Their defense allowed an opening-drive touchdown.
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The Denver Broncos are still trying to ascertain who their starting quarterback will be. Gabbert will get the start tonight for the 49ers. The Chip Kelly era is underway in San Francisco after a down 2015 season for the 49ers. Also for a second consecutive week, the No. 2 quarterback came off the bench firing completions at an impressive rate.
Coach Kubiak named a starting QB for the Broncos second preseason game vs. San Francisco.
Colin Kaepernick (white shirt, 40-yard line) throws to Bruce Ellington (red shirt, 25-yard line) in warmups Saturday, Kaepernick’s most extensive throwing since August 10.
For the first time since he was held out of practices due to arm fatigue, Kaepernick was seen throwing to wide receiver running pass routes.
Kaepernick did not throw in practice for almost a week, nor did he play in Sunday’s exhibition opener, because of what he described as tightness in his throwing shoulder. The 49ers led at the half and won 31-24 with Christian Ponder breaking a fourth quarter tie with a 22-yard touchdown run and 30-yard scoring pass. Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch threw two touchdown passes in the second half.
To be fair, Siemian actually wasn’t all bad. Welcome to exhibition football. Treggs later left the game with a knee injury. Arik Armstead, Bruce Ellington, DeAndre Smelter and Glenn Dorsey won’t play, either. Chris Davis had another nice showing, with two third-down stops and key blitz on Mark Sanchez to force an incompletion. Siemian finished 10-of-14 for 74 yards and one interception.
Quarterback Blaine Gabbert of the San Francisco 49ers throws a first-quarter pass against the Denver Broncos during a preseason National Football League game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on August 20, 2016 in Denver. Along with that, the Broncos have other questions lingering. This game was a reminder of that. A third-down incompletion on the first series was followed by a third-down completion short of the first-down marker on the next drive. The first-string offense never got to a third-down snap on its touchdown drive. Reid easily eluded Siemian’s attempt to tackle him near the goal line. Tank Carradine and Marcus Rush both forced fumbles – the later came up with a stunning three sacks on the night. He spent last season on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State.
Mike Davis: Davis lost fumbles on back-to-back touches. RB DuJuan Harris, also competing for a backup spot, appeared headed for the end zone late in the third quarter, but fumbled at the 1 and the ball was recovered in the end zone by the Broncos for a touchback.
Erik Pears: It looked like 2015 all over again when Pears got beat for a sack.
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Broncos: FB Andy Janovich, a sixth-round pick out of Nebraska, helped clear the way on Anderson’s first-quarter touchdown run by picking off a 49ers defender with his lead block on the play. None of that trio impressed.
