.

Carter was then stripped of the ball on the kickoff on a hit by Darion Conner. Ken Tippins recovered on the San Francisco 18, and Johnson kicked the game winner with 28 seconds left.