PREP FOOTBALL : Rice Burns the Falcons for 3 Scores, 2 Records in 49ers’ 35-7 Victory

Jerry Rice takes his record-setting exploits the same way he gathers in touchdown passes--in stride.

Rice scored three touchdowns Sunday for the third time in four games and set two National Football League receiving records as the San Francisco 49ers rolled to a 35-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Rice was low-key, as usual, but said he was saving the game ball for his 6-month-old daughter.

“I’m going to take it home and one day my little girl will be able to look over and say, ‘My daddy, he did a great job. He broke some records and I really admire him,’ ” Rice said.

“The most important thing to me is we won. Atlanta was a good team and we needed to win.”

The victory kept the 49ers (12-2) a step ahead of the New Orleans Saints (11-3) in the race for the NFC West title.

Rice caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Steve Young in the third quarter to set two NFL records and touch off a spurt of three touchdowns within 18 seconds. The touchdown reception was Rice’s 19th of the season, eclipsing the mark of 18 set by Miami’s Mark Clayton in 1984. Rice also caught a touchdown pass in his 12th straight game, breaking the mark of 11 held by Elroy Hirsch and Buddy Dial.

“He’s just a good football player, quicker and better than most,” said Atlanta cornerback Bobby Butler, who was beaten by Rice on the record-setting touchdown. “I saw Rice take off and thought, ‘That’s it.’ ”

Rice opened the scoring on a five-yard reverse and his record-setting 20-yard third-quarter scoring pass from Young put the 49ers ahead, 14-0.

Rice was held to one reception in the first half.

“He didn’t get many balls in the first half, but he’s relentless,” Young said. “He’s always working hard, whether its the first quarter, second quarter or second half. Jerry was patient and worked hard to get the ball in the second half.”

Sylvester Stamps took Ray Wersching’s kickoff after Rice’s second touchdown and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. San Francisco’s Joe Cribbs made it 21-7 seconds later by returning Atlanta’s kickoff 82 yards to score. It was the third set of back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns in NFL history.

Young, starting in place of an injured Joe Montana, gave the 49ers a 28-7 lead with a 29-yard scramble for a touchdown with 12:11 left and Young threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Rice with 5:13 left.

“I think (Rice’s record-setting performance) is fantastic,” 49er lineman Randy Cross said. “But we’d get more excited if he was more excited. He has so much talent and just seems to take things in stride.”

San Francisco’s defense ran its scoreless streak run to nine quarters, intercepted four passes and had four sacks. The 49ers also blocked a field goal.

Young completed 13 of 30 for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns and gained another 83 yards in 6 carries and ran for another touchdown.

Rookie Chris Miller, starting in his first game for Atlanta (3-11), completed 13 of 36 passes for 186 yards with 4 interceptions.