SAN FRANCISCO — This is the live blog for the 49ers’ final preseason game. I’ll be updating this frequently with analysis from the press box.
5:28 I just found all the preseason stats. If you were wondering, here’s how the four QBs have fared so far:
Alex Smith: 13 for 19 (68.4%), 7.1 yards per attempt, 123.6 QB rating
Colin Kaepernick: 13 for 21 (61.9%), 6.6 yards per attempt, 81.3 QB rating
Josh Johnson: 6 for 11 (54.5%), 8.6 yards per attempt, 83.1 QB rating
Scott Tolzien: 15 for 26 (57.7%), 4.7 yards per attempt, 53.8 QB rating
BONUS: Aaron Rodgers: 20 for 41, 5.6 yards per attempt, 53.8 QB rating.
5:55 49ers preseason 3rd down conversion rate: 35% (Seattle is converting and NFC-best 48.8%).
49ers preseason red zone TD percentage: 12.5.
6:13 The 49ers changed Demarcus Dobbs’ jersey number from 40 to 83, for what it’s worth.
6:25 These 49ers are not suited up: Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle), Demarcus Dobbs (calf), Brandon Jacobs (knee), Mario Manningham, Parys Haralson.
6:43 Nathan Palmer fact: His favorite singer ever is Luther Vandross, but his favorite singer right now is Tank.
6:59 49ers not wearing helmets: Frank Gore, Tarell Brown, Isaac Sopoaga, Larry Grant, Patrick Willis, Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Dashon Goldson, Donte Whitner, Kyle Williams. I assume these guys won’t play.
7:04 Alex Smith is wearing his helmet and throwing. It looks like he’ll play.
7:05 Vernon Davis also has his helmet on.
7:07 LaMichael James returns the opening kickoff 39 yards to the SF 34.
7:12 Alex Smith played the first five snaps and handed the ball off five times, then Colin Kaepernick came in and immediately threw deep to Garrett Celek, and Atari Bigby batted the ball away. If Kaepernick had thrown it one-yard deeper it probably would have been complete.
7:17 7-0 49ers. Anthony Dixon punched it in from a yard out. He rushed 3 times for 20 yards on the drive – he’s probably going to make the team. Kendall Hunter rushed 4 times for 23 yards – he’d be in the running for NFL preseason MVP if there was such a thing.
7:20 Kaepernick made one bad pass and one good pass on that drive. The bad was a bouncer to A.J. Jenkins at the line of scrimmage. The good was against Kaepernick’s body as he rolled left and hit Bruce Miller for a 9-yard gain.
7:22 The throw-while-rolling-to-the-left has got to be Kaepernick’s signature. He’s great at that.
7:25 C.J. Spillman gave up a 20-yard completion to Antonio Gates, but Spillman stripped the ball immediately. Trenton Robinson picked it up and ran it to the SD 32.
7:26 On the very next play Kaepernick threw a perfect deep pass as he was getting hit in the pocket, but Brett Swain let the ball fly through his hands.
7:26 And then on the next play, Kaepernick rolled to his left and threw a 25-yard laser to Delanie Walker for a touchdown. The Chargers are challenging the play to see if Walker went out of bounds at the goal line.
7:29 It’s a touchdown. 14-0 Niners.
7:39 Why is Philip Rivers playing? He’s tearing up the Niners second-team defense on this drive, but he just got called for intentional grounding. He rolled to his left and tried to throw with his left hand, but the ball fell in front of the line of scrimmage. He’s no Colin Kaepernick.
7:40 Two plays later, Rivers tried to force a pass over the middle and Darcel McBath intercepted it.
7:44 On 2nd and 3, Kaepernick stepped up in the pocket and threw a pass right to Takeo Spikes, which he dropped. That should have been an interception.
7:48 Colin Jones should not make the team over Darcel McBath. Jones missed a point-blank tackle a minute ago on a punt return, while McBath has played well at safety the last two games.
7:58 The Niners take over on downs at their 38 yard line after a Jim Harbaugh challenge.
8:04 21-0 49ers. Kaepernick just threw a 12-yard TD pass to a wide open A.J. Jenkins in the back of the end zone. But that wasn’t Kaepernick’s best pass of the drive. He threw a perfect 37-yard touch pass to Garrett Celek a few plays prior.
8:06 Michael Person got called for a holding penalty on the drive. He’s had a bad preseason. Al Netter should get his shot at left tackle.
8:15 Tavares Gooden is having a terrific game. He stopped a run after 2 yards and then on the next play he sacked Charlie Whitehurst. The Chargers punt, and the Niners take over at their own 3.
8:21 Kaepernick just converted a third-and-2 by rolling right and scrambling for 7 yards. He looks like the fastest man on the field right now.
8:31 Kaepernick’s first half stats: 12 for 18, 158 yards (8.8 per attempt), 131.2 QB rating.
8:47 Tolzien time.
8:54 First play, Tolzien connected with A.J. Jenkins for a 24-yard gain. The Chargers backups cannot keep up with Jenkins. After that play, Tolzien missed two passes and the Niners punted.
8:56 LaMichael James calls for a fair catch on a punt, but he bobbles it and almost fumbles it. Kyle Williams is more sure-handed at this point.
8:59 Josh Johnson just threw a TD pass on his first snap of the game. He threw to Nathan Palmer in the flat, Palmer made one guy miss and then he ran 51-yards for a TD. 28-0 Niners. The Chargers backup cornerbacks are bad.
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