ATLANTA (Ticker) -- A pair of 4-11 teams certainly were not in the script for the final Monday Night Football game of the season.

But no one could fault the folks at ABC. After all, the Niners are the closest version to a sure thing in the NFL after 16 consecutive seasons of at least 10 wins and five Super Bowl titles. Except this time, the Niners collapsed after star quarterback Steve Young went down with a concussion in Week Four.

The Atlanta Falcons were Super Bowl participants last season, but faltered after 1998 NFC rushing champion Jamal Anderson went down with a torn ACL in Week Two.

Instead, this may turn out to be the final game for Jerry Rice, the NFL's most prolific receiver, as a 49er. After last week's 26-20 overtime loss to Washington, Rice said he would like to come back and help the team rebound from a dreadful year.

"I'm still staying positive, but it's up to the organization," Rice said. "Whatever they choose to do, I'll go with, but hopefully I'll be back."

Niners general manager Bill Walsh has indicated he may have to let Rice go due to salary cap considerations.

No Super Bowl team has ever lost 12 games the following season. The Falcons can avoid that dubious distinction with a win against San Francisco. Atlanta has tied the 1990 Denver Broncos (5-11) for the most defeats by a Super Bowl club. Ironically, that Denver team was coached by current Falcons mentor Dan Reeves.

The Falcons had a back go over 100 yards for the first time this season when Byron Hanspard gained 102 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries in Atlanta's 37-14 rout of Arizona last week.

Charlie Garner ran for 107 yards and a touchdown and Fred Beasley added a pair of short scoring runs in San Francisco's 26-7 triumph over the Falcons on December 12.

San Francisco leads the series, 41-24-1.

SAN FRANCISCO Season schedule and results

ATLANTA Season schedule and results

September 12 @Jacksonville L 3-41 September 19 New Orleans W 28-21 September 27 @Arizona W 24-10 October 3 Tennessee W 24-22 October 10 @St. Louis L 20-42 October 17 Carolina L 29-31 October 24 @Minnesota L 16-40 November 7 Pittsburgh L 6-27 November 14 @New Orleans L 6-24 November 21 St. Louis L 7-23 November 29 Green Bay L 3-20 December 5 @Cincinnati L 30-44 December 12 Atlanta W 26-7 December 18 @Carolina L 24-41 December 26 Washington L 20-26 January 3 @Atlanta 9:00pm ET

September 12 Minnesota L 14-17 September 20 @Dallas L 7-24 September 26 @St. Louis L 7-35 October 3 Baltimore L 13-19 October 10 @New Orleans W 20-17 October 17 St. Louis L 13-41 October 25 @Pittsburgh L 9-13 October 31 Carolina W 27-20 November 7 Jacksonville L 7-30 November 21 @Tampa Bay L 10-19 November 28 @Carolina L 28-34 December 5 New Orleans W 35-12 December 12 @San Francisco L 7-26 December 19 @Tennessee L 17-30 December 26 Arizona W 37-14 January 3 San Francisco 9:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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