Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 11

Section Scoreboard Page 4 Classified ads Page Monday, Jan. 15, 1990 Santa Cruz Sentinel ontana shoots down Rams SF quarterback 'triggers' romp over Los Angeles -xTp TV Y.f V--' 49ers already Super-favored The Associated Press LAS VEGAS, Nev. The San Francisco 49ers climbed Sunday to 11 point favorites to beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, the biggest spread for an National Football League championship game in 20 years. Las Vegas oddsmakers made the 49ers 10-point favorites as soon as they beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 Sunday for the NFC title. Within two hours, however, so many bettors placed money on San Francisco that the line increased.

Not since Minnesota was picked by 13 'i points to beat Kansas City in the 1970 Super Bowl has one team been so favored. The Chiefs upset Minnesota 23-7 in that game. The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO Joe Montana added a near-perfect Sunday to his near -perfect season. With near-perfect defensive help, the man Coach George Seifert calls "the trigger" put the San Francisco 49ers one game away from joining the Pittsburgh Steelers as the dominant team of the Super Bowl era. Montana and the 49ers rolled over the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 for their second straight NFC championship.

"We were overwhelmed," acknowledged Rams Coach John Robinson, who split two close games with the 49ers in the regular season. "Their defense was ferocious and their offense is the most dominant, ball-control team I have ever seen." Now, come Jan. 28 against the AFC champion Denver Broncos in New Orleans, the 49ers will try to become the first team since the Steelers in 1979 and 1980 to win two straight National Football League titles and the only other team to win four Super Bowls. "There was extra pressure to come back and repeat," Montana said. "Then we had some injuries, and to battle through that and to get to this position says something about the heart of this ball club." Montana got his slice of playoff history a game early Sunday.

After an MVP season in which he set a record for quarterback efficiency rating, Montana completed 26 of 30 passes for 262 yards, 156 of them in a 21-0 second quarter that blew away the division rivals who had split with San Francisco during the season. Two of those scores came on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brent Jones and an 18-yarder to John Taylor with 9 seconds left in the half that was the crusher it gave the Niners a 21-3 halftime lead. They were his 30 and 31st postseason TD passes, breaking a record set by Terry Bradshaw of those four Steelers teams. "Joe just keeps getting better and better," said Seifert, a San Francisco native who in his first year as Bill Walsh's successor led the team to a 14-2 record. "His skills and leadership improve every week.

He's the trigger man." "The receivers were able to find the holes and I was able to get it in there," said a typically modest Please see 49ERS B3 Bill LoveioySefitinel Running back Roger Craig of the 49ers high-steps his way through the Rams defense. Craig finished Secondary is primary for sticky 49er defense up with 93 yards and a TD. Vv ur Rams praise play of 49ers By PAUL McCAFFERTY Sentinel correspondent SAN FRANCISCO What has continually been a secondary topic of conversation after San Francisco 49er victories is the stalwart defense of the defending Super Bowl champions. The efficiency with which the Joe Montana-led offense moved the ball on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon en route to a 30-3 win only enforced the customary post-game banter. "Montana was great today," the analysis usually goes.

"Oh, and the defense played a heck of a game, too." But after LA's offensive success this season, the juggarnaut that it ran into in the NFC title game at Candlestick Park was worthy of front-page talk. "Their defense doesn't get much credit living in the shadow of Joe Montana and Roger Craig," Ram quarterback Jim Everett said after being held to a 16-for-36 passing showcase. "But Ronnie Lott and the defense are a very good group. They brought good pressure and covered us very well. They deserve to go to New Orleans." And after throwing for just 141 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions, Everett and the Rams home and watch the Super Bowl on TV.

faithful, it was simply another great team a win that they have grown that most take it for granted. meeting the 49ers for the third time this spoke with praise about their Individually, Lott's name was mentioned in the LA locker room. held the Rams to nine first downs Please see RAMS B3 Bill LoveioySentlnel Steve Wallace and the 49er offensive line had good reason to cheer. See story Page B3. Denver has the horses Elway's big day sparks Broncos to 37-21 victory over Browns DEFENSIVE BACKS hate days like Sunday.

Dealing with a wet field and big-play wide receivers isn't exactly the ideal way to get to the Super Bowl. More likely, it's the best way to look silly. But the San Francisco 49ers had a couple surprises Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. First, the Candlestick Park turf wasn't that wet. "The field wasn't bad at all," strong safety Chet Brooks said.

Second, there were no big-play wide receivers. No Henry Ellard blowing past the coverage. No Flipper Anderson making leaping catches in the end zone. Together, the Los Angeles Rams' dynamic duo was a dynamic dud, which is a big reason why the 49ers won the NFC Championship Game Sunday, 30-3, and are on their way to Super Bowl XXIV. "They didn't do anything differently," Brooks said of the Rams' wide receivers.

"We just played that good." In this case, the 49ers' secondary yes, the one with two first-year starters redefined the word "good." Anderson made one catch Bronco also-rans run wild The Associated Press DENVER Michael Young didn't fit into the Los Angeles Rams' plans for the 1989 season and Sammy Winder didn't fit into the Denver Broncos' game plan, but they gave the Cleveland Browns fits Sunday. For Winder, it is another shot at a Super Bowl near the close of his workhorse career for the Broncos. For Young, it is an opportunity to show Denver fans he may be the one to make them forget Steve Watson, and to play in the only other game he wanted after the Rose Bowl. Together, they helped the Broncos beat the Browns 37-21 for the AFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl. Young linked up with John Elway on a 70-yard touchdown play In the second period to get Denver Into a 10-0 lead after the offense sputtered In the opening quarter.

