Steve Young couldn't play, so the San Francisco defense, Jeff Brohm and Chris Doleman filled in as heroes for a day.
Young suffered a concussion on the third play of the game and backup Elvis Grbac was inactive with a shoulder injury. So Brohm threw a late 20-yard touchdown pass and the defense had enough big plays to fill a highlight film for a 10-9 victory over the Houston Oilers on Sunday.Brohm, who had thrown four passes this season, hit Terrell Owens for the go-ahead touchdown with 4:27 to play and Doleman led the defensive charge to snuff out the Oilers' comeback hopes.
Doleman got a third-down sack and an interception on the Oilers' final offensive play and safety Merton Hanks broke up a fourth-down pass with 2:18 to play.
"We knew we had to fight," Doleman said. "It was just one of those situations when you get a guy hurt, it shows the kind of staff we have here to get the guys ready. We had to rally around him and play hard."
The Oilers (5-3) built a 9-3 lead on field goals of 38, 56 and 39 yards by Al Del Greco, before their largest crowd of the season, 53,664. And, after the game, Oilers owner Bud Adams said the team would play in Houston next year before moving to Nashville.
Jeff Wilkins kicked a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter and defense kept the 49ers (6-2) close. He finally got the offense going with a 49-yard completion to running back Terry Kirby to set up the go-ahead score.
Facing third-and-7 from the Oilers 20, Brohm then hit Owens on the sideline, and the receiver broke free from cornerback Darryll Lewis and danced into the end zone.
"I think the defender was trying to strip the ball, so I kind of gripped it really tight and just went in for the score," Owens said. "I guess me being a rookie, he tried to rough me up at the start of the game, but I was physical and he backed off in the second half."
Last week, Young came off the bench despite a painful groin injury, and he ran for the winning touchdown against Cincinnati in the final minutes after the 49ers trailed 21-0.
This time, the 49ers were able to get it done without him.
Young threw a 9-yard pass to Jerry Rice, was sacked by Anthony Cook, then, he tried to scramble to his right and was tackled by linebackers Micheal Barrow and Joe Bowden.
Barrow and Young butted helmets, and Bowden hit him low. Young was finished for the game. He's probable for Sunday's game at New Orleans, but he's still also bothered by the groin injury that forced him to miss three games.
Doleman's interception was at the Oilers 15 after Junior Bryant batted Steve McNair's pass. The 49ers then ran out the clock. Earlier in the fourth period, Doleman pushed through and sacked McNair for a 10-yard loss on third-and-2 at the 49ers 30.
"You could tell he (Doleman) was fired up to win the ballgame," 49ers coach George Seifert said. "It was that look in his eyes. He was in that zone."
Del Greco's 56-yard field goal was a franchise and personal best, breaking the 55-yard record set George Blanda against San Diego on Dec. 7, 1961.
"I think some of the younger guys wondered if the old man still had it in him," said Del Greco, in his 13th NFL season. "I take pride in my job and what I do but I would trade the record for a victory."
Oilers quarterback Chris Chandler reinjured his groin and had to leave with 7:25 to go in the third quarter, giving McNair playing time.