15:00: Kenny McKinley returns the kickoff to start the second half, taking it 24 yards out to the 39-yard line.
14:10: Chris Simms is in at quarterback, and Peyton Hillis takes the carry on first down, picking up three yards. The offensive line consists of Tyler Polumbus, Matt McChesney, Kory Lichtensteiger, Seth Olsen and Brandon Gorin. Richard Quinn is in at tight end, and Brandon Lloyd, Chad Jackson and Nate Swift at receiver. Hillis is in the backfield.
14:07: After a San Francisco timeout, it’s 2nd-and-7 for Denver at its own 42-yard line. Hillis takes the carry up the middle of the line and powers his way for close to a first down. It’s marked just short, setting up a 3rd-and-1.
13:30: With Spencer Larsen leading the way at fullback, Hillis takes the carry up the right side of the line for a four-yard gain and a first down.
12:50: Simms takes the snap, fakes a handoff to Hillis and gets the ball to Jeb Putzier on the other sideline. The tight end picks up nine yards to set up 2nd-and-1.
12:00: Hillis takes a handoff and finds the corner up the right sideline, stiff-arming a defender on the way to a 12-yard gain and a first down.
11:35: On 1st-and-10, Hillis takes another handoff and picks up five more yards. Now it’s 2nd-and-5, and the San Francisco defense makes some substitutions. The ball is at the San Francisco 22-yard line. Simms is in the shotgun. He hands the ball off to Darius Walker, who finds a hole up the middle of the line and carries it forward for the first down.
10:10: Walker takes the handoff on the following first-down play, making a couple moves and picking up a quick three yards. On 2nd-and-7, Hillis is back in at tailback. Simms takes the snap in the shotgun, fakes the handoff to Hillis then throws it to Lloyd on a bubble screen. He bobbles the pass, however, and it falls to the ground to set up 3rd-and-7 for the Broncos from the 14-yard line.
9:23: Simms is in the shotgun as the crowd gets loud. He drops back and finds Swift down the middle of the field, and the rookie takes it inside the 5 all the way to the 3-yard line.
8:40: False start is called on the offense, making it 1st-and-goal from the 8-yard line.
8:39: Hillis takes the carry on first down and picks up two yards. It’s 2nd-and-goal from the 6, and Simms is in the shotgun. He takes the snap, has plenty of time and finds Putzier for a touchdown, much to the chagrin of the now booing San Francisco crowd. Matt Prater is in for the extra point, and he knocks it through. The score brings Denver back to within two of the 49ers, 9-7.
7:31: A penalty on the defense during the successful extra point means five yards will be tacked on to the kickoff. Prater is now kicking from the 35-yard line.
7:30: Michael Spurlock takes a knee at the back of the end zone after fielding Prater’s kick. The 49ers have a first down at their own 20 after the touchback.
7:25: The 49ers break the huddle then run back into the huddle in an odd sequence that causes them to narrowly avoid a delay of game penalty. Andra Davis makes the tackle for no gain.
6:45: On the next play, Jack Williams makes the tackle to set up a third-and-9 for San Francisco. Damon Huard is in at quarterback, and he finds Spurlock for the first down.
5:25: Darrell Reid makes the tackle on first down to set up 2nd-and-7 for the 49ers from their own 38. Huard takes the snap and finds Spurlock for a bubble screen. He picks up the first down before being tackled by Spencer Larsen.
4:30: Chris Baker bursts through the middle of the line to take down Huard for the defense’s fourth sack of the night and 8-yard loss. Baker gives a litttle shimmy afterward.
3:40: Reid makes the tackle on second down to set up a 3rd-and-12 for the Niners from their own 46-yard line. Huard is in the shotgun. He takes the snap, drops back and is almost sacked before firing the ball downfield. It looked like Wesley Woodyard had a chance to leap and grab an interception, but it goes just over his hands. The pass bounces off the hands of the receiver, however, and Joshua Bell bats it away to the ground to ensure the incompletion.
2:52: Penalties on both the offense and defense offset, and Andy Lee is out to punt for the second play in a row. McKinley fields the punt, turns to his right and is surrounded, so he turns back to his left then sprints directly upfield and picks up whatever yards he can before he’s taken down. It ends up being a five-yard gain, and the Broncos have a first down from their own 23-yard line.
2:40: Simms is in the shotgun. He’s drilled as he lets loose a pass aimed at Swift. There’s a flag on the play in the defensive secondary. Prior to the pass, illegal contact on cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels. That makes it a 1st-and-10 for Denver from its own 28-yard line.
