49ers Battered and Bitter

MINNEAPOLIS —  At least for one day, Terrell Owens admitted that Randy Moss was a better player.

After watching Minnesota’s star receiver score three touchdowns, Owens -- who had only five catches for 55 yards -- couldn’t do much else.

“That’s the best receiver in the game right now,” Owens said.

While Viking quarterback Gus Frerotte was on target with Moss, San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia and Owens weren’t even close to being on the same page.

A week after complaining that the 49ers weren’t running enough big plays for him, Owens again voiced his frustrations -- albeit less pointedly -- about not being thrown the ball more in single coverage.

“What am I here for?” Owens said after Minnesota routed the 49ers, 35-7, on Sunday. “We got no heart. I don’t know what to say. We work hard in practice. In game situations, it’s not working for us.”

About the only thing that did work for the 49ers was their running game, as Kevan Barlow had 72 yards and Garrison Hearst 56. But the offense -- trailing the whole game -- was never in sync.

Garcia completed 11 of 23 passes for 108 yards and had three passes intercepted. His backup, Tim Rattay, had a better day in only one quarter. Rattay was 12 for 18 for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Asked if he thought it was time for a quarterback change, Owens said: “Who knows? It’s not my position to say.”

And while Owens is still tired of not getting the ball, Garcia is sick of being asked about it.

“I’m really through with answering questions about his frustrations, his situations on the sidelines,” an irritated Garcia said. “There just aren’t any answers from me. I can’t speak for that anymore.”

Owens’ chief complaint last week was that the 49ers weren’t throwing enough passes to him in the red zone. The 49ers made only one trip inside the Vikings’ 20; Garcia’s lone pass to him was incomplete. Still, Owens again felt he was underused throughout the game.

“I’m out there playing,” he said. “I’m out there beating guys. What more can I do? I’m playing 100%. All of America can see what’s going on.”

Said Garcia: “If that’s the case, then of course we’ll find ways to get him the football. He’s entitled to his own opinions.”

Meanwhile, the 49ers are 1-3 under first-year Coach Dennis Erickson.

“Coach keeps saying we’re all in this together, but at some point, we have to find a way to win,” Owens said. “That was the quote last week. Now what?”