THE NFL PLAYOFFS : Favored 49ers Will Try to Reverse a Trend : S.F. Has Been Ousted From Playoffs 3 Straight Times--Vikings Did It Last

SAN FRANCISCO —  For the second time in as many years, the Minnesota Vikings throw a serious roll-block at the feet of Bill Walsh and his date with destiny in the 1980s, a football decade he’s been trying to call his own since winning Super Bowl XIX four years ago.

Walsh has all the numbers in portfolio. The San Francisco 49ers are the winningest team of the 1980s and remain tied with the Redskins and Raiders for most Super Bowl titles with two. Yet, what was once a vice-grip on Walsh’s place in history is now slipping with each passing first-round playoff blunder. There’s been three losses in a row since 1984, by the combined score of 102-30.

Walsh’s teams have won six NFC West titles in the last eight seasons, but questions of late seem more concerned with what’s wrong with the 49ers, not what’s right.

“People tend to overlook the fact we’ve won two Super Bowls in the last eight years,” Walsh said this week.

There’s been talk for months of Walsh possibly calling it quits after this season, particularly if he can go out on top with his legend in place.

Today, at Candlestick Park, the 49ers take the first step of the longest journey back, a trip they hope won’t be tripped up again by the Vikings, the same wild cards who pulled off the shock at the bay last January, 36-24, in a game that produced one of the decade’s great indignities--the benching of quarterback Joe Montana for crimes commited at his position.

A Viking upset today wouldn’t be as alarming, given the rise of one franchise and the apparent mortality of another. The Vikings rode their win over the 49ers last season into the NFC title game, coming within a Darrin Nelson catch--remember his dropped pass near the goal line at RFK?--from claiming the championship for themselves.

In truth, the 49ers must wonder whether reputations precede them. Only five current 49ers have played in both Super Bowl wins and 31 players on this year’s roster can’t even trace roots as far back as the ’84 title team. The 49ers called a players-only meeting this week in the hope of restoring a feeling so few remember.

“It’s hard to explain to somebody who’s never been through it,” said center Randy Cross, who has. “And there are a lot of young guys on this team who might be saying, ‘Golly, gee whiz, we’re in the playoffs.’ ”

The 49ers are looking for more than “Golly gee whiz” today, and at least like their chances against getting ambushed this time around. Last year, the 49ers were the league’s hottest team entering the playoffs and might have rightfully seen the Vikings as nothing more than the first hurdle in a longer race. But memories of Minnesota receiver Anthony Carter will not soon be forgotten. If so, they can be refreshed by a quick browse through the NFL playoff record book. Carter set the all-time mark for reception yardage with 227 yards in 10 receptions, making some unbelievable catches.

“We hope we don’t have those things come up again,” Walsh said this week about Carter. “I don’t think they’ve been happening every week for him. He’s a great, great player, but you can’t expect that every game.”

Carter’s performance was damaging, for sure, but the Vikings’ crowning of San Francisco was swift and complete. Minnesota’s defensive front, led by tackle Keith Millard and end Chris Doleman tormented Montana so (4 sacks and heavy pressure all day) that Walsh was finally forced to go with the more agile Steve Young, whose fancy dancing late in the game was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Millard and Doleman are back again, of course, poised to face a 49ers offensive line that closed the regular season by allowing 9 quarterback sacks to the Rams. Montana was sacked 7 times in the first half alone. Think the 49ers line took some extra snaps this week?

The Vikings finished the season as the NFL’s No. 1 ranked defense, and the strength isn’t all up front. Last week, cornerbacks Carl Lee and Reggie Rutland completely throttled Ram receiver Henry Ellard, who was held without a catch until late in the fourth quarter. Lee is the known quantity, named to the Pro Bowl this season. Rutland, a second-year man, joined the starting lineup at right corner on Nov. 6 after an injury to Ike Holt and has been smothering receivers ever since.

“If your corners aren’t good bump-and-run guys, you have to be careful,” Vikings’ defensive coordinator Floyd Peters said this week. “Pairing Rutland with Carl Lee made us a lot better team. It gave us the freedom to challenge. It allowed us to have better defensive schemes, to shore up some weaknesses.”

Lee and Rutland also make a nice set of bookends for safety Joey Browner, who is left to roam the secondary freely, picking spots and delivering shots.

Rutland said this week his team’s strength at corner makes the job of covering Jerry Rice an equal-opportunity assignment.

“That’s the good thing about our pass defense,” Rutland said. “We don’t have to say: ‘OK, now we have to get Carl Lee on Jerry Rice.’. Where ever the guy lines up, one of us will take him.”

Last year, the Vikings held Rice to just 3 catches and 28 yards. Rutland, a rookie then who only played pass defenses, burned the 49ers badly when he intercepted a Montana pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.