By Eddie Pells
Associated Press
Sunday, September 12, 1999; 7:45 p.m. EDT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars were better than advertised. The San Francisco 49ers looked older and more worn out than their worst fears.

In a game that may have signaled a shift of power in the NFL, Mark Brunell threw for 265 yards and Mike Hollis kicked four field goals to lift the Jaguars to a 41-3 victory Sunday.

Led by new coordinator Dom Capers, the Jaguars revamped defense clamped down on Steve Young, who was 9-for-26 for 96 yards with two interceptions. Jerry Rice caught two passes for 17 yards.

On a gray, drizzly day more reminiscent of San Francisco than Jacksonville, it all added up to the 49ers' worst loss since a 49-3 defeat to the Giants in the 1986 playoffs. It was also the biggest blowout in Jacksonville's five-year history.

Hollis made field goals of 41, 32, 50 and 42 yards to extend his streak of successful kicks to 17, a team record.

Jason Craft, a rookie cornerback drafted more for his raw speed than for his coverage ability, broke open a close game in the third quarter.

On the kickoff after Hollis' 50-yarder gave the Jaguars a 9-3 lead, Alvis Whitted knocked the ball loose from R.W. McQuarters, who watched as Craft scooped it up at the 27 and ran untouched into the end zone. Brunell scrambled for the 2-point conversion to increase the lead to 17-3.

The 49ers moved to the Jacksonville 39 on the next drive, but on fourth-and-1, Young slipped as he tried to roll to his left and was downed by Tony Brackens for a 5-yard loss.

Brunell answered by driving the Jaguars 56 yards, capping it by hitting Damon Jones for a 4-yard touchdown and a 24-3 lead. After failing to find his timing in the first half, Brunell went 9-for-11 for 142 in the third quarter as the Jaguars turned the game into a rout.

The final blow came when cornerback Aaron Beasley returned a Jeff Garcia pass 95 yards late in the fourth quarter for the 38-point margin.

Premonitions that the Niners were old and losing a step appeared as valid as coach Steve Mariucci's warnings that his injury-riddled team wasn't fully prepared for the opener.

Missing Garrison Hearst with a broken leg, the running game was ineffective. Other than Charlie Garner's 37-yard run before halftime, San Francisco's backs didn't manage a gain of more than 5 yards until the fourth quarter. Lawrence Phillips had just 8 yards before leaving the game with a concussion.

The passing game that was supposed to be San Francisco's salvation didn't look any better. The 37-year-old Young was frazzled and jumpy all day. The Niners converted only one of 13 third downs.

The Jaguars defense mixed in zone blitzes for four sacks and got surprisingly strong coverage from Beasley and Fernando Bryant, the first-round draft pick.

The 49ers rarely threatened and misfired when they did.

Their best threat came just before halftime when Garner's long run, Young's 16-yard pass to Terrell Owens and a pass interference penalty gave them a first and goal at the 5. Two plays later, Brackens slipped into the backfield, hammered Young and forced a fumble that was recovered by Renaldo Wynn.

The only thing missing for the Jaguars was a big run from Fred Taylor, who still finished with 24 carries for 74 yards, but didn't have a carry of more than 18 yards.