It was a notable sign of progress for Kaepernick, who hasn’t participated in a full practice since August 10 due to what general manager Trent Baalke has termed a exhausted arm. Reid stepped in front of wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to pick off Siemian.
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I can’t imagine the Bronco starting offensive unit being introduced individually in prime time on September 8 (which it won’t be) and having Mark Sanchez running onto the field, hopping and skipping and happily raising his arms to his adoring fans. The 49ers’ starting defense had trouble getting pressure in the pocket, despite plenty of opportunities.
Coach Gary Kubiak has dedicated a majority of play-calls to a quarterback competition, giving Trevor Siemian, Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch a chance to try out.
The San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos both have plenty of questions at the quarterback position. Preseason stats do matter but for a player like Sanchez, it shouldn’t, but Sanchez has still outplayed the young Siemian. What is significant is that Kubiak is also looking at Lynch after Sanchez’s poor performance in their first two pre-season matches. This game was a reminder of that.
NN: As an outsider, what’s your take on the 49ers and what’s happened from the tail end of previous year through this offseason?
Siemian started this competition as somewhat of a backup afterthrought by everyone except maybe Kubiak, offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp. He was completed 7-of-8 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 21 yards. On the flip side, Denver’s eager to unleash a little more of running back C.J. Anderson, who received just two touches in the team’s initial action against the Bears. He added a third sack in the third quarter. “We’ve got to come flatter, but you should make the throw”, Kubiak said. He nearly had a fourth sack but Lynch escaped Rush’s grasp, to which Rush said afterward: “I’ve already hear a lot about it”. Kaepernick should get the start to guarantee some reps against the Packers first team defense, but I’m guessing we won’t hear anything Wednesday or Thursday, if at all before the game. “Talking to him, he says he feels really good about it”.
-Rookie quarterback Jeff Driskel entered the game after Gabbert and completed six of seven pass attempts for 66 yards. He has a unique way of presenting it where he s kind of amusing, but I think when he gets really serious about pass rush there s some tremendous amount of knowledge in what he has in his success in this league, his ability, that everybody recognizes, which is why he s in the Hall of Fame.
Anthony Davis -Davis figures to primarily line up as the second-string right tackle behind Trent Brown. The second-year running back’s 44-yard burst was the 49ers biggest play last game. Let’s get the butt fumble jokes out the way and let’s focus on his body of work. Do the defending Super Bowl champions want to roll with a second-year quarterback with, essentially, no experience? We also may be nearing closer to Mark Sanchez being cut.
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-Carradine, who had a strong week of practice, had four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in the first half.
