FALCONS ARE REAL DEAL; DEFENSE FRUSTRATES POTENT 49ERS AS ATLANTA REACHES TOP OF WEST : ATLANTA 31, SAN FRAN. 19.

Byline: Charles Odum Columbus Ledger-Enquirer 

First things first: On the Atlanta Falcons' list of reasons that today they sit alone atop the NFC West, none is less anticipated than the fact they're winning with defense.

From San Francisco's first possession, when the Falcons quickly established their control of running back Garrison Hearst, to the 49ers' final fourth-and-1 pass that was deflected by Randy Fuller, Atlanta's defense was in control Sunday.

Cornerback Ray Buchanan set up one touchdown by returning an interception 34 yards to the 1-yard line, and Jessie Tuggle scored another touchdown on a fumble recovery as the Falcons rewarded a Georgia Dome sellout crowd by beating San Francisco 31-19 and knocking the 49ers from a first-place tie.

Though the Falcons did some dancing during the game - flapping their arms in their new Dirty Bird style - they didn't crow afterward.

They ended a losing streak to the 49ers at five games and now are in position to control their destiny as they play for only their second division title in franchise history. But the Falcons - led by coach Dan Reeves - attempted to maintain perspective after the benchmark victory.

``We've arrived - for one day,'' Reeves said. ``We're in position. It doesn't mean anything if we don't finish it. We can't pat ourselves on the back so much that we forget what our job is next week.''

The Falcons will play host to the Chicago Bears next Sunday as they try to set a club record with their eighth straight home victory, but first things first. For a day or two, the Falcons will savor the rare win over San Francisco.

The Falcons had not been in first place this late in the season since 1991, when they were tied with New Orleans at 5-5. Their lone division title came in 1980.

Attendance was 69,828 for the team's first sellout since 1995.

Tuggle's recovery gave Atlanta's defense its fifth touchdown of the year, matching a team record set in 1991. Tuggle set a NFL record with his fifth career touchdown on fumble recoveries.

Meanwhile, the Falcons maintained their standing as the NFL's second-best rushing defense by allowing the 49ers only 76 yards rushing - exactly the average allowed by Atlanta. Hearst led the 49ers with 56 yards rushing on 16 carries.

Atlanta's Jamal Anderson topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season as he rushed for 100 yards on 31 carries with touchdown runs of 10 yards in the first quarter and 1 yard - after Buchanan's interception - in the fourth quarter.

Anderson already has seven 100-yard games this season.

When Shane Dronett sacked 49ers quarterback Steve Young, forcing a fumble that Chuck Smith chased and Tuggle finally recovered with 14 minutes left to play, the Falcons led 24-6 and appeared to be in position to coast to the win.

No such luck.

In the only stretch the Falcons' defense wasn't in command, Young found Terrell Owens for a 54-yard touchdown pass with 11:16 left to play. Young then connected with Jerry Rice for a 65-yard scoring bomb with 3:09 left, narrowing the lead to 24-19.

Then Atlanta put the game away when, only 18 seconds later, Falcons quarterback Chris Chandler connected with Terance Mathis for a 78-yard touchdown pass when the 49ers were expecting a run play from Jamal Anderson, who already had rushed for two touchdowns. It was Mathis' only catch of the game.

The two late passes boosted Young to 342 yards passing, but his interception to Buchanan and lost fumble were key plays. Rice caught 10 passes for 169 yards, but he also had three drops, including one for a touchdown.

For once, Young and Rice - the two most notorious Falcons-killers since Joe Montana left the 49ers - are looking up at Atlanta in the standings. For that, Young credits Atlanta's defense.

``Atlanta defensed us very well, almost to the point of frustration,'' Young said. ``You have to give them some credit, but we had our opportunities. . . . Maybe this is a wake-up call and will force us to focus and play solid football.''

FLYING HIGH

The Atlanta Falcons took sole possession of first place in the NFC West with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers Sunday. Here's how the Falcons have fared in the '90s:

Year Record NFC West finish Coach

1990 5-11 Fourth Jerry Glanville

1991 10-6 (x) Second Jerry Glanville

1992 6-10 Third Jerry Glanville

1993 6-10 Third Jerry Glanville

1994 7-9 Third June Jones

1995 9-7 (x) Second June Jones

1996 3-13 Fourth June Jones

1997 7-9 Third Dan Reeves

(x) made the playoffs

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Cover--Color) FALCONS CREST

Atlanta's victory over 49ers makes it best of West. Page 9.

Associated Press

(2) Quarterback Chris Chandler celebrates a touchdown pass against the 49ers.

Alan Mothner/Associated Press

(3) Jamal Anderson, an ECR High grad, had his seventh 100-yard game this season.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

BOX: FLYING HIGH (see text)