SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Derrick Deese growled at the question.

The San Francisco 49ers right tackle was asked if his confidence had grown in unproven Jeff Garcia since he took over for injured Steve Young.

"It hasn't grown any," Deese barked, "because I've had confidence in him from the beginning. We've got to go with what we've got and Jeff has been doing a great job. We don't have backups here. They're all starters waiting to play."

Garcia is 1-1 starting in place of Young, who continues to suffer from post-concussion problems and will miss his third straight game Sunday, when the 49ers (3-2) host the Carolina Panthers (1-3).

The game marks Carolina coach George Seifert's return to face the team he led to two Super Bowl wins in eight years.

"He's on the other side of the ball now, but we played for him and I think he knows he has a big challenge ahead of him," San Francisco linebacker Lee Woodall said.

However, Seifert, who was ousted from San Francisco following the 1996 season despite fashioning the NFL's best-ever winning percentage (.765), is well aware the Panthers are catching the 49ers at a tumultuous time.

San Francisco is coming off a 42-20 loss to rising NFC West power St. Louis and there has been rampant speculation throughout the week about the future of Young, who may be driven into retirement because of the seriousness of his latest concussion. The Panthers could inflict another telling blow on the 49ers' crumbling mystique.

"We're just trying to win a game," said Seifert, who insists there's no hard feelings over his forced departure from San Francisco. "I can't say that we have the talent level of some of the teams that we had in San Francisco, but I don't know that anybody does in the league nowadays. Teams are certainly more balanced. It's how you put it together, and we're tying to do it the right way."

Carolina fullback William Floyd, who played in San Francisco under Seifert, said Seifert has played down the notion of a grudge match.

"George's whole thing is to get us loose so we're not worrying about who we're playing," Floyd said.

The 49ers, meanwhile, were so consumed by the fate of Young that at one point this week general manager Bill Walsh spoke up to remind the team it has a game and to give Garcia a vote of confidence.

"I just worry about the focus of the football team," Walsh said. "Steve's situation will take care of itself. I think I can speak for the coaches and players. They have a lot of confidence in Jeff Garcia."

Garcia played well in his first start, leading the 49ers to a 24-22 win over Tennessee two weeks ago and his play was steady against the Rams until the fourth quarter, when he threw interceptions to end three straight San Francisco possessions.

"I think I did a lot of positive things for the first seven quarters I've played," said Garcia, a five-year Canadian Football League veteran playing in his first NFL season. "That last fourth quarter qot away from me a little bit. It got away from all of us but, really, I could have made some better decisions. I definitely have to be better.

"We all have concerns for Steve and we wish him the best," added Garcia. "We're just trying to keep the ball rolling in the right direction. Until he can come back, we just have to move on, get some wins and take care of business on the field."

San Francisco has made a change in the secondary, starting R.W. McQuarters at left cornerback in place of Darnell Walker, who was beaten for three of four touchdown passes by the Rams' Isaac Bruce last week.

The 49ers will be trying to extend their 19-game home winning streak, the league's longest active streak and a team record. San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci, who succeeded Seifert, is unbeaten (18-0) at home.

Ironically, the 49ers last home loss came to the Panthers 30-24 on Dec. 8, 1996. Seifert was coaching San Francisco.

CAROLINA Season schedule and results

SAN FRANCISCO Season schedule and results

September 12 @New Orleans L 10-19 September 19 Jacksonville L 20-22 September 26 Cincinnati W 27-3 October 3 @Washington L 36-38 October 17 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET October 24 Detroit 1:00pm ET October 31 @Atlanta 1:00pm ET November 7 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 14 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET November 21 @Cleveland 1:00pm ET November 28 Atlanta 8:20pm ET December 5 St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 12 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET December 18 San Francisco 4:15pm ET December 26 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET January 2 New Orleans 1:00pm ET

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 4:15pm ET October 24 @Minnesota 1:00pm ET November 7 Pittsburgh 4:15pm ET November 14 @New Orleans 1:00pm ET November 21 St. Louis 4:15pm ET November 29 Green Bay 9:00pm ET December 5 @Cincinnati 1:00pm ET December 12 Atlanta 4:15pm ET December 18 @Carolina 4:15pm ET December 26 Washington 8:20pm ET January 3 @Atlanta 9:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

Copyright 1999 STATS, Inc. Commercial distribution without the express written consent of STATS is prohibited.