Winder, relegated to the bench early in the season after rookie Bobby Humphrey broke Into the starting lineup, came in after the Humphrey sustained cracked ribs in the second period. He scored from 7 yards out with 10:41 gone in the third period for outcome, it turned up in the first quarter when free safety Ronnie Lott ran across the field to tip a pass away from a wide-open Anderson. With 5 minutes to play in the quarter, Brooks and cornerback Darryl Pollard crossed signals and Anderson was left uncovered down the right sideline. But quarterback Jim Everett slightly underthrew Anderson, giving Lott just enough time to bat the ball away. "It was like slow motion, waiting to see who was going to get there first, Ronnie or the ball," said 49ers linebacker Michael Walter, "and Ronnie gets there just by his fingertips." "Shoot, Ronnie looks like he is 21 years old," said Pollard, relieved that the 30-year-old Lott saved him some embarrassment.

"It surely would have been a touchdown," 49ers Coach George Seifert said. But instead of the play giving the Rams a 10-0 lead, they had to punt. The 49ers turned around and drove to their first touchdown for a 7-3 lead on quarterback Joe Montana's Please see SECONDARY B3 W. The Associated Prs 70 yard pass-and-run for TD. sorry Bobby went down the way he did.

"This win today is by far the sweetest that has happened to me." Young said offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and quarterback coach Mike Shanahan told him they would be looking for him dur- Please see BRONCOS B2 oft) Ed Vyeda for 14 yards. Ellard caught passes of 12 and 6 yards. "Our defense showed up today," Brooks said. And the one that showed up not only made the Rams look a lot different, it made them look bad: 156 yards of total offense, and only 130 passing, with no pass play longer than 18 yards. "We were determined to make plays," Brooks said.

"We knew he would have time to throw the ball with the quick drop. The early plays we made in the game were the key." If there was a singular play that unlocked the secret to Sunday's Michael Young takes off on a his first touchdown, then hauled in an Elway pass in the fourth quarter and bolted past two defenders for his second TD to put the Broncos ahead 31-21. "I haven't lost confidence all year," Winder said of his role as a backup. "This is simply sweet, coming in to play today, even though I'm rrn 1 Li Big plays take the bite out of 'Da wgs Page B2 last-second heroics, no late reprieve. Elway made sure of that.

"This time, I'm going to get the big one," Coach Dan Reeves said. Reeves has been to seven Super Bowls already, more than anyone else, but he's 0-2 there as Denver's coach. "We're looking forward to going back to the Super Bowl," said Reeves, who played in one for Dallas and was a Cowboys assistant coach in four others. "We're not satisfied with Just the AFC championship. We're going to go back and, regardless of who we play, we're going to give it everything.

If it's not enough, it's not enough, but we're going into the next game with the intention and the desire to win it. We feel like we can play with anybody." A few hours after beating Cleveland, the Broncos learned they will be playing San Francisco in the Super Bowl on Jan. 28. The defending Super Bowl champion 49ers beat Los Angeles 30-3 in the NFC Championship. In Elway, of course, he has one of the most dangerous weapons in deserved to go For the 49er effort by the home so accustomed to Even after season, the Rams divisional rivals.

most often Lott Company football. "John Elway today was unbelievable and showed everyone what a great athlete he is," Reeves said. And Winder showed what a classy player he is, filling in for injured Bobby Humphrey. An eight-year veteran headed for retirement. Winder scored twice, including a 39-yard reception from Elway that clinched it with 2:25 gone in the final quarter.

"Sammy stepped in and did a wonderful job," Reeves said. It was sweet retribution for Winder, who lost his starting job to the rookie Humphrey this season. While Humphrey rushed for 1,151 yards. Winder had 800 fewer. "I wouldn't mind going into the game, no matter what the situation," Winder said beforehand.

"If I get the chance, I'll try to make the best of it." He got the chance when Humphrey went out with bruised ribs in the second quarter. He made the best of it. "I haven't lost confidence all year," Winder said. "This is simply sweet, to come in here and play today. This win today is by far the sweetest I hope to have." As always, Elway got the best of Please see AFC B2 The Associated Press DENVER This time, the Denver Broncos didn't need The Drive or The Fumble.

They had John Elway. Elway, in his best playoff performance, and Sammy Winder, in his last home game, carried the Broncos back to the Super Bowl on Sunday. They beat the Cleveland Browns 37-21 for the AFC championship for the third time in four years. "I'm thrilled to death that I get to go to bat again," said Elway, who had his best game of the season and his best ever in the playoffs, throwing for 385 yards and three touchdowns and taking Denver on scoring drives of 82, 80, 80 and 60 yards. "We're a better team this time." Better than the Browns, certainly.

It doesn't matter how they do it, the Broncos always beat Cleveland for the AFC championship, even if they don't go on to win the National Football League title. They did it in 1987 with The Drive, a 98-yard masterpiece engineered by Elway. The next year, Earnest Byner's fumble as he headed for the tying touchdown cost Cleveland a shot at its first Super Bowl. This time, the Broncos needed no.