NFL Season to End With a Thud

ATLANTA —  Was it really just a year ago that the Atlanta Falcons were playing the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC playoffs?

The stakes will be considerably different Monday night when the teams meet at the Georgia Dome, bringing a lackluster conclusion to the NFL’s regular season.

Afterwards, 12 teams will be moving on to the playoffs, but the Falcons (4-11) and 49ers (4-11) won’t be among them. After enduring miserable seasons, both are facing major shakeups in 2000.

Quarterback Steve Young, plagued by concussions, hasn’t said whether he will return to the 49ers. Receiver Jerry Rice would like to come back, but San Francisco -- about $20 million over the projected salary cap for next season -- may not be able to afford him.

“Personally, I would like to wait until the season is over before I start talking about any of the players returning, contracts and the what ifs,” coach Steve Mariucci said. “We’re trying to decide what is best for this team, trying to decide how we can fit these players on the team given our salary cap situation.”

The Falcons could endure some major losses, especially on defense. Free safety Eugene Robinson is expected to retire. Ends Chuck Smith and Lester Archambeau will test free agency after failing to agree on long-term contracts with Atlanta.

But the most striking change may come at middle linebacker, where free agent-to-be Jessie Tuggle has been a fixture since 1988. The Falcons aren’t sure if they can offer another contract to a player who will be 35 years old in April.

“Unfortunately, when you get a guy like Jessie, you have to talk about how many more years he can play,” coach Dan Reeves said. “You are really talking about where we are going to be three years from now.”

Tuggle, who has made it clear that he wants to play at least one more season, has a more immediate concern: atoning for a poor performance at San Francisco on Dec. 12. The 49ers snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 26-7 thrashing of the Falcons.

“We didn’t play well out there,” Tuggle said. “My main focus is to play much better than I did three weeks ago.”

Reeves hopes that game will serve as motivation for his entire team, which can wrap up the disappointing season with a two-game winning streak. Last week, the Falcons routed Arizona 37-14, knocking the Cardinals out of the playoffs.

The game at San Francisco “was probably the worst we have been beaten,” Reeves said. “We have got to play with a lot more emotion. They played with a lot more emotion in the first game than we did.”

The Falcons and 49ers were 1-2 in the NFC West a year ago and met at the Georgia Dome in the division playoffs. Atlanta won 20-18 on the way to the first Super Bowl in franchise history.

San Francisco is still feeling the fallout from that playoff game. Star runner Garrison Hearst broke his left ankle on the first offensive play and circulatory problems put his comeback on hold until next season, if it happens at all.

Hearst’s replacement, Charlie Garner, has rushed for 1,200 yards but he is questionable for the finale because of a cracked rib. He had been playing with the injury for several weeks and aggravated it last week in an overtime loss to Washington.

If Garner can’t go, rookie Terry Jackson and Travis Jervey would share the load in the backfield.

Jeff Garcia, described as nothing more than a backup quarterback by 49ers GM Bill Walsh, is 2-7 in nine starts since replacing Young and has one more chance to make an impression on the coaching staff for next season.

“The last four weeks, I think I made a statement that I can play in this system and excel in the system,” said Garcia, who has completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,171 yards, with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

“If Steve Young comes back, then it’s a totally different situation. But if he doesn’t and I have the opportunity to be the starting quarterback here next year, I’m going to do everything I can within my realm to make sure I earn that spot.”

After an 11-game winning streak last year, the Falcons haven’t been able to win even two straight games all season. This is their final chance to provide a salve for their plunge from NFC champions to mediocrity.

“We want to finish up with a win,” receiver Terance Mathis said. “You always remember your last game. We lost the Super Bowl and look what happened. It seemed to carry over to this season.”