- It’s not much of a stretch to say that 49ers quarterback Steve
Young was battling Joe Montana in Super Bowl XXIX almost as much as he
was the San Diego Chargers. Young had a better overall statistical
year in 1994 than any other quarterback in NFL history, with a record
passer rating of 112.8. He led the league in passing for a record
fourth consecutive year, and he was virtually a unanimous choice as
the NFL’s MVP for the second time. But he’d yet to win a Super
Bowl, and in the eyes of most 49ers fans, that left his stature less
than Montanaesque. Against the Chargers, however, Young pushed that
last obstacle aside, passing for 325 yards and a record 6 touchdowns
in San Francisco’s 49-26 rout. "I can’t describe the
feeling," Young said afterwards.
- San Francisco wasted little time scoring, taking the lead for good
on Young's 44-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice only three plays and
1:24 into the game. The next time they had the ball, the 49ers marched
79 yards in four plays, taking a 14-0 lead when Young teamed with
running back Ricky Watters on a 51-yard touchdown pass with 10:05
remaining in the opening period. San Diego then put together its most
impressive possession of the game, a 13-play, 78-yard drive that
consumed more than 7 minutes and was capped by Natrone Means's 1-yard
touchdown run, to cut its deficit to 14-7 late in the quarter. But San
Francisco countered with a 70-yard drive of its own, and Young's
5-yard touchdown pass to fullback William Floyd made it 21-7. Young's
fourth touchdown pass of the half, 8 yards to Watters 4:44 before
halftime, increased the advantage to 28-7, and the Chargers could get
no closer than 18 points. Watters, who ran 9 yards for a touchdown in
the third quarter, equaled the Super Bowl record with 3 touchdowns.
Rice also scored 3 touchdowns (the second time in his career he'd done
that in a Super Bowl) while catching 10 passes for 149 yards. He
established career records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns in a
Super Bowl. Young, who scrambled 21 yards and 15 yards to set up
touchdowns in the first half, was the game's leading rusher with 49
yards on 5 carries. San Diego's Means, who rushed for 1,350 yards
during the regular season, was limited to 33 yards on 13 attempts.
Chargers quarterback Stan Humphries completed 24-of-49 passes for 275
yards. Rookie Andre Coleman became only the third player in Super Bowl
history to return a kickoff for a touchdown, going 98 yards in the
third quarter. The 75 points scored by the two teams established
another record, breaking the previous mark of 69 set in Dallas's 52-17
victory over Buffalo in XXVII. The 49ers' victory was the eleventh
straight for NFC teams in the Super Bowl.
- Most experts believed the San Francisco 49ers would win an
unprecedented fifth Super Bowl in game XXIX against the San Diego
Chargers two years ago. The Chargers were a gritty, determined team
playing in their first Super Bowl. But the 49ers scored 505 points in
the regular season and dethroned the two-time champion Cowboys in the
postseason. Any doubt about the outcome was dispelled on the game's
third play. Quarterback Steve Young's 44-yard bomb to Jerry Rice put
the 49ers ahead for good only 1:24 into the game. San Francisco would
go on to generate seven touchdowns, 28 first downs and 455 total
yards. The 49ers eclipsed the record of four Super Bowl victories they
shared with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys.
- Steve Young stepped out of the shadow of three-time Super Bowl MVP
Joe Montana by breaking Montana's Super Bowl record for touchdown
passes in a game and guiding San Francisco to a dominating 49-26
victory over the San Diego Chargers. Young completed 24-of-36 passes
for 325 yards and 6 touchdowns as the 49ers won their fifth Super
Bowl. It took San Francisco only 1:24 to score its first touchdown on
a 44-yard pass from Young to wide receiver Jerry Rice. Young connected
with running back Ricky Watters on a 51-yard touchdown pass on the
49ers' second possession. San Francisco never trailed in the game, and
its explosive offense generated 7 touchdowns, 28 first downs and 455
total yards.
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