2:36: On first down, Hillis takes the handoff and stays on his feet as long as possible, bouncing off defenders, but eventually being taken down by what looked like the entire 49ers defense for a loss of one.
1:55: Hillis takes a quick screen on 2nd-and-11, picking up five yards. On 3rd-and-6, Simms is in the shotgun. He fires a pass to the left sideline and connects with Brandon Lloyd for a gain of 17 yards and a first down.
0:19: Simms tries to find Chad Jackson deep down the field to about the 10-yard line, but the defender was in tight coverage and the pass falls incomplete. On 2nd-and-10, Hillis finds a lot of space to the left of the line, picking up a first down.
0:00: At the end of the third quarter, the 49ers lead the Broncos, 9-7. Denver has a 1st-and-10 from the San Francisco 37-yard line when the fourth quarter begins.
START OF 4TH QUARTER: On first down, Simms finds Lloyd out of the shotgun for a 25-yard gain down to the 14-yard line. Hillis takes the hand off on the ensuing first down and picks up two yards. On second down, he takes a late handoff on a draw, making one tackler miss before being taken down to set up 3rd-and-6.
13:05: With the crowd as loud as it’s been, Simms buys some time, avoids the rush and throws the ball out of the back of the end zone to avoid a sack. It’s 4th-and-6 on the 8-yard line, and Prater is in to kick. Kern is there with the hold. The 26-yard field goal is up and through the uprights, and Denver now leads the 49ers, 10-9.
12:51: The last drive was 10 plays for 69 yards and took up 4:49 on the clock. Now Prater is out to kick off on the other side of the commercial break. The 49ers mascot is dancing to “Thriller” with a cheerleader during the TV timeout.
12:45: Tony Carter makes the special teams stop on Michael Spurlock inside the 20, giving the 49ers a first down from their own 18.
12:44: On first down there’s a fumble, and Chris Baker is signaling that the Broncos have it. San Francisco retains possession, however, and it’s second-and-7 for the 49ers. Huard drops back on the next play and launches the ball downfield for Spurlock. Alphonso Smith is there in coverage, and dives to knock the ball away at the last minute — showing some of those ball skills he honed at Wake Forest.
11:56: San Francisco picks up a first down at the 30-yard line after a nine-yard completion. On first down, Huard drops back and finds Thomas Clayton in the middle of the field for another first down.
10:35: Huard takes the snap on first down and hands off to Clayton, who is brought down by a big tackle by Wesley Woodyard. Clayton is down after the play.
10:25: Woodyard goes over to talk to Clayton as the running back is carted off the field. Alphonso Smith goes over as well to give him a pat on the helmet.
9:25: On 3rd-and-8 from their own 43, the 49ers pick up another first down on a complete pass from Huard to Jason Hill.
8:35: Marcus Thomas makes the tackle on Kory Sheets after a gain of three yards on first down. It’s 2nd-and-7 for the 49ers, and it looks like it was a defensive miscue, as fullback Brit Miller catches a pass wide open to the right of the field and on takes it all the way down the sideline into the end zone. Before the extra point, Denver calls a timeout.
7:55: San Francisco is going for two. It’s a fake handoff, and Huard lofts a pass to tight end Bear Pascoe for the successful two-point conversion. San Francisco retakes the lead over the Broncos, 17-10.
7:48: McKinley returns the kickoff to the 21-yard line, and Simms trots back out to the line with the offense. Quinn goes in motion and Walker takes the handoff, picking up two yards.
7:00: On 2nd-and-8, Simms takse the snap in the shotgun and finds McKinley. The rookie makes his defender miss, juking around him before turning upfield for a gain of 18 yards.
6:35: On first down, Walker takes the handoff right up the middle of the line, picking up nine yards.
5:50: On 2nd-and-1, Simms fakes a handoff, avoids the rush and quickly finds Walker for the drop off, but he’s brought down just before the first down. It’s third-and-1 — but it looks like they’re calling out the chain gang for a measurement. The verdict — it’s a Broncos first down.
5:10: Simms launches a pass downfield in Matthew Willis’ direction, but he’s double-covered, and the pass goes over his head out of bounds.
5:04: On 2nd-and-10, amidst chants of “defense!” Simms drops back, avoids pressure and gets the ball to Walker. He’s taken down immediately, but there’s a flag on the play. It’s a penalty on the offense — ineligible man downfield. But the penalty is declined, and it’s 3rd-and-12.
