Two Bad Teams, One Has to Win

San Francisco, with Jeff Garcia back at quarterback, finally showed some life, but the Cincinnati Bengals showed more and beat the 49ers, 44-30, Sunday.

Jeff Blake tied his career high with four touchdown passes for the Bengals, who put up their highest point total in 10 years, ended a streak of 11 consecutive home losses and got back-to-back wins for the first time since 1997.

The Bengals (3-10) had lost their last nine games to the 49ers since 1975, including two Super Bowls in the 1980s. Fans booed as highlights of those games were shown on the video board.

At the end, thousands stuck around in the rain to cheer the most satisfying win of the season.

“We’re not acting like we won the Super Bowl, but we’re happy we won,” second-year linebacker Takeo Spikes said. “Two wins in a row means a lot to me.”

The Bengals won a game that resembled touch football with its never-ending offense and slipshod tackling.

“We moved the ball, but so did they,” Coach Bruce Coslet said. “I thought it was an entertaining game, at least from where I sit.”

The 49ers (3-9) lost their eighth in a row--their worst skid in 19 years--and clinching their first losing season since 1982. But it wasn’t the offense’s fault. Garcia completed 33 of 49 passes for 437 yards and three touchdowns and Jerry Rice caught two touchdown passes for the first time this season. He had 157 receiving yards in nine catches.

Meanwhile, Blake completed 21 of 30 passes for 334 yards, Corey Dillon rushed 25 times for 133 yards and had five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Carl Pickens had two touchdown catches and 107 yards overall.