Friday, May 25th, 2012
San Francisco 49ers will open their NFL preseason play with a road trip to face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday afternoon.
Kick off time from Indianapolis is scheduled for 1PM Eastern Time with live national television coverage provided by the NFL Network.
The LVSC NFL odds makers have set the opening betting line in this game and it was the road club San Francisco 49ers opening up as 2 point betting favorites with the over under lined at 35.
The early money from the NFL betting public has been favorite money as the San Francisco 49ers are now 3 ½ point favorites. The total saw movement downward to 33.
Money line players can take the San Francisco 49ers at -175 odds with the home underdog Indianapolis Colts returning +155 to pull off the upset home victory without taking the points.
The San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback job is Alex Smith’s for now as he will line up under center. The much maligned former first round pick hit on 60.5% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2009. He is a career 56.3% passer.
Backing up Smith as the #2 quarterback is their off season acquisition in David Carr. The nine year veteran is a former starter with the Houston Texans. He spent the last two years as a backup with the New York Giants where he completed 30 passes on 45 attempts for 340 yards three touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He is a career 59.8% passer.
Competing for the #3 spot is second year player Nate Davis from Ball St and rookie Jarrett Brown from West Virginia. Davis played in 4 preseason games in his rookie campaign and completed 59.2% of his passes on 49 attempts for 314 yards 2 touchdowns and an interception.
The 49ers line up in the backfield with veteran starter Frank Gore with second year man Glen Coffee backing him up. Gore is their workhorse who has been hit with injury issues the past few season so expect very limited action. Coffee has a lot to prove following a rookie season where he rushed for only a 2.7 yards per carry average on 83 carries.
San Francisco will look at rookie Anthony Dixon another workhorse back who played his college ball at in the SEC at Mississippi St. Dixon displayed good speed and played well behind an inept quarterback and receiver corps in college so he is worth a look. Five year pro Michael Robinson will get carries.
Out wide San Francisco will line up with second year man Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan as the starters. The backups are newly acquired Ted Ginn Jr. over from the Dolphins and Dominique Zeigler. The tight end is solid with Vernon Davis. San Francisco needs help in their receiver corps to compliment Crabtree and rookies Bakari Grant from UC Davis and Kyle Williams from Arizona St will get a look.
The Colts have never been impressive during the preseason. The team played with very little intensity and are simply as plain as vanilla. Starter Peyton Manning may see a series or two at the most.
There is a new backup at Indy as Jim Sorgi leaves in free agency. Second year man Curtis Painter is the backup. Painter saw action late last season and was unimpressive hitting on just 28.6% passing with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in 2 games. In the 2009 preseason Painter completed 59.3% of his passes in four games with 381 yards 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Second year man Tom Brandstater from Fresno St and rookie Tim Hiller from Western Michigan will compete for a roster spot as the #3. Brandstater saw no regular season action in 2009. He played in 4 preseason games last season and completed 56.5% of his passes for 298 yards 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with 6 sacks.
The Colts line up at running back with starter Joseph Addai. Backing up the veteran is second year man Donald Brown from Connecticut. Brown had a 3.6 yards per carry average on 78 carries in 2009. Third year pro Mike Hart from Michigan will see action and is the #3 option. Hart had only a 2.7 yards per carry average on 26 carries last season. Free agent Devin Moore and rookie Javarris James from Miami Florida will compete for a roster spot.
Indianapolis is well stocked in their receiver position. Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez start with Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie backing them up and playing in three and four wide sets. Rookie Blair White from Michigan St will compete for a roster spot as well as free agent Taj Smith from Syracuse and Duley Guice from Northwestern St.
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NFL Trend: San Francisco 49ers are 2-11 straight up in their past 13 road preseason games.
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