49ers Pass First Test With Rally

Garrison Hearst was solid, and Michael Vick was exciting. Still, the San Francisco 49er receivers stole the show.

Jose Cortez kicked a 24-yard field goal with 10:56 left in overtime as the 49ers rallied to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 16-13, Sunday in a game featuring the limited debut of Vick and the return of Hearst.

Terrell Owens, J.J. Stokes and Tai Streets all turned short receptions into long gains late in the game--each leading to a San Francisco score--as the 49ers won with the passing game in their first outing since Jerry Rice moved on to Oakland.

The 49ers scored 13 straight points in the final minutes to win after struggling through the first three quarters. Owens and Stokes each had 93 yards receiving, while Streets added 83 yards for the 49ers. After Cortez made a 20-yard field goal with eight seconds left in regulation to tie it, San Francisco won the coin toss and opened overtime at its own 20. Jeff Garcia, who was 16 of 24 for 335 yards, found Streets with a short pass that he turned into a 52-yard gain. Moments later, Cortez made his third easy field goal. Vick played two series and didn’t complete a pass in four attempts, but he rushed twice for 32 yards--including a 25-yard keeper that gave a hint of things to come.