THE NFL 1996 : Brohm Rallies 49ers to Victory Over Oilers

Steve Young wasn’t able to save the San Francisco 49ers this time. Seldom-used quarterback Jeff Brohm and the 49er defense did.

Young suffered a concussion on the third play of the game and was replaced by Brohm, who completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with 4:27 to play, rallying the 49ers to a 10-9 victory over the Houston Oilers on Sunday.

Defensive end Chris Doleman dominated the fourth quarter with a third-down sack and an interception on the Oilers’ final offensive play. Safety Merton Hanks broke up a fourth-down pass with 2:18 to play.

“This is why we’re a championship team,” Brohm said. “No matter who is in there, we can pull it out. I probably haven’t been this exhausted in my whole career.”

Al Del Greco kicked field goals of 38, 56 and 39 yards and had the Oilers (5-3) leading, 9-3, before their largest crowd of the season, 53,664.

Brohm got the 49ers (6-2) going with a 49-yard screen pass to running back Terry Kirby to set up the go-ahead score.

On third down, Brohm passed to Owens, who broke a sideline tackle by cornerback Darryll Lewis and danced into the end zone.

Brohm, a free-agent signee who had completed two of four passes this season, was forced into the game because Elvis Grbac, the 49ers’ other backup quarterback, was inactive because of a shoulder injury.

“The team kept sticking together,” San Francisco Coach George Seifert said. “Brohm did a heck of a job. To stay in there to battle, to scramble, to not make the costly errors. . . . He did what he had to do. It’s one of those deals where we just had to hang in there.”

Young, who was injured on a tackle by linebackers Micheal Barrow and Joe Bowden, is listed as probable for Sunday’s game at New Orleans.

Oiler quarterback Chris Chandler reinjured his groin and was replaced by Steve McNair in the third quarter.

San Francisco fullback William Floyd played Sunday after his arrest in San Jose on Friday on a drunken driving charge.