--TE Vernon Davis was benched late in the 49ers' loss to the Saints after catching a 19-yard pass. It was Davis' first and only catch of the game and Davis made a demonstrative gesture toward the 49ers' sideline. Coach Mike Nolan said he asked Davis to take a seat for the final six minutes of the game.

--LB Manny Lawson was the only 49ers player on the team's preliminary injury report. He sustained a left hamstring strain and his availability for Sunday's game against the Patriots is uncertain.

Lawson has seen uneven playing time on defense, as he comes off the field when the 49ers go with extra defensive backs.

--LB Takeo Spikes made his first start with the 49ers. Jeff Ulbrich started the first three games, but Spikes steadily began seeing more and more action. Spikes responded with a one-handed interception of Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the first quarter. He finished with eight tackles and two quarterback hurries.

--RT Barry Sims struggled in his second start since taking over for injured Jonas Jennings. Sims was matched against Saints defensive end Charles Grant. In the second half, Grant took over against Sims. Grant recorded two sacks and four quarterback pressures.

--DE Parys Haralson, who entered the game as the 49ers' leader with three sacks on the season, was stymied by Saints right tackle Jon Stinchcomb. Haralson did not get any pressure on quarterback Drew Brees and was held without a tackle in the game.

REPORT CARD VS. SAINTS

PASSING OFFENSE: D-minus -- Although J.T. O'Sullivan threw for 257 yards and one touchdown, there was little good that came from this phase of the game. O'Sullivan was sacked six times for minus-36 yards and he threw two interceptions in the end zone in the 49ers' 31-17 loss to the Saints. Arnaz Battle had seven catches for 120 yards. However, starting split end Bryant Johnson was held without a catch. Tight end Vernon Davis was a non-factor. He did not catch a pass until there was 6:20 remaining in the game. Right tackle Barry Sims struggled against Saints defensive end Charles Grant.

RUSHING OFFENSE: B-minus -- The only thing bad about the running game was that offensive coordinator Mike Martz did not call enough runs. Frank Gore gained 82 yards on just 16 carries. Backup DeShaun Foster had a 9-yard pickup on his only carry of the game. The 49ers ran the ball just 17 times, while 44 pass plays were called (including six sacks and two O'Sullivan scrambles).

PASS DEFENSE: F -- The 49ers simply could not keep up with the Saints' wideouts. Quarterback Drew Brees was given all kinds of time to throw, and he picked the 49ers apart. He did not get sacked and he was hurried into incomplete passes just four times. Nobody in the secondary came out of this game unscathed. Safety Mark Roman has a particularly bad day. Dashon Goldson, Michael Lewis and Nate Clements were also beaten by big plays, and Walt Harris was in coverage on a 5-yard TD pass to Lance Moore for the Saints' first score of the game.

RUSH DEFENSE: C -- The 49ers held running back Reggie Bush in check, but they surrendered some meaningful yards to Deuce McAllister, who was making his first significant appearance of the season for the Saints. McAllister rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. The Saints picked up six first downs rushing.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C -- Joe Nedney made all three of his field-goal attempts, as he connected from 47, 49 and 38 yards. Punter Andy Lee did not strike the ball particularly well, but he managed a 41.0 average (41.0 net, as well) on three punts. The coverage units continue to give up some field position, as the Saints' average starting point on kickoffs was the 28-yard line. Niners return man Allen Rossum had a nifty 55-yard return late in the game.

COACHING: F -- Just about everything the 49ers did is open for second-guessing. Martz got away from the running game in the first half. They managed one first down or fewer in five of their six drives. Defensively, the 49ers just could never match up properly with the Saints. They played most of the game in their nickel defense. They went out of it briefly, and the Saints struck deep for a 33-yard TD. There were way too many mixups in the secondary from an experienced unit, which shows that the players did not fully understand their assignments. Moreover, coach Mike Nolan wasted a timeout in the second half when he challenged a first-down pass that went for 6 yards.