PRO FOOTBALL : 49ers Prevail, but Bengals Make It Interesting : Interconference: Cincinnati leads, 8-7, in third quarter before failed fake punt gets San Francisco going.

Ricky Watters ran for three touchdowns, two after a failed fake punt by Cincinnati awakened the 49ers’ offense, and San Francisco pulled out a 21-8 victory over the Bengals on Sunday night.

San Francisco (9-3) gained its sixth consecutive victory to open a two-game lead in the NFC West over the New Orleans Saints.

Cincinnati (1-11) was leading 8-7 in the third quarter when quarterback David Klingler went out with a right hip injury, sustained on an 11-yard scramble that left the Bengals with a fourth-and-nine at their 45.

Bengal Coach Dave Shula, whose team had converted two fourth-down plays earlier, called for the fake punt. But punter Lee Johnson’s pass attempt was batted to the ground by Amp Lee.

San Francisco took over and quickly drove for the go-ahead score as Watters dove into the end zone from two yards out.

“We had to get something started and we did when that fake punt play went wrong for them,” said guard Guy McIntyre of the 49ers’ offense, which had averaged 38 points a game in its five previous wins. “Until then, it could have gone either way.”

Backup quarterback Jay Schroeder was unable to get a first down in Cincinnati’s ensuing series and Steve Young got the 49ers going again, driving them 56 yards in 11 plays, capped by Watters’ four-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati, dominating the time of possession and intercepting Young twice, took its 8-7 lead on a safety and a pair of second-quarter Doug Pelfrey field goals.

Pelfrey’s 48-yard field goal finished an 11-play, 42-yard march. His second, a 39-yarder, was set up by Mike Brim, who intercepted Young and returned it 30 yards. An unnecessary roughness call against San Francisco added another 15 yards, allowing Cincinnati to start that drive at the 49er 44.

The 49ers blew past the Bengals on their opening possession, with Young and Jerry Rice teaming for a 43-yard completion on the game’s first play. Taylor caught a 15-yard pass to move the ball to the Cincinnati seven and Watters took it the rest of the way.