Pregame notes: Niners-Broncos from London

Cheers from Wembley Stadium. It’s a nice place they have here. I had initially envisioned Wembley as the English version of Fenway Park or Lambeau Field. You know, charming. Rustic. Horribly smelly bathrooms. Shows you what I know.

The original Wembley Stadium, opened in 1923, was demolished in 2003. This place, which was built on the same site, was opened in 2007. It’s a sparkling modern complex, complete with, most importantly, mini flat-screen TVs at each seat on press row.


The press seating is outside, but the roof covers the stands. The field
is uncovered — kind of like old Texas Stadium, but this hole in the
roof is significantly larger.

I’ll be posting some pregame notes here leading up until kickoff:

• Niners inactives: WR Kyle Williams, QB Alex Smith, CB Tarell Brown, LB
Keaton Kristick, OT Barry Sims, C Eric Heitmann, OT Alex Boone, WR
Jason Hill. (No surprises here. The 49ers promoted CB Tramaine Brock
from the practice squad this squad clearly suspecting Brown, who was
doubtful with a sprained back, couldn’t play.

• Broncos inactives: QB Brady Quinn, S Darcel McBath, CB Perrish Cox, LB
Robert Ayers, LB Wesley Woodyard, OL Eric Olsen, OL Chris Clark, DL
Kevin Vickerson.

• Vickerson and Ayers are both starters. S Brian Dawkins and CB Andre Goodman are returning this week from injuries. Denver’s rash of injuries helps explain what’s happened to its run defense recently. In the past three games, the Broncos have allowed 230 rushing yards a game and 11 rushing TDs, more touchdowns on the ground than the 31 other NFL teams have allowed this season.

• Jerry Rice will be leading the Niners out onto the field. Rice will be
joined by Great Britain’s Ben Ainslie, a three-time Olympic gold
medalist yachtsman.

• John Elway will be doing the honors for the Broncos. Elway will be
joined by Mo Farah, the first British runner to win the 5,000 and 10,000
meters at the European Championships.

• The Niners entered the field for pregame warm-ups to
mostly cheers. The Broncos arrived less than a minute later and were welcomed
by a chorus boos. Maybe this really will be a home game for the 49ers, if not the vast majority of their fans.

• It will be interesting to see if Vernon Davis is affected by his ankle injury. Davis, who is listed as questionable, was limping noticeably in the locker room after the loss to Carolina. His limited practice on Friday was the first time he get on the field this week. Davis has a TD in four straight games, matching a career-high he set last year.

• Kickoff is 5 p.m. local time. At 4:33 it was 54 degrees. No rain currently, but it’s been drizzling throughout the day.

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