4:57: The offense breaks its huddle and walks up to the line. The crowd is getting loud, and Simms is in the shotgun. He takes the snap, steps up in the pocket and finds McKinley. It looked like he had the first down in his hands, but a big hit knocked the ball out and brought a fourth down.
4:41: Britton Colquitt is in to punt. He booms it and the special teams unit is there to down the punt at the 5-yard line.
4:40: On first down, Nate Davis is in at quarterback for the 49ers. He hands the ball off to Kory Sheets, and he’s immediately met in the backfield by Lee Robinson for no gain.
4:00: On 2nd-and-10, it’s another handoff, and Sheets finds some space up the middle, gaining nine yards before being brought down by Jarvis Moss.
3:24: Denver takes its second timeout. On 3rd-and-1, Spencer Larsen makes a huge hit behind the line of scrimmage to drop the runner for a loss of a yard. It’s now 4th-and-2, and Andy Lee is in to punt with McKinley back deep to receive.
2:31: McKinley takes the ball up to the Denver 47 on the return. On first down, Simms tosses a quick bubble screen but McKinley slips as he makes the turn upfield, picking up just a yard. After an incomplete pass on second down, it’s 3rd-and-9 for the Broncos from the Denver 48-yard line. Simms buys all the time in the world and launches the ball downfield to a wide-open McKinley, who had beaten his man, and the rookie scores the touchdown.
1:52: The offense is still on the field, and it looks like they’ll be going for two to take the lead with under two minutes to go in the game. With the crowd loud, Simms takes the snap in the shotgun, buys some time and tries to find McKinley in the back of the end zone — but the pass is intercepted.
TWO MINUTE WARNING: At the two-minute warning, the score brings the Broncos within one, but the 49ers still lead, 17-16.
1:51: Looks like the team is going for an onside kick. It’s recovered by the 49ers, however.
1:50: Nate Davis takes the snap behind center and hands off to Kory Sheets, who turns the corner on the left side and takes the ball down to the 17-yard line after a 25-yard gain.
1:44: Sheets is met by a group of Broncos defenders, led by Larsen, after a pickup of one yard. Denver takes its final timeout of the game.
1:37: Davis hands off to Sheets, and he’s taken down immediately in the backfield by a diving Chris Baker. It’s a loss of two yards.
0:49: On 3rd-and-11, Sheets takes a handoff for no gain — he’s brought down by Tim Crowder. It’s 4th-and-18, but the clock is still running.
0:03: On fourth down, Sheets takes a carry and is brought down after a gain of 13 yards. It ends the game.
0:00: The Broncos fall to the 49ers in their first preseason game, 17-16. We’ll have more from the game in the coming hours.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: live game blog, Preseason, San Francisco 49ers, Second Half Live Blog
I know right..the Chargers use to call him a cry baby and tease him from the sidelines cuz he was always pouting…i use to back him up on that all tha time to my friends and then he does it with us…..Cutler is a baby!! this year is a full comp to see who our back up QB will be next year…Two career back ups i would rather have SAge Rosenfells back on the team…
did anyone else see how obvious it was that Eddie Royal is going to be getting a 100 catch season this year? He is so involved with this passing offense. He’s gonna be a big weapon for us
yeah I noticed that too bronco fan in WA I’m telling you royal will be a beast this season
A league source tells Profootballtalk.com that Knowshon Moreno’s MRI revealed only a sprained MCL.
An original diagnosis of “knee sprain” can often turn out to be a torn ACL, so the Broncos can let out a huge sigh of relief over their prized rookie. It’s not yet known if the MCL sprain is Grade I or Grade II. Moreno could be anywhere from day-to-day to out four weeks. If it’s the latter, he’s going to be behind Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan to start the season.
I think McD and his staff will build a team over the next two years that will make every Bronco fan very proud. I saw renewed glimmers of hope in most aspects of our game last night and huge potential for the future. Go Broncos!
I liked some of the things I saw last night. However, Orton’s play was awful. I will give the guy a shot but if I see another performance last night I will start the chants for Simms!!! He has a better arm… He seems to be accurate…and he played better.
