Montana Finds Falcons’ Flaws; 49ers Win : NFC: San Francisco quarterback has another big day, passing for 398 yards in 19-13 victory.

Leave it to Joe Montana to expose the bugs in the Atlanta Falcons’ newly installed defense.

Montana threw for 398 yards, including third-quarter touchdown passes to Jerry Rice and Brent Jones, as the San Francisco 49ers defeated Atlanta, 19-13, Sunday for their third consecutive victory.

“We busted coverage twice and both times it was my fault,” Atlanta Coach Jerry Glanville said. “I tried to give a six-year course on a complicated defense in six months and it didn’t work. I’ll take the blame for both of those touchdowns.”

Despite missing on six of his first 11 passes, Montana completed 24 of 36 throws without an interception. He directed the 49ers to their two touchdowns on San Francisco’s second and third possessions of the second half.

“We really didn’t make any adjustments in the second half,” Montana said. “But when we didn’t get blitzed, we usually could find somebody open.

“(Atlanta) was trying to take our slants away, and that gave us an opportunity in the middle of the field.”

Even though the 49ers (3-0) remained undefeated, Coach George Seifert was not satisfied with the team’s running attack, which gained 66 yards in 29 carries.

“I really don’t think we took a step forward,” Seifert said. “We’re going to have to get better (with the running game) and with some of our blocking schemes for our pass plays.”

Atlanta (1-2) lost for the second consecutive week. The worst news, however, may have been that running back Steve Broussard, the Falcons’ 1990 No. 1 draft choice, sustained a sprained knee and had to be helped from the field after a hit by Ronnie Lott late in the third quarter. X-rays will be taken, said a club spokesman.

Roger Craig tied Walter Payton’s record for career receptions by a running back (492) and Dave Waymer intercepted two passes as the 49ers won for the 22nd time in 25 regular-season games, dating back to 1988.

Craig tied Payton’s record with a second-quarter reception that lost two yards, his second catch of the game for the defending Super Bowl champions, who also opened last season with a 3-0 record.

After their first seven possessions netted only a field goal, Montana staked the 49ers to a 12-3 lead with 9:08 left in the third quarter when he found Rice wide open on a slant-in from the left side. Rice ran untouched into the end zone for a 35-yard score.

After Atlanta made it 12-10 with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Chris Miller to Shawn Collins on its next possession, the 49ers topped that with their longest scoring play of the season.

Montana, after a brief scramble, found Jones with a step on linebacker Jessie Tuggle on a short pattern over the middle. Jones outran Tuggle, sidestepped a diving Bobby Butler at the Atlanta 40-yard line, and held off Deion Sanders with a straight arm the last 10 yards of a 67-yard play.

Rice caught eight passes for 171 yards, and Jones had five catches for 125 yards as the 49ers compensated nicely for the missing John Taylor. The NFL’s leading receiver in receptions and yardage sat out the game with a bruised lower back.

Atlanta pulled within 19-13 on Greg Davis’ second field goal, a 35-yarder with 3:36 to play, and drove to the 49ers’ 29 in the final seconds, only to have Miller’s attempt to stop the clock with a quick incomplete pass ruled a fumbled snap.

Miller completed 25 of 41 passes for 337 yards and a touchdown.