Young Comes Through For 49ers

	SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Steve Young answered any lingering
questions about his ability to win a big game. Just don't ask what
it means.
	``I try to avoid the deep psychology. It kind of wears you
out,'' Young said after he helped the San Francisco 49ers to a
21-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
	The victory ended a string of three straight losses to the
Cowboys, including defeats in successive NFC championship games.
	``This was a big win for us, because these are the guys who have
knocked us out, and those were bitter losses the last couple of
years,'' Young said, the starter in all three of those losses.
	And that overshadowed Young's excellence on the field. Despite
leading the league in passing the past three seasons, he took heat
for making critical mistakes in the games against the Cowboys and
came up short in comparisons to his predecessor, Joe Montana. Young
threw three interceptions and fumbled in the two championship game
defeats.
	Sunday, he began rewriting that scenario. When the Cowboys shut
down the 49ers' passing attack in the first half, Young sparked the
running game. He gained 40 yards on three carries and drew a
12-yard personal foul for a late hit during a 74-yard drive
second-quarter drive capped by his 1-yard sneak.
	``They were willing to sacrifice him to be a runner in this
game. That surprised us a little bit,'' Dallas coach Barry Switzer
said. ``But we all know he has that kind of talent, and that was a
big play for them.''
	The score pulled San Francisco into a 7-7 tie at halftime,
despite being held to 1 yard net passing and failing on all three
third-down conversions in the first two periods.
	``Dallas was coming, and coming hard. They're a great team, no
ifs ands or buts,'' said Young, who was sacked three times and
fought through constant pressure.
	``For a while it wasn't happening,'' Young said. ``We kind of
puffed and puffed early on and nothing happened. We kind of hung in
there because the defense made some big plays.''
	One of those defenders praised Young.
	``He deserves this. I'm just glad we were able to help him win
the day,'' said safety Merton Hanks, who had two of three
interceptions of Troy Aikman.
	Young, who completed 12 of 21 throws for 183 yards and a pair of
touchdowns, said he also was determined not to repeat his mistakes
of the past.
	``Turnovers had made the difference before,'' he said. ``What I
didn't want to was force something even though I didn't have a lot
of time. The last thing you want is to rush something, throw it up
for grabs and have it intercepted.''
	When the opening came, though, Young was able to take advantage.
After San Francisco's defense forced a punt, Young hit Jerry Rice
with a 57-yard bomb to put the 49ers in front in the third quarter.
	Then Young put together a fourth-quarter drive, hitting John
Taylor with a key third-down pass for a gain of 32 to the Dallas
17. After Young gained 4 yards on a sweep, he connected with Brent
Jones for a 13-yard TD.
	``That's just one more obstacle he's overcome. I don't think
there are any more questions about him,'' Rice said.
	``Personally, I think he won this game,'' added San Francisco
tackle Harris Barton.
	Young said the victory against a team that has given the 49ers
fits was special, but San Francisco also had to keep it in
perspective.
	``This win proves we are a team to be contended with, nothing
more,'' Young said. ``Yet, we needed to prove that, and we did.''