Mariucci is hoping 49ers are resilient

San Francisco needs to bounce back from a tough loss for the third time this season.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
San Francisco 49ers coach Steve Mariucci already has seen his young squad rebound twice from tough losses this season.
He's hoping the team has another streak-stopping game afoot. At stake is a first-round home game in the playoffs.
Speaking from the 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Mariucci said Wednesday that he won't know how well his team will rebound from a disappointing loss to the St. Louis Rams until Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins gets under way at 3Com Park in San Francisco.
"But we had a couple of tough defeats earlier this year and they responded rather well," said Mariucci. "Of course, we didn't have to play a first-place team like this week."
Bounced back: After the 49ers lost to the Rams at 3Com Park in Week 2, they responded with an emotional victory over the New York Jets in a Sept. 24 Monday night game. The game was played at the Meadowlands, across the Hudson River from where the World Trade Center towers were destroyed by terrorists just 13 days before.
The 49ers' other loss was an overtime defeat in Chicago on Oct. 28. San Francisco bounced back with a victory the following Sunday over the Detroit Lions.
The Dolphins (9-3), who lead the Jets and New England Patriots by two games in the AFC East, should provide the 49ers' toughest rebound challenge.
Mariucci doesn't mind.
"Sometimes when you're playing a team with less wins, you get up for it less," the fifth-year coach said. "This team coming in here poses a tremendous challenge because they are playing well and are a very successful franchise.
"The game has playoff ramifications for both teams, so it's important for everybody," Mariucci said. "It's like a playoff scenario which this young team needs."
Tough slate: The 49ers are in the middle of the toughest portion of their schedule. Next week, they'll play another first-place team, the Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), on the Saturday before Christmas.
"We knew long ago that this stretch of the season would be a dandy," Mariucci said. "But a young team has to go through challenges like this in order to take the next step."
Sunday's 27-14 loss to the Rams (10-2) in St. Louis has the 49ers (9-3) looking over their shoulders at the NFC's other wild-card contenders.
With four games remaining, the 49ers would need a lot of help to overtake the Rams for the NFC West title. St. Louis swept the season series and holds the first tie-breaker.
One-game edge: That leaves the 49ers, a rebuilding team that few expected to contend for the postseason, leading the NFC wild-card race with a one-game edge over the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers (the Central Division co-leaders).
At stake for the 49ers is a first-round home playoff game which goes to the wild-card leader.
San Francisco closes the season with games at Dallas and New Orleans.
Mariucci isn't concerned about those scenarios -- he's got a bigger fish to fry.
"I just came off the practice field and it's safe to say we are focused on the Dolphins," Mariucci said. "We've put a disappointing loss to the Rams behind us."
Good defense: Mariucci regards the Dolphins' pass defense as one of the league's best.
"They play a high percentage of man to man, with their cover corners," Mariucci said. "They aren't real complicated in their front seven or the secondary, but they have a great deal of athletic competence with really good cover guys."
Because the Dolphins played Monday, Mariucci said the TVs at the 49ers headquarters were tuned into the game.
"But we already had four of their games broken down so we already had a scouting and tendency report.
Mariucci said wide receiver Terrell Owens is expected to play despite suffering a hip-pointer against the Rams.
"He didn't practice this morning because he is still rehabbing," said Mariucci, who added that Owens' ankles have been hurting in recent weeks.
"He's pretty sore," Mariucci said. "If there's anything good to be said about the hip-pointer, it's that his ankles might start feeling better."
williams@vindy.com