Document text
--> --> Dolphins prep for a bunch of hungry 49ers in San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Dave Wannstedt would love to get his hands on the person - or the machine - that sent his Dolphins to San Francisco in the middle of the most difficult stretch of Miami's season. Sunday's game on Candlestick Point falls in the middle of two short weeks for the Dolphins, following last Monday night's victory over Indianapolis and next Saturday's meeting with New England. Wannstedt hasn't been pleased by the prospect of three games in 13 days since the schedule came out. Now that the games have arrived, the 49ers' resurgence to the top of the league - as well as New England's jump into the playoff chase - have made it even less desirable. "If a lot of thought was put into that scheduling, I'd like to sit down and talk to the computer that did it, because it's really not fair," Wannstedt said. "It's going to be awful tough on our players." Wannstedt planned a light week of workouts before the Dolphins' first meeting with San Francisco since 1995. The game also marks Miami's first trip to the Bay Area since a 27-0 playoff loss last January in Oakland ended the Dolphins' season. The 49ers' 2000 season was over much earlier; they finished 6-10, missing the playoffs for the second straight year. This fall, both San Francisco and Miami are 9-3 and in the thick of the playoff race. Both teams enter Sunday's games attempting to answer questions about themselves. The Dolphins must prove they can avoid the December swoon that has characterized their past five seasons, while the 49ers hope to avoid their first back-to-back losses of the season, which might cast doubt on their revitalization. "(Late-season problems) have still been brought up. I don't think it's gone away," Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor said. "I think a lot of people are just waiting and hoping so they have a story to write, but so far, we've been keeping that under wraps." The Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot with a victory and some help elsewhere, while the 49ers can nearly ensure their already strong postseason chances. Both teams see the game as a chance to test their playoff readiness against a quality opponent. "We're coming in here off a tough loss, and they're coming in off a win," 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes said. "We realize that if we win this game, we're getting really close to the playoffs, so I don't think there will be anybody that can't get motivated." The 49ers spent the week at their suburban training complex trying to forget a 27-14 loss to the Rams that snapped their five-game winning streak. It all but buried their chances of winning the NFC West and gave a cold reality check to a young team that has won with remarkable frequency this season. In particular, the offense regrets its dismal performance in St. Louis. Quarterback Jeff Garcia and his teammates managed just two significant drives in the game, with Garcia posting by far the worst numbers of his excellent season. With three of San Francisco's final four games against teams with winning records - and a date with Miami's imposing defense on Sunday - the 49ers must regain their confidence quickly. While the Dolphins' offense has raised its game recently, with 99 points during the current three-game winning streak, the defense has been its usual dominant self. Taylor joked that the defense wasn't even tired after Miami's 41-6 win over Indianapolis last Monday. "They're simple on defense because they're confident," 49ers coach Steve Mariucci said. "You can tell by what they do. They're very confident in their cover guys. They don't bring linebackers and defensive backs (on blitzes) as much as other teams do, because they're confident their front four can get to the quarterback most of the time." But the 49ers quietly believe they can exploit the Dolphins' penchant for man-to-man coverage, even though Miami is second in the league in pass defense. No cornerback had been able to slow Terrell Owens in single coverage until last week, when St. Louis' Aeneas Williams held a limping Owens to three catches and no touchdowns. Owens, who should be a bit healthier for Sunday, still leads the NFL with 13 TD catches. But the Dolphins recognize the difficulties in stopping San Francisco's balanced offense, ranked second overall. "We saw a good offensive team in the Colts this past week," Taylor said, "but I think the 49ers will be even better." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing