Broncos welcome 49ers to Mile High City
For those who thought the Broncos’ internal quarterback debates were a thing of the past, guess again.
After seeming No. 1 signal-caller Mark Sanchez got the nod in last week’s exhibition opener vs. Chicago, Trevor Siemian’s chance to stake his case to the job comes tonight. The Northwestern product will make his first career NFL start vs. San Francisco. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv have installed host Denver as a 6-point favorite for the 9 p.m. ET bout. Meanwhile, the over/under comes in at 39.5.
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On the heels of a Super Bowl-winning season that featured doses of Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, it appears as if head coach Gary Kubiak has a new derby to sort out. Sanchez is the known commodity, a former playoff performer with the Jets and the man with 75 pro games under his belt. Yet Siemian appears to be currying more and favor with the Broncos’ coaching staff, showing potent chemistry with wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders during training camp.
This evening, both individuals will attempt to move the ball on the 49ers’ revamped defense. Navarro Bowman remains the stalwart at linebacker, but Chip Kelly wants to see continued growth from fellow second-level candidates like Ray-Ray Armstrong and Gerald Hodges, too. 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.
If you’re looking for Kelly to unveil a few additional wrinkles on offense, this isn’t that occasion. Colin Kaepernick continues to deal with arm fatigue, so rookie Jeff Driskell and journeyman Christian Ponder stand to receive the entirety of the reps behind Blaine Gabbert. They’ll be hard-pressed to gain any traction vs. the defending champs’ ultra-deep D. Ride with Siemian and the rest of Broncos.
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