SAN FRANCISCO AP Jerry Rice complained about the San Francisco 49ers' erratic play and offered to jump start the offense. Instead it was Terrell Owens who provided the spark. Owens caught a 79-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young and Garrison Hearst ran for 166 yards in 20 carries to go over 1000 yards rushing for the second straight season as San Francisco beat the New York Giants 31-7 Monday night for their 15th straight regular-season home win. But the win was costly. The 49ers lost star defensive tackle Bryant Young midway through the fourth quarter to a right leg injury. Replays showed the leg bent backwards as he collided with linebacker Ken Norton Jr. as they closed in for a tackle. He was wheeled off the field on a gurney. ``That's a devastating blow to our team'' said Young. ``Bryant Young is the man. We're going to have to close ranks and keep marching ahead.'' Said Owens: '' It was kind of somber in the locker room. Every week we have adversity and we have to overcome it.'' The victory clinched a 16th straight winning season for the 49ers 9-3 and kept them a game behind first-place Atlanta in the NFC West with four remaining. The Giants 4-8 started fast but then faded much like they have this season after winning the NFC East last year. Kent Graham had a 48-yard completion to Ike Hilliard on their first play and three plays later Gary Brown bolted 11 yards up the middle for a touchdown. New York with the second-worst offensive ranking in the league couldn't sustain its advantage against a 49ers team that fell behind for the seventh time in nine games. Owens who finished with five catches for 140 yards turned a short flat pass from Young into a score to pull into a 7-all tie with 2:39 left in the first period. The fleet Owens now perhaps the 49ers' most dangerous receiver blew past Conrad Hamilton near the line of scrimmage and pulled free of Sam Garnes' grasp at the 30. Suddenly he was running free down the left sideline and into the end zone. ``I gave'em a little juke here and there to get free'' Owens said. APW19981201.0340.txt.body.html APW19981201.0986.txt.body.html