Oilers Put Clamps on the 49ers, 10-7 : Pro football: Houston holds San Francisco to season low in scoring while gaining its 10th consecutive victory.

Leave it to Buddy Ryan to take some of the luster off the San Francisco 49ers’ offense.

The Houston Oilers’ defense held the 49ers to a season low in scoring and forced two interceptions and a fumble by Steve Young, the league’s leading passer, in a 10-7 Oiler victory over the 49ers on Saturday.

It was the 10th consecutive victory for Houston (11-4), which got barely enough offense to overcome three turnovers of its own.

“Buddy’s philosophy is if the quarterback is flat on his back, he can’t throw the ball,” Houston defensive back Terry Hoage said of the club’s first-year defensive coordinator.

Added Oiler Coach Jack Pardee: “Buddy has done a great job. It took awhile to get going. The key thing is not to give up too many touchdowns, get the turnovers and get used to that pressure defense.”

Houston had more to gain by winning Saturday’s matchup between division winners. The Oilers, mindful they have been eliminated from the postseason on the road five of the last six seasons, are competing with the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) and the Buffalo Bills (10-4) for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

“There are no guarantees as to where we’ll be at the end of the season,” said Cody Carlson, who relieved Warren Moon at quarterback when the latter went out in the fourth quarter because of a rib injury. “We have a good shot, if we keep working and believing in ourselves, of being in and winning the Super Bowl.”

Moon aggravated a week-old injury. He said he played with a rib cracked in last week’s 26-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Toward the end of the game, Moon said he took hits on his rib cage “about three times.”

“By the end, I didn’t want to hurt us,” he said. “I couldn’t do certain things, so I told Kevin (Gilbride, the offensive coordinator) I just couldn’t go.”

Oiler officials said the injury would take three to four weeks to heal, but that Moon would miss no playing time.

The 49ers (10-5), who failed to score with Young at quarterback, had a club-record 13-game regular-season home winning streak ended.

They already have clinched the NFC West title, a first-round playoff bye and a home date for the divisional playoffs Jan. 15-16.

With little to gain and not wanting to risk Young’s health, Coach George Seifert pulled Young late in the third quarter, replacing him with Steve Bono.

“To be pulled out of the game like that, I had to bite my tongue a little bit,” said Young, who was told at halftime he would be coming out early. “The game didn’t mean anything to us, so they didn’t want to risk injury. It was pretty point blank. It was the perfect chance to fight back. It hurts a little bit, but George had his mind made up.”

San Francisco, which scored 55 points in last week’s victory at Detroit, didn’t score until Amp Lee made an eight-yard touchdown run with 12:11 to play. It capped a 12-play, 73-yard drive directed by Bono, who relieved Young with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter.

“After scoring 55 points, it was kind of weird coming out here and playing like this,” 49er tackle Steve Wallace said. It brings us back to earth a bit.”

Young completed 15 of 29 passes for 178 yards before leaving. He had two passes intercepted and fumbled to set up a Houston score.

The Oilers also had turnover problems.

But after Moon left the game with less than seven minute to play, Carlson came on to lead a time-killing drive, denying the 49ers the ball the rest of way.

Gary Brown also helped maintain possession, finishing with 114 yards in 19 carries.

“I think they’re the best team we’ve played this year,” 49er tight end Brent Jones said.

Moon had a touchdown pass but, like Young, was off target much of the day, completing 11 of 26 passes for 158 yards. He had three passes intercepted, two by cornerback Michael McGruder, whose second interception came with Houston on the move again midway through the third quarter and looking to take control.

McGruder returned the interception 15 yards and San Francisco took over at its 30.

After a five-yard scramble by Young, the quarterback completed a 22-yard pass to Lee and a 32-yard pass to Jerry Rice, moving the 49ers to the Houston 11. The drive stalled, however, and Mike Cofer’s 24-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Eddie Robinson.

“We saw them score 55 points on the road last week, so this was a huge lift for us,” Robinson said. “We almost had the shutout.”

The 49ers have scored in 257 consecutive games dating to Oct. 9, 1977, when they lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 7-0.

Houston twice blunted San Francisco drives with end-zone interceptions and led at halftime, 10-0, after cashing in Young’s fumble for a seven-yard touchdown pass from Moon to Ernest Givins. Al Del Greco added a 24-yard field goal.

Rookie Blaine Bishop, starting in place of injured safety Bubba McDowell, sacked Young on a blitz and forced the fumble, recovering at the San Francisco 18.

Three plays later, Moon found Givins for the score.

The 49ers’ opening possession ended in a missed 47-yard field-goal attempt by Cofer.