SAN FRANCISCO — From lineman Joe Staley’s smart fumble recovery in the end zone to Shaun Hill’s final touchdown pass, the San Francisco 49ers showed they’re finally getting it together — even if it’s probably a bit too late to save their season.
Yet the chilly winds at Candlestick Park did nothing to cool down Jets coach Eric Mangini, whose reeling team has only three chances left to stop a promising year from totally falling apart.
Hill passed for 285 yards and two touchdowns against New York’s porous secondary, and the 49ers sent the AFC East-leading Jets to their second straight embarrassing loss, 24-14 Sunday.
Joe Nedney kicked a 32-yard tiebreaking field goal early in the fourth quarter and Bryant Johnson made a diving 3-yard TD catch with 6:05 left for the suddenly solid 49ers (5-8), who have won three of four. Staley, a 315-pound left tackle, jumped on receiver Jason Hill’s fumble for the 49ers’ first score.
“It’s just great to celebrate something,” Staley said.
San Francisco beat an AFC East team with a winning record for the second straight week, knocking the Jets (8-5) into a tie atop the division with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, who both won Sunday.
“Football is fun again. It really is,” said 49ers center Eric Heitmann, who largely shut down fearsome Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins. “We’re all playing together, offense, defense and special teams. You would have liked to see it happen a little earlier, but this is what it’s supposed to look like. This is how we’re supposed to win games.”