Hey thanks feetball that’s good news about the Moreno injury.I liked the defense but didn’t realize it was FOUR sack!That one by Chris Baker was truly awesome.Doom could really be eponymous for opposing quaterbacks.We aren’t the only ones who love Hillis coach isn’t blind he knows a thing or two about football.KO looked crisp coming down the field and it IS early but that was a setback.Chris would have looked even better with two or three key drops.You guys are aware of BrandonL LLoyds troubles? He showed why he was valued so highly. Overall I’m optomistic.
optimistic
No wonder people have trouble spelling why doesn’t the computer help you like on gmail?and how do make it so it does?
My spelling is excreable
Never mind just figured it out thanks for your help!
paulbedichek, fill me in on the spelling thing, the keys move on mine
the weirdest part of that game is every play 49ers defense changed. not so dramatic with the offense…and we pretty much split it right down the half. right now im hoping chris simms starts, but im good with orton. he completed almost every pass (even if it was to the 49ers
)
Knowshon looked good with all 2 of his carries! Orton looked good, except for those 3 horrible passes. Simms was solid. Our d is a work in progress. I guess it’s safe to say we won’t be competing for a super bowl, but at least football’s back. We could always turn things around b4 week 1.
well, all three of their quarterbacks are about as good, so when our D-backups went in it was almost the same. but i think simms looked beter than orton mainly because of the play call changes. we ran a lot more when orton went out
can anyone else say 10-6?
I wish we had selvin young instead of lamont jordan. that kid was really fast and could catch like westbrook. i dont know if others find that impressive, but still…
Wish we would have had a better start, this just adds unnecessary pressure to mcD and orton. I would have like see orton try a long ball as well as if you don’t throw it deep then defenses will crowd the short throws eventually.
While I loved the 4 sacks still worried about the big 3rd downs like last year. It breaks my heart when we have them 3rd and long and cant stop them. Also anyone else realize we gave up 60+ yards rushing to a rookie in the first half. But I guess the main thing is points and we did pretty well with that until we gave them a gift at the 7 yard line.
Hoping next year is better
sorry I meant next week!!!
the nice thing is it doesnt matter how experienced you are. remember last year against the bills? marshawn lynch was injured, so the rookie fred jackson played and he proved himself as a better RB (to the sportscenter crew, too. not just me) than the original starter. the rookie in SF could be better than frank gore for all we know. and, we proved ourselves as a pretty good red zone defense
Moreno has a sprained MCL- they expect him to be out for a week or 2
could be worse, i think moreno is a beast. but, i think peyton hillis can make up for him. one reason why we lost was because they have good pass protection, very good running game, and flukes like passing to the undrafted rookie fullback for a touchdown. seattle should be better for us. we should match up better for them. more pass and less rush, even if we gave up touchdowns to passing
I can say three things from what I saw last night: 1. Our defense is going to be much better this year. It actually kept us in the game, instead of taking us out of it. 2. Orton will be fine. Two of his three picks were just really good plays by the defender, not a bad throw. The third one was Orton’s fault; he just needed more power behind it (as in 6 inches higher). 3. If the running back play we saw is representative of the season, we should just go with Moreno and Hillis. The other two hardly did anything. Moreno had good runs, and Hillis just looked AMAZING (I love his running style). I am hopeful for this season.
Hillis runs so hard! You should heard the sounds the defenders made as they tried to tackle him. He is a beast.
that harvey steinberg lawyer is the real deal getting marshall out of that mess even I knew he hit her
Chris simms really looked sharp. Sure it was against second and third stringers but the fact is that his passes were right on the money (with the exception of his one pick and like 1 or 2 bad passes.. im not saying that he should be starter, simply that he did a good good job.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d811e88b2/Pre-WK-1-Chris-Simms-highlights
Orton also looked good prior to the picks but i believe he’ll do better these next preseason games.
Royal and Hillis are back to their 08 form!! (personally my 2 favorite broncos) Who saw that Hillis stiff arm?? Moreno showed some promise, hopefully he can stay healthy
Next victim, Seattle..
So where do the Bronco’s Quarterbacks rank in the NFL, AFC and our Division? Why is Coach so convinced that Orton is better than Simms? How do they rank compared to Cutler?
Anybody got any views?
Cutler played one quarter had one interception, should have been two except the defender dropped the pass Cutler threw to him, and couldn’t score in the red zone (sound familiar?) If he had played two quarters he probably could have made Orton look good. Sorry all you Cutler lovers/Orton haters.
