For the second straight preseason game, Blaine Gabbert started shaky but finished strong, in a 31-24 win over the Denver Broncos.
After two short possessions that ended in punts, Gabbert and Carlos Hyde powered the 49ers into the end zone on a six-play, 63-yard drive early in the second quarter. Hyde banged home a 4-yard run to put San Francisco up 14-7, ending the night with 28 yards on six carries.
Gabbert finished 6-of-9 for 69 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, no sacks. Against the defending Super Bowl champions, he did nothing that significantly hurt his chances to win the quarterback job, and barring a scintillating Colin Kaepernick performance next week against the Packers, Gabbert is in line to start Week 1 against the Rams. Vance McDonald helped propel the scoring drive, finishing with three catches for 38 yards.
The 49ers actually counted on their defense for their first touchdown of the game. Safety Eric Reid picked off a Travis Siemian pass and went 41 yards for a pick-six. It tied the game up at seven and made the 49ers’ defense feel better about their first quarter effort after a shaky start to the game.
Denver marched down the field on the first possession of the game, scoring a touchdown behind Siemian’s direction. The Broncos went 10 plays and 86 yards before C.J. Anderson bolted 19 yards untouched into the end zone for six. Siemian finished 10-of-14 for 74 yards and one interception.
The 49ers took a 17-10 lead into halftime. Jeff Driskel replaced Gabbert in the second quarter and led a field goal drive shortly before the half. Driskel found undrafted rookie Bryce Treggs on a 25-yard catch-and-throw, taking positive practice plays to the actual playing field. He also hit Devon Cajuste for a 40-yard gain.
There were some defensive standouts in the first and second halves. NaVorro Bowman rushed up the gut for a sack in the first quarter. Garrison Smith, who is shooting up the depth chart at nose tackle, had a tackle for the loss and a sack. All of a sudden the 24-year-old Georgia product has emerged as a tough cut for Chip Kelly to make on the defensive line rotation. Chris Davis had another nice showing, with two third-down stops and key blitz on Mark Sanchez to force an incompletion. Tank Carradine and Marcus Rush both forced fumbles — the later came up with a stunning three sacks on the night. Kenneth Acker picked off a pass to seal the game.
Christian Ponder made his 49ers debut late in the third quarter. He bursted down the right sideline on a 22-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter and launched another touchdown on a 30-yard touchdown pass to Dres Anderson. 49ers QB’s finished 19-of-24 for 216 yards, 1 TD and no INT — Ponder went 7-of-8 for 86 yards.
Mike Davis fumbled twice, negating an outstanding 72-yard performance last week against the Texans. DuJuan Harris also fumbled in the end zone in the third quarter, six days after he fumbling last week against Houston. Harris did lead the 49ers in rushing with 46 yards. Anthony Davis played well into the fourth quarter at right guard, a new position for him.
Shaun Draughn (back) was held out for precautionary reasons. What looked like a significant injury turned into an Eli Harold wind knocked out of him moment. Treggs left with an MCL injury and did not return, as did linebacker Nick Bellore.