Preseason Game #2
Sunday, Aug.19, at 3COM Park, 4:00pm PDT
vs
20
 
17

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens (81) spikes the ball after scoring in front of Oakland Raiders cornerback Eric Allen, left, on a 38-yard pass in the first quarter of a preseason game Sunday, Aug. 19, 2001, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/ Paul Sakuma)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jerry Rice didn't plan on making a spectacular catch or scoring a game-winning touchdown in his latest — maybe his last — game on Candlestick Point.

Simply taking the field in a black jersey was difficult enough.

Rice, who set every significant NFL receiving record in 16 seasons with the 49ers, returned to 3Com Park on Sunday, starting for the Oakland Raiders in a 20-17 exhibition loss to San Francisco.

"It was difficult to come back here," Rice said. "I stayed up all night, just pacing around. It felt good just coming back here and basically let the fans know that I really appreciate what they have done for me, my entire career.

"It's a day I was looking forward to getting over."

Rice caught just one pass and played only three series, but he still was the center of attention in the Battle of the Bay.

Jonas Lewis rushed for an 8-yard TD with 13:11 left, and the 49ers' defense stopped the Raiders three times in the final minutes to seal the victory.

Not ready to retire at 38, Rice signed a two-year contract with the Raiders after the salary cap-strapped 49ers released him in June. His brief appearance highlighted an exciting game between the sometimes bitter rivals.

"He did a lot of great things when he was here, but Jerry Rice is gone," said Terrell Owens, who caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to upstage his mentor one more time. "That might not be what we want, but that's the way it is. I just thought the whole atmosphere was tremendous out here. I was having so much fun."

Looking sharp but strange in the Raiders' silver and black, Rice took the field about 45 minutes before game time, jogging out of the visitors' tunnel behind Tim Brown to scattered cheers from the half-full stands.

"They asked me, 'Why don't you lead the guys?"' Rice said. "I said, 'No, I'll probably go the wrong way."'

He began warmup drills near the visitors' sideline, standing about 10 feet from smiling Raiders owner Al Davis while catching and throwing some soft passes.

Rice chatted with Jeff Garcia and Owens, who ran over to say hello. Later, Rice jogged across the field to hug San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci. Rice has said in recent months that he never felt comfortable playing for Mariucci, but both were all smiles when they met as opponents.

"We knew there was going to be a different feeling on the field than 49ers fans are used to seeing," Garcia said. "Luckily, that was taken care of early in the game. Jerry will always be close to a lot of us."

On the Raiders' fifth play from scrimmage, Rice caught a 23-yard slant from Rich Gannon — a vintage Rice reception from an unfamiliar quarterback.

Rice played Oakland's first three series, but the Raiders didn't throw to him again. He spent most of the rest of the game standing at the end of the Raiders' sideline, wearing a jacket and a backward silver cap.

"We're going to have a regular-season game against the 49ers next year. The nightmare goes on," Rice said with a grin.

Though Rice's return to 3Com Park was the most noteworthy part of the afternoon, fans didn't need any additional motivation to get excited for the meeting between their teams. Rice replica jerseys - both in black and garnet - dotted the packed stadium.

Mondriel Fulcher caught two touchdown passes for the Raiders (2-1), who couldn't score after rookie quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo took over for Bobby Hoying in the second half.

After Lewis' scoring run with 13:11 left put the 49ers (1-1) ahead, San Francisco's young defense stopped the Raiders' final three drives.

Stephen Fisher intercepted a pass by Tuiasosopo at midfield with 8:56 left, Daniel Greer sacked Tuiasosopo on fourth down with 3:06 to play, and Jabari Jackson fumbled away a reception with 1:53 to play.

While one former 49ers star likely bid farewell to the team, Garrison Hearst took another step in his remarkable comeback from a severely broken leg. After playing last week in San Diego for the first time since January 1999, Hearst looked strong and durable in six early carries for 27 yards against the Raiders.

"I feel much more sharp than I did last week," Hearst said. "I also feel like I read the plays better. Each game, I get more comfortable."

Garcia looked good in his two series, going 5-of-7 for 78 yards - but the 49ers got a huge scare late in the first quarter, when blitzing Raiders safety Marquez Pope flattened him at the goal line with a vicious hit.

Luckily for the 49ers, their quarterback popped up unhurt.

"I'm pleased with the way Garrison ran the football and the way the offensive line blocked," Garcia said. "I thought they did a great job of opening some holes, and they gave me some good protection."

Owens, Rice's protege who set an NFL record with 20 catches in Rice's final home game with the 49ers last December, made a nice scoring catch on a pass from Garcia in the first quarter.

Rich Gannon was 8-of-11 for 60 yards and a score for the Raiders. Hoying led two scoring drives while going 7-of-14 for 106 yards.

