WASHINGTON -- The San Francisco 49ers lifted the hood, tightened a few valves on their scoring machine and got a good tuneup yesterday.
They appeared to be operating on all cylinders as they got ready for next week's critical game against the Dallas Cowboys by crushing the Washington Redskins, 37-22, before 54,335 fans at RFK Stadium.
This set the stage for the game the 49ers have been waiting for since they lost the NFC title game to the Cowboys for the second straight season last January.
The 49ers are 7-2, and the Cowboys, who play the New York Giants tonight, are 7-1.
"What more can you ask for in Week 11?" asked 49ers tight end Brent Jones.
The 49ers gave the Cowboys a lot to study on videotape this week as they showed all they can do.
They can throw long -- Steve Young threw passes of 69 yards to Jones and 55 yards to Jerry Rice.
They can intercept passes -- they picked off two, one of which Tim McDonald returned 73 yards for a touchdown.
They can return kickoffs -- Dexter Carter returned one 96 yards for a touchdown.
They can strike on the ground -- Rice ran 28 yards for a touchdown on a reverse.
There has to be one asterisk next to this game, though. San Francisco did it against the Redskins, who have started out 2-8 for the second straight year and are 6-20 since Joe Gibbs quit in March 1993. They can't match owner Jack Kent Cooke's 9-7 prediction for this season and are 0-6 at home for the second time in their history. The first time was in 1961.
All this victory really proved is that the 49ers didn't look ahead. At least not until they were ahead 37-6 and gave up 16 points in the fourth quarter after pulling several starters.
"I was second-guessing [myself] on whether we put some of those younger guys in too soon," said San Francisco coach George Seifert. "It becomes kind of critical."
Not that critical.
Even after the Redskins cut the deficit to 15 and recovered an onside kick, coach Norv Turner decided to punt on third-and-16 from the Washington 35 with less than three minutes left.
Turner conceded the Redskins were "rag-tag" at that point and he didn't think they could make the first down. The fans booed that decision and also booed in the third quarter when Turner, trailing 24-3, decided to go for a field goal on a fourth-and-five at the San Francisco 6.
Chip Lohmiller made the field goal, but Carter ran the ensuing kickoff back 96 yards for a score.
It was that kind of a day for the Redskins.
Even Gus Frerotte, who had become a virtual folk hero in Washington in his first two starts, was just another struggling rookie. Intercepted twice, he finally was pulled for John Friesz after fumbling a snap at the end of the third period.
Turner indicated he'll stick with Frerotte after the bye week when the Redskins go to Dallas on Nov. 20. They were beaten by the Cowboys, 34-7, on Oct. 2 in Heath Shuler's first start.
The Redskins slowed the 49ers down until the last play of the first quarter, when Jones broke free down the middle after linebacker Lamont Hollinquest blew the coverage.
"The maddening thing is when 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn't," said defensive coordinator Ron Lynn.
Jones wasn't even the primary receiver on the play, but Young spotted him wide open.
"It was like a gift from heaven," Lynn said.
Even Young asked Lynn after the game what coverage the Redskins were in because he was so surprised Jones was wide open.
Darrell Green did catch Jones, but he's playing with bruised ribs and couldn't bring him down.
"Brent Jones is one of the best tight ends in the league, but there's a lot of guys who would've made that play when nobody is covering them," Turner said.
The Redskins cut the deficit to 10-3 on Lohmiller's 22-yard field goal with 2:28 left in the half.
On the next play from scrimmage, Tim Johnson decked Young after he threw an incomplete pass. Young was slow in getting up and it looked as if the Redskins might have a shot at getting into the game.
On the next play, though, Young went to Rice and cornerback Tom Carter went for the ball instead of trying to make the tackle.
Rice went 55 yards before Green forced him out of bounds and San Francisco quickly made it 17-3 at halftime.
"Bad decision, I think, a horrible decision," Lynn said.
Carter agreed. "I should have gone for the tackle," he said.
Frerotte then made two mistakes that set up the next two San Francisco touchdowns.
He threw late over the middle and didn't see McDonald, who picked it off and went 73 yards for a score.
"It just seemed like they had everybody covered all day," Frerotte said. "Any time you throw a couple of interceptions and fumble a snap, it is a disappointment."
After Lohmiller's second field goal made it 24-6, Frerotte fumbled to set up Rice's 28-yard touchdown.
"I felt that over the last month, we've made progress," Turner said. "I think we've gotten better. Unfortunately, it didn't show up today."
Charles Mann, who made his first appearance at RFK Stadium in an opposing uniform and took a bow after a fourth-period sack, could empathize with his old team.
"I feel bad for my friends. I've been in battles and wars with these guys for so many years," said Mann, who went to three Super Bowls in Washington.
NFL WEEK 10
Chicago 20, Tampa Bay 6
S.F. 37, Washington 22
Green Bay 38, Detroit 30
Miami 22, Indianapolis 21
Minnesota 21, New Orleans 20
Pittsburgh 12, Houston 9
Atlanta 10, San Diego 9
Cleveland 13, New England 6
Philadelphia 17, Arizona 7
Cincinnati 20, Seattle 17
L.A. Rams 27, Denver 21
Kansas City 13, L.A. Raiders 3
Coverage: Pages 6-7C