49ERS COME ALIVE : SHORT FILM GOES LONG WAY IN WIN AGAINST STEELERS SAN FRANCISCO 25, PITTSBURGH 15.

Byline: Rick Gosselin Dallas Morning News

Bill Walsh showed a short film Saturday night to the San Francisco 49ers on the eve of their game against the AFC Central champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

It featured Carl Lewis, Pete Sampras and Ken Norton Sr. Champions, one and all - Lewis in the Olympics, Sampras in Grand Slam events, and Norton breaking Muhammad Ali's jaw. The 10-minute film pinpointed the concentration, focus and drive of those men to capture the ultimate victory.

The 49ers, battered former champions that they are, needed such a reminder, then put that little history lesson to good use Sunday against the Steelers. San Francisco whipped Pittsburgh 25-15 to keep its hopes alive for yet another NFC West title.

``This is an angry team,'' 49ers linebacker Ken Norton Jr. said. ``This team is fed up with a lot of stuff that has been said about us, a lot of stuff that's been written. I think that film helped remind us who we are.''

The 49ers found themselves in must-win situations three times this season and lost all three games. They needed to make a statement to their new rival, the Green Bay Packers, in October. They lost 23-20. They needed to make a statement to their old rival, the Dallas Cowboys, in November. Again they lost, 20-17.

Finally, the 49ers needed to make a statement to the upstart Carolina Panthers in December. Again they lost, 30-24, on their home field in a game that may cost them the division title. The 49ers and Panthers are 11-4 with a game to play. If both finish 12-4, Carolina would win the NFC West based on its sweep of the 49ers this season.

Many thought the division race could end Sunday, when Carolina hosted lowly Baltimore and San Francisco traveled across the country to play the defending AFC champions. Especially with the 49ers reeling from their loss of composure against the Panthers last week.

The 49ers were penalized a season-high 14 times, including six personal fouls, and linebacker Gary Plummer was ejected. That's not 49ers football. That was stressed to the players by coach George Seifert in the team meeting Saturday night. The film and an accompanying narrative by Walsh reminded the 49ers how a champion goes about his business.

``Forty-niner football is playing hard,'' Norton said. ``It's playing smart. It's avoiding stupid penalties and stupid mistakes. It's playing with emotion. Playing with class. Playing aggressive. It's execution. It's performing like a fine-tuned machine. ``There's a certain effort we have to give and a certain standard we have to uphold. That's the way we want to play. This is the way we know we can play.''

The 49ers shocked the Steelers, jumping out to a 16-0 lead before the game was six minutes old. That sent the Steelers down to their first and only home loss of the season. Pittsburgh has clinched the AFC Central and is battling New England for the other first-round bye in the AFC. Both take 10-5 records into the season finale.

It was easily San Francisco's most impressive victory of the season. In fact, it's the 49ers' only victory over a playoff team this year. More important, it came on the road.

PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES

AFC WEST

DENVER: Clinched division title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

KANSAS CITY: Clinches playoff berth with a win at Buffalo or Jacksonville loss vs. Atlanta.

AFC CENTRAL

PITTSBURGH: Clinched division title. Clinches first-round bye with win at Carolina AND New England loss to N.Y. Giants Saturday.

JACKSONVILLE: Clinches playoff berth with a win vs. Atlanta AND EITHER an Indianapolis loss at Cincinnati or two Buffalo losses or a Kansas City loss at Buffalo.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND: Clinched a playoff berth. Clinches division title with a win at N.Y. Giants Saturday OR one Buffalo loss. Clinches first-round bye with a win OR one Buffalo loss and a Pittsburgh loss at Carolina.

BUFFALO: Clinches division title with two wins AND a New England loss at N.Y. Giants Saturday. Clinches playoff berth with a win or tie at Miami Monday (Dec. 16) OR Jacksonville loss or tie vs. Atlanta.

INDIANAPOLIS: Clinches playoff berth with a win at Cincinnati OR Jacksonville loss vs. Atlanta OR two Buffalo losses OR Kansas City loss at Buffalo.

NFC WEST

CAROLINA: Clinched playoff berth. Clinches division title with a win vs. Pittsburgh OR a San Francisco loss vs. Detroit Monday (Dec. 23). Clinches first-round bye with a win vs. Pittsburgh OR a San Francisco loss vs. Detroit Monday (Dec. 23) AND Dallas doesn't beat Washington by 78 or more points. Clinches home field throughout the playoffs with a win vs. Pittsburgh AND a Green Bay loss to Minnesota by 19 or more points.

SAN FRANCISCO: Clinched playoff berth. Clinches division title and first-round bye with a win vs. Detroit Monday (Dec. 23) and a Carolina loss vs. Pittsburgh.

NFC CENTRAL

GREEN BAY: Clinched division title and first-round bye. Clinches home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win vs. Minnesota OR a Carolina loss or tie vs. Pittsburgh OR with a loss to Minnesota by 17 or fewer points.

MINNESOTA: Clinched playoff berth.

NFC EAST

DALLAS: Clinched division title. Clinches first-round bye with a win at Washington by 78 or more points AND a Carolina loss vs. Pittsburgh AND a San Francisco loss vs. Detroit Monday (Dec. 23).

PHILADELPHIA: Clinched playoff berth.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (color) Pittsburgh quarterback Mike Tomczak (18) is sacked for a safety by Bryant Young and Roy Barker (92).

Associated Press

Box: PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES (see text)