Tim Rattay drove the 49ers 65 yards over the final 1:55 before halftime, ending with Jose Cortez's 37-yard field goal — the second of the half for the frontrunner to win San Francisco's kicking job.




 
FINAL
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Total
Oakland 
0
14
3
0
17
San Francisco
7
6
0
7
20
..... 
 
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
SFO TD  TERRELL OWENS 38 YD PASS FROM JEFF GARCIA (JOSE CORTEZ KICK)
7:00 SAN FRANCISCO 7-0
2nd Quarter
OAK TD MONDRIEL FULCHER 7 YD PASS FROM RICH GANNON (SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI KICK)
1:17 OAKLAND 7, SAN FRANCISCO 7
SFO FG JOSE CORTEZ 26 YD
4:02 SAN FRANCISCO 10-7
OAK TD MONDRIEL FULCHER 2 YD PASS FROM BOBBY HOYING (SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI KICK)
13:05 OAKLAND 14-10
SFO FG JOSE CORTEZ 37 YD
15:00 OAKLAND 14-13
3rd Quarter
OAK FG SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI 30 YD
4:10 OAKLAND 17-13
4th Quarter
SFO TD JONAS LEWIS 8 YD RUN (JOSE CORTEZ KICK)
1:49 SAN FRANCISCO 20-17

 
  OAK SFO
First Downs 19 14
Third Down Efficiency 7-15 2-12
TOTAL NET YARDS 290 268
Total Plays 65 59
Average Gain Per Play 4.5 4.5
NET YARDS RUSHING 125 122
Rushes 29 32
Average Per Rush 4.3 3.1
NET YARDS PASSING 165 146
Pass Completion 19-32 12-25
Yards Per Pass 4.6 5.4
Times Sacked 4 2
Yards Lost To Sacks 25 21
Had Intercepted 2 0
PUNTS 3 5
Average Punt 47.3 30.4
PENALTIES 11 7
Penalty Yards 75 67
FUMBLES 1 1
Fumbles Lost 1 1
Time Of Possesion 32:52 27:08

 
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Oakland Missed Field Goals:
Sebastian Janikowski: (44) 

San Francisco Missed Field Goals:
Jose Cortez: (43) 

Oakland Rushing Statistics:
Terry Kirby: 9 rushes for 48 yards.
Charlie Garner: 4 rushes for 28 yards.
Tyrone Wheatley: 5 rushes for 17 yards.
Randy Jordan: 2 rushes for 13 yards.
Derek Combs: 6 rushes for 7 yards.
Eric Metcalf: 1 rushes for 5 yards.
Bobby Hoying: 1 rushes for 4 yards.
Marques Tuiasosopo: 1 rushes for 3 yards.

San Francisco Rushing Statistics:
Jonas Lewis: 10 rushes for 61 yards.
Garrison Hearst: 6 rushes for 27 yards.
Terry Jackson: 1 rushes for 17 yards.
Rick Mirer: 5 rushes for 7 yards.
Saladin Mccullough: 7 rushes for 4 yards.
Fred Beasley: 1 rushes for 3 yards.
Jasen Isom: 1 rushes for 2 yards.
Jeff Garcia: 1 rushes for 1 yards.

Oakland Receiving Statistics:
Jerry Porter: 3 receptions for 58 yards.
Marcus Knight: 3 receptions for 37 yards.
Roland Williams: 2 receptions for 10 yards.
Mondriel Fulcher: 2 receptions for 9 yards.
Tim Brown: 2 receptions for 6 yards.
Jerry Rice: 1 receptions for 23 yards.
Alex Van Dyke: 1 receptions for 22 yards.
Randy Jordan: 1 receptions for 9 yards.
Andrew Glover: 1 receptions for 8 yards.
Jabari Jackson: 1 receptions for 5 yards.
Tyrone Wheatley: 1 receptions for 5 yards.
Eric Metcalf: 1 receptions for (-2) yards.

San Francisco Receiving Statistics:
Terrell Owens: 2 receptions for 42 yards.
Cedrick Wilson: 2 receptions for 33 yards.
James Farris: 2 receptions for 28 yards.
Antonio Chatman: 2 receptions for 14 yards.
Jasen Isom: 1 receptions for 27 yards.
Dwight Carter: 1 receptions for 9 yards.
Eric Johnson: 1 receptions for 9 yards.
Garrison Hearst: 1 receptions for 5 yards.

Oakland Passing Statistics:
Bobby Hoying: 7-14 passes for 106 yards, with 0 interceptions.
Rich Gannon: 8-11 passes for 60 yards, with 1 interceptions.
Marques Tuiasosopo: 4-7 passes for 24 yards, with 1 interceptions.

San Francisco Passing Statistics:
Tim Rattay: 7-17 passes for 89 yards, with 0 interceptions.
Jeff Garcia: 5-7 passes for 78 yards, with 0 interceptions.
Rick Mirer: 0-1 passes for 0 yards, with 0 interceptions. 

....