I feel better now LOL
Danso,
At the end of the day, they both have new systems, only diff is orton has a better line and better recievers. so techinically Jay still did better because he only had one INT with poopy recievers and oline. But im not worried about either of them, its a learning process. No body just jumps into a new system and get it down pack. Orton will be alright and if he isnt simms will be and if he isnt brandstater will be. Luv Cutler but I need em to go 0-18 for a good pick. although most people want colt McCoy who might last till the second round. so either way we straight
Orton’s three interception night was bad, but it is preseason. These things need to happen so we can improve. However, I would like to talk about the defense. This has been the thorn in our side since the debacle against Pittsburgh in the ’05 AFC Championship. I saw major improvement and a reason to be excited. Nolan has these boys fired up and ready to knock people around. DEFENSE KEPT US IN THE GAME. None of us have been able to say that for three years! Who cares how Orton played, we showed up on the other side of the ball for the first time in a long time!! We can make the playoffs with defense and a steady offense of Hillis and Knowshon pounding the ball. This is the old school philosophy that Shanahan used for years, run the ball on offense and stop the run on defense. It works, he only forgot!
DD and 387, give that kid (cutlersucks8) a break. He is only 14 and wasn’t even alive when Denver went to their first superbowl in ’77. I still hate the Cowboys for that!
I will give Orton the benefit of the doubt, because, like I said, it is only preason. If he does it again next week, and Simms plays great again, I’m sure the inevitable wil happen. So, if a qb contraversy occurs and we have to draft another next year, McCoy is not the answer! The Big XII has horrible defense to play against, and he is to short. If the kid out of Ole Miss (Snead) comes out early he is the best qb in next years draft. Sorry Teabow and Bradford, you lose!!
Cant we all just get along??LOL
rebelbronco, I never said anything bad to cutlersucks8. Heck, I was in his corner with the towel and water bottle, ha, ha.
Which kid from Ole’ Miss? Are you talking about Billy Tapp?
Hey Bryan, you know me. 1st to debate, 1st to defend.
Billy Tapp LOL!!
Jevan Snead
07elway you hit the nail on the head. If people are going to boo Orton and dismiss him before he even gets a chance, they are not true fans. This team needs support from all of us to be successfull. I couldn’t believe that fans booed him during the scrimage at mile high last week. Way to build his confidense people.
I just don’t get it. Cutler threw an average of one pick a game, and no one booed him. Everybody loved him for doing jack s..t! People just bought into the hype of how great he was, or going to be. Cutler put us in bad situations and lost games for us with stupid mistakes. He never got mad at anyone, only the refs. He looked like droopy from the seven dwarfs. No emotion! That is poor leadership! But jaws and all the other espn comentators loved him, so so did all of you. Now he is gone and you hate him now along with Orton. Go grow a set and get behind our team (that includes the qb). Cutler is gone get over it, and now that he isn’t on our team you folks will take the blinders off and see the awful decisions he makes, and lack of leadership he possess. Orton is a field general and his teamates love him. Hell, simms said that he played great and will only continue to get better. This coming from the guy that is competing with him for the job. I don’t know about you all, but to me that speaks volumes about Orton and what he will be for this team. so agian, lets get behind this team, the whole team, and stop singling out Orton because your still mad cutler is gone.
11-5 in ’09 platoff bound! Lets Go Broncos!!!
Argh!! Why did my comment get removed?
Ash, I have no idea? My comment was 10 times harsher then yours? Strange? Maybe it’s “gender profiling”, ha, ha.
LOL, very funny.
Believe it or not, they removed my comment to 387 which was actually holding an olive branch? Strange.
They removed his posts, as well.
haha, yeah I do believe it cause I don’t see it. I know you had a comment after mine cause I read it. Did you get those TC pics I sent you yesterday? Want to make sure you got those okay before I send you the rest.
Dave i would like to apologize for over reaacting and calling u a punk . true This is a opinionated blog n we all say negative stuff when are emotions boil .i would just like to say sorry man lol i know that sounds corny but i just needed too. i dont wanna make no enemys. it was just a really unecessary cooment of my behalf.
hey they took mine too ha ha
Bdawk_alex, peace brother, we are all opinionated, (gosh, not ME??? lol). It’s cool. I have to be opinionated. I will start writing for Fan Huddle this fall and I need to be able to bring the people in. What better way then to stir up controversy? Ha, ha. Unlike the DP or ESPN, however, I will give the positive, not the negative side of the Broncos. It’s just part of my nature. Always positive, even in the face of adversity. We’re good, peace man.
Cutlersucks8, and let that be a lesson to you, young man, ha, ha.
Hey I hope 387 saw my comment first notice I’m not putting bronco fan in there LOL