Hearst a Blur to Dolphins in 49er Shutout

San Francisco 49er guard Ray Brown has this terrifying image of Garrison Hearst planted in his mind. The 49er running back is lying on the turf of Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on a January day in 1998, pain etched on his face, a bone in his left leg fractured, his season over. And probably his career as well.

The Miami Dolphins took another image of Hearst home with them on the long journey back to Florida Sunday night after being dominated and embarrassed by the 49ers, 21-0, in front of 68,223 at 3Com Park.

It’s a blurred image of Hearst as he runs over, around and through the Dolphins on his way to 103 yards for the day and 1,000 yards for the season.

There were plenty of positive images for the 49ers to savor Sunday and much for the Dolphins to forget.

One week after being soundly beaten by the Rams, 27-14, in a divisional showdown at St. Louis, the 49ers improved to 10-3 with their second consecutive shutout at home. Two weeks ago, they blanked the Buffalo Bills at 3Com, 35-0.

Less than a week after blowing out the Indianapolis Colts, 41-6, on Monday night, Miami (9-4) suffered its second shutout of the year. The New York Jets kept the Dolphins off the scoreboard in mid-November, beating them, 24-0, at Miami.

Those in attendance saw a stifling, opportunistic San Francisco defense that sacked Miami quarterback Jay Fiedler six times, intercepted three of his passes and held the Dolphins to 67 yards on the ground.

They also saw an efficient, powerful 49er offensive line that fueled a smoothly executed game plan, highlighted by a game-breaking 98-yard drive.

But most of all, they saw Hearst, which is as it should be on a momentous day in his career.

After suffering his career-threatening injury on the first play from scrimmage of an NFC divisional playoff game the 49ers lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 20-18, Hearst underwent five surgeries in two years.

That was followed by a grueling rehabilitation process that continues to this day.

Finally, this year, he returned to the field. And Sunday, he returned to an elite circle of NFL backs.

In the third quarter, in the midst of that impressive 98-yard drive, Hearst, on first and 10 from his 44-yard-line, went off left tackle for two yards.

With those yards, Hearst became the first player in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards after a two-year layoff. He had previously topped the 1,000-yard mark three times in his career.

“Can you imagine what Garrison has achieved?” 49er Coach Steve Mariucci said. “For him to be this dominating and this much on top of his game after all he’s been through ... is quite a story.”

San Francisco established its dominance in the game with two first-quarter touchdowns.

The first came after a Fiedler interception. Kevan Barlow, who backs up Hearst, scored on a two-yard run.

49er quarterback Jeff Garcia, who bruised his ribs in the first half, added a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Eric Johnson.