49ers Play Numbers Game, Go to 3-1 : NFC: They fall short of their customary 31 points but, led by Young, still beat Saints, 16-10.

The San Francisco 49ers got barely halfway to their customary total of 31 points Sunday night.

That was still enough to give them a 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints and get them to a 31 of a different kind--a 3-1 record that put them in their accustomed position alone atop the NFC West.

It wasn’t exactly the way it was drawn up in the game plan.

“Every time we come down here it’s a tough game,” said 49er Coach George Seifert, whose team won for the fifth time in its last six Superdome appearances against the Saints. “They have a fine team and the fans get behind them.”

Steve Young, the NFL’s second-leading passer entering the game, led the way with his legs, rushing for 67 yards in seven carries, including a 26-yard scramble that set up his team’s only touchdown.

“There were times we might have sacked another quarterback,” said Saint Coach Jim Mora, whose team is now 2-2. “He was able to escape the rush and get a lot of yardage on the ground. This guy’s an exceptional athlete.”

He wasn’t the only 49er standout.

Mike Cofer, who had made just three of seven field goals entering the game, was three for three, hitting from 26 and 42 yards in the fourth quarter to break a 10-10 tie. He outkicked the Saints’ Morten Andersen, who entered the season second in all-time kicking accuracy but was just one for two.

David Whitmore, a 230-pound linebacker-like strong safety whom other teams try to catch in mismatches, picked off Bobby Hebert’s pass at his 18 late in the third quarter just when the Saints seemed prepared to take the lead. The 49ers then drove 74 yards to set up Cofer’s go-ahead field goal.

The game wasn’t put away until the final seconds, when Eric Davis picked off Hebert’s pass in the end zone from 12 yards out after the Saints had driven 68 yards to the two before a holding penalty against Derek Kennard pushed them back to the 12.

The teams were tied, 10-10, at halftime, although San Francisco lost a possible touchdown on its first possession.

After Don Griffin recovered a fumble by Wesley Carroll at the New Orleans 40, the 49ers drove to the two. Then Young, who was 17 of 25 for 187 yards, connected with Jerry Rice in the flat and Rice struggled for the goal line, reaching for the line as he was tackled.

The ball came loose, went into the end zone and Les Miller recovered for the Saints, although replay showed Rice appeared to lose the ball after he was down. Head linesman Aaron Pointer said otherwise, claiming the ball was loose before Rice hit the ground.

“It’s the worst game I’ve ever played in with so many bad calls,” Rice said. “It was crazy out there. I thought I broke the plane but nobody ran in and said ‘touchdown.’ ”

It wasn’t a good day for Rice. With John Taylor out with an injury, Rice was continually double- and triple-teamed. He caught just two passes for five yards.

After Rice’s lost fumble, the Saints, uncharacteristically throwing on first down, went 80 yards in eight plays with Hebert, who was 25 of 40 for 267 yards, hitting Eric Martin over the middle on third down from 11 yards out for a touchdown.

The 49ers came right back with its own 80-yard drive, featuring Young’s 26-yard third-down scramble to the one, from where Tom Rathman dove in to tie it at 7-7.

Cofer’s 40-yard field goal in the second quarter gave the 49ers a 10-7. A 24-yard gain on a pass to Mike Sherrard set up the field goal.

Then the Saints drove 74 yards from their own one to tie it on Andersen’s 42-yarder just before halftime.

The Saints missed two opportunities to go ahead in the third quarter. First Andersen missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt on the Saints’ first possession. Then, with the Saints again within Andersen’s range, Hebert’s third-down pass was picked off by Whitmore at the 18.

San Francisco then went 73 yards to set up Cofer’s 26-yarder that gave them a 13-10 lead 2:31 into the fourth quarter.

Cofer hit from 42 about four minutes later and the Saints lost a chance on their next possession when Martin fumbled at the 49er 24.