Hill passed for 123 yards and three touchdowns to remain unbeaten as an NFL starter, and Michael Clayton landed out of bounds with his catch on a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:20 left in San Francisco's 21-19 victory over Tampa Bay's reserves today.

Nate Clements' 62-yard interception return set up Frank Gore's TD catch with 14:11 left for the 49ers (5-10), who beat a team with a winning record for the first time this year. Darrell Jackson and Vernon Davis also caught touchdown passes for San Francisco, which also won consecutive games for the first time since the season's first two weeks.

Jeff Garcia passed for 196 yards and a touchdown against his former team before coach Jon Gruden removed him and most of the Buccaneers' playmakers late in the first half, apparently to rest the NFC South champions (9-6), who'll be the fourth seed, for a playoff game in two weeks. Luke McCown passed for 185 yards in relief for Tampa Bay, which hasn't won in San Francisco in 27 years.

McCown rallied the Bucs for a late 61-yard TD drive in 85 seconds, with Jerramy Stevens catching his second TD pass. But Clayton's foot was clearly out of bounds when he came down with a pass on the 2-point attempt, and San Francisco recovered the onside kick.

Tampa Bay outgained San Francisco 434-213, but the Niners' starters were barely better than the Bucs' backups.

Though 49ers coach Mike Nolan's job is in jeopardy for his club's 3-10 start, he's a master of lost-season motivation. Heading into next week's finale at Cleveland, the Niners are 6-2 in the final three weeks of his three campaigns with the club.

Tampa Bay clinched the division title and a playoff berth last week, and will enter the postseason as NFC's fourth seed after Seattle's win over Baltimore. Though Gruden claimed he wouldn't rest many players this week, running back Earnest Graham, receiver Joey Galloway and every key defensive player got ample time off along with Garcia in the second half — yet McCown nearly rallied the backups for a win.

Hill, the six-year veteran who had never thrown a pass before this month, went just 11-for-24 in his second NFL start after beating Cincinnati last week. He calmly managed an offense focused on Gore, who rushed for 89 yards to clinch his second straight 1,000-yard season.

The 49ers honored defensive lineman Bryant Young with a pregame tribute on the video board, and the 14-year veteran took the field to fireworks and a standing ovation.

Young, a four-time Pro Bowler and the last roster link to the 49ers' last championship, is all but certain to retire next month. His teammates hoisted him on their shoulders after the final whistle, and he left the field blowing kisses to San Francisco's fans.

Young also got a hug from Garcia, who made three Pro Bowls and led the 49ers to three playoff games in five seasons with the team he loved in his youth. The 49ers released him in early 2004 in a questionable cost-cutting move, and the native of nearby Gilroy has bounced to four teams in the last four seasons before leading the Bucs into the postseason.

Tampa Bay took a 13-7 lead shortly before halftime when Davis' fumble set up Garcia's 24-yard TD pass to Stevens. San Francisco recovered an onside kick to open the second half, and rookie Patrick Willis forced McCown's fumble at the Tampa Bay 14 moments later, setting up Davis' go-ahead TD catch.