AROUND THE NFL : Hot 49ers Can Clinch Home-Field Advantage

For now, Steve Young would rather understate the San Francisco 49ers’ success.

“I don’t want to look at it as a streak or above-average performance,” the 49er quarterback said. “I’d like to think that we’re fulfilling expectations and playing up to our standard rather than something we’re going to drop from. There will be tough games in the future, but I want this to become the norm.”

Winning has been the norm recently for the 49ers, who haven’t been beaten since a 40-8 loss to Philadelphia Oct. 2.

San Francisco (12-2) has won nine in a row since then, and seeks to extend the streak today against the Denver Broncos (7-7) at Candlestick Park.

During the victory string, the 49ers have outscored opponents by an average of 19.6 points (35.8 to 16.2) and they are only 26 points shy of the franchise record for points in a season (475), set by the 1984 team, which won the Super Bowl.

With the NFC West title and a first-round postseason bye already clinched, the 49ers will be trying to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by beating the Broncos. Denver, which has won seven of 10 since opening the season 0-4, still has playoff aspirations, but needs a victory to bolster those hopes.

John Elway was sidelined against the Raiders last week because of a twisted knee, only his seventh missed start because of injury in 12 seasons, but returned to practice this week.

*

Talk about playoffs. Talk about Cris Carter’s pass-catching record. Talk about venerable quarterbacks Warren Moon and Dave Krieg. But don’t forget Barry Sanders.

Any time the Detroit Lions play, Sanders is apt to be a factor. The fact that he hasn’t done much in the last five games between Detroit and Minnesota only makes today’s game in Pontiac, Mich., more intriguing.

The Vikings (9-5) can clinch their second NFC Central title in the last three years with a victory. The Lions (8-6), who won the division title in 1991 and 1993, will remain in the hunt for another divisional crown and move closer to a wild-card playoff berth if they win.

Sanders leads the league in rushing with 1,721 yards in 302 carries.

But lately, the Vikings have shut him down. In the five games since Sanders rushed for 220 yards against the Vikings on Nov. 24, 1991, they have limited him to an average of 49.5 yards per game.

Carter has 111 catches, one shy of the league record of 112 set last season by Sterling Sharpe of Green Bay.

*

Joe Montana confirmed that he will start in the Kansas City Chiefs’ final home game of the season, Sunday against Houston. Montana has been sidelined the last two games because of a foot injury as the Chiefs fell to 7-7.