49ERS Injuries in picture with Saints next

The most serious is safety Zack Bronson, who broke a bone in his foot after making an interception.
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Although the first-place San Francisco 49ers have matched last season's 4-1 start, they've dealt with more serious injuries just a third of the way through the NFL season than they encountered all of last year.
So said coach Steve Mariucci, who saw several players limp off in San Francisco's 28-21 victory in Seattle Monday night.
"That's just how it goes sometimes," said Mariucci. "I think we maybe were a little bit lucky last year.
"We've been hit a lot harder this season, but we'll make do," Mariucci added. "Hopefully we're a little bit deeper than a year ago."
NFC West
The win gave the Niners a one-game lead over the Arizona Cardinals (3-2) in the NFC West.
The most critical injury was suffered by safety Zack Bronson, who broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot a few plays after he made his ninth interception in the past 12 games.
"This is a real blow for us," Mariucci said. "He needs screws and pins inserted. He's our center fielder, he has done a great job stealing the ball."
Ronnie Heard, who has been recovering from a high ankle sprain, is likely to start in Bronson's place.
Cornerback Ahmed Plummer has a right ankle sprain and backup kick returner Terry Jackson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Defensive end John Engelberger suffered a high right ankle sprain.
Wide receiver J.J. Stokes, who sat out the game with a MCL sprain, could be back Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints (5-1).
Definitely out are running back Paul Smith (left hamstring) and linebacker Jamie Winborn (knee). Mariucci estimated that those two could play in mid-November.]
Guard good
Mariucci said he was pleased with the performance of rookie seventh-round draft pick Eric Heitmann, who made his first start at left guard replacing Dave Fiore.
Heitmann spent most of the night trying to contain Seahawks lineman John Randle.
"Randle is a heckuva player, very emotional," Mariucci said. "He talks a lot of talk so it was good for Eric to go through that and add to his experience."
Mariucci said a key to the victory was how the 49ers scored on 10 points off their first two possessions and mounted a 99-yard drive in the third quarter.
"That took their crowd out of the game a little bit," said Mariucci, "and I liked the way we finished the game where we ran off five minutes. That's exactly how you'd like to finish a game."
Mariucci credited wide receiver Terrell Owens for making key moves on the game-winning touchdown drive.
Motion worked
"Their plan was to match [cornerback] Shawn Springs on 'TO' for most of the game," Mariucci said. He was playing a lot of bump-and-run and harassing him at the line of scrimmage."
The 49ers countered by putting Owens in motion and lining him up in the slot.
Owens drew an illegal contact penalty on Springs one play before catching an underthrown pass from quarterback Jeff Garcia for a 37-yard score.