A Fond Farewell for Moon, Erickson?
Warren Moon became the most prolific single-season passer in Seattle’s history and the Seahawks finished a disappointing season with a 38-9 rout of the playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.
The Seahawk victory before a sellout crowd of 66,253 might have been too late to save Coach Dennis Erickson’s job.
The 49ers (13-3), who clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a victory last Monday night against Denver, played as though they didn’t have anything to play for. The Seahawks (8-8) did--Erickson’s future.
Still, there was strong speculation George Seifert, who coached the 49ers to two Super Bowl victories, would replace Erickson as soon as the team names a general manager.
Moon, 41, may have played his final game as Seahawk quarterback despite his spectacular season. Although Moon signed a two-year contract as a free agent this year after leaving Minnesota, a new Seattle coach might not start rebuilding a franchise that has missed the playoffs nine years in a row with the oldest quarterback in the NFL.
Moon, in his 20th season of pro football and 14th in the NFL, completed 16 of 25 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 3,678 yards passing for the season to break Dave Krieg’s record of 3,671 set in 1984.
The 49ers didn’t have a touchdown for the second time in their final four games. They lost, 44-9, in Kansas City on Nov. 30.
The Seahawks led, 21-6, at halftime as Moon passed for three touchdowns: 37 yards to Joey Galloway, 21 to James McKnight and 21 to Mike Pritchard.
After Anderson kicked two field goals in the first quarter to become the NFL’s career field goal leader at 385, the Seahawks went ahead on Moon’s 37-yard touchdown pass to Galloway.
Steve Young played the first quarter before being replaced by backup Jeff Brohm, but 49er Coach Steve Mariucci used most of his starters in the first half. Young was 7 of 12 for 87 yards.
Jon Kitna, who replaced Moon in the fourth quarter, was eight of eight for 88 yards and directed Seattle to a touchdown on a 92-yard drive. Kitna scored on a one-yard run.
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