The 49ers (0-1) host the New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff.
Aaron Brooks starts at quarterback for the Saints. Aaron Stecker runs the ball. Joe Horn and Donte Stallworth lead the receivers. Ken Dorsey starts for the 49ers with Tim Rattay on the injury report. Kevan Barlow at running back; Curtis Conway at receiver.
Ken Dorsey makes his first NFL start Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The 49ers' second-year quarterback, after Tim Rattay's injury in the opener, gets the start against Aaron Brooks and the New Orleans Saints.
Kevan Barlow stays the lead back. Curtis Conway the WR1. The Saints come in 1-0 with Brooks at quarterback and Aaron Stecker as the lead back. Joe Horn the receiving threat.
Favored by 3 at home. The kind of home game where Dorsey's first NFL start needs to actually produce real football.
Week 2 across the NFC, the early-season sort begins. The Falcons (1-0), Saints (1-0), Buccaneers, Eagles, Cowboys, and Vikings lead the conference contender talk. The 49ers (0-1) trail in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Patriots, Colts, and Chiefs dominate. The Sunday home game is the kind of week where a 49ers win, with Ken Dorsey at quarterback, would establish the year's competitive identity.
Through one game the 49ers are 0-1 with a -2 point differential. Tim Rattay posted an 86.3 rating in the opener. Ken Dorsey starts in his place. Kevan Barlow rushed for 76. Cedrick Wilson caught a TD. The defense allowed 21 points. The Saints are 1-0 with Aaron Brooks averaging 280 passing yards in the opener. Aaron Stecker averaged 4 yards per carry. Joe Horn led the team in receiving. Vegas opens the 49ers as 3-point home favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 1-0 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 1-0 | W1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 0-1 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 1-0 | W1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 0-1 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1-0 | W1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1-0 | W1 |
| Houston Texans | 0-1 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 1-0 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-1 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 1-0 | W1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1-0 | W1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-1 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1-0 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 1-0 | W1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-1 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 1-0 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1-0 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-0 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 0-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-0 | W1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-1 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-1 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-1 | L1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 30 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Saints | Joe Horn 8 yard pass from Aaron Brooks ( John Carney kick) | 3-7 |
| Saints | John Carney 32 yard field goal | 3-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 10 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 10-10 |
| Saints | Jerome Pathon 37 yard pass from Aaron Brooks ( John Carney kick) | 10-17 |
| Saints | John Carney 36 yard field goal | 10-20 |
| 49ers | Kevan Barlow 1 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 17-20 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | John Carney 37 yard field goal | 17-23 |
| 49ers | Todd Peterson 33 yard field goal | 20-23 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jamal Robertson 1 yard rush ( Todd Peterson kick) | 27-23 |
| Saints | Donte' Stallworth 16 yard pass from Aaron Brooks ( John Carney kick) | 27-30 |
Aaron Brooks threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns and the New Orleans Saints beat the 49ers 30-27 at Candlestick Park. Ken Dorsey, in his first NFL start, threw for 205 yards and an interception. Kevan Barlow ran for 114 and two touchdowns. Curtis Conway caught eight for 112. The 49ers fell to 0-2 in Ken Dorsey's NFL debut.[1][2][3]
Aaron Brooks went for 279 yards and three touchdowns Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The New Orleans Saints beat the 49ers 30-27 in the kind of home loss where Ken Dorsey's first NFL start produced the kind of competitive performance the year's competitive identity was looking for.
Kevan Barlow ran for 114 and two touchdowns (his first 100-yard rushing game). Curtis Conway caught eight for 112. Dorsey threw for 205 yards with an interception. The 49ers' offense produced 27 points but the defense surrendered 30 to a Brooks-led offense that produced exactly the kind of game its 1-0 record predicted.
0-2. The kind of home loss where the year's competitive identity, with Dorsey's first NFL start, produced the kind of credible-but-losing tape the schedule had been predicting. The Seattle Seahawks on the road next Sunday in another NFC West matchup. The kind of September where the year's identity tape, with the QB position still in transition, has the kind of football the staff is trying to develop.
Saints 30, 49ers 27. Margin: -3. Two-game record: 0-2, -5 differential.
* Aaron Brooks: 25-of-34 for 279, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Aaron Stecker: 15 carries for 41.
* Joe Horn: receiving production with TD.
* Ken Dorsey: 18-of-32 for 205, 0 TDs, 1 INT (NFL debut).
* Kevan Barlow: 20 carries for 114, 2 TDs.
* Curtis Conway: 8 catches for 112.
* 49ers 0-2; Saints 2-0.
A 30-27 home loss to the New Orleans Saints at Candlestick. Ken Dorsey makes his NFL debut as starter. The 49ers fall to 0-2.
How it unfolded
New Orleans scored on its opening drive with a Brooks touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Kevan Barlow short touchdown run to tie at 7-7. The Saints added two more touchdowns in the first half to push the lead to 21-7. The 49ers added a Barlow second touchdown to make it 21-14 at halftime. The second half was a Saints field goal, a Brooks third touchdown to make it 30-14, then a 49ers comeback that produced two touchdowns to close it 30-27. The Saints' defense closed it out with the final possession.
The turning point
Aaron Brooks's third touchdown that pushed the lead to 30-14. With the 49ers down 24-14 and still in the game, the Brooks scoring drive turned a one-score deficit into a two-score deficit the offense could not overcome.
By the numbers
Dorsey 205 passing on 32 attempts with an INT. Kevan Barlow 114 rushing on 20 carries with two TDs. Curtis Conway 112 receiving on 8 catches. Eric Johnson 50 receiving on 4 catches. Brooks 279 on 34 attempts with three TDs.
Personnel watch
Ken Dorsey's NFL debut as a starter. Kevan Barlow's first 100-yard rushing game with two touchdowns. Curtis Conway's breakout receiving day. The kind of home loss where the offense produced 27 points but the defense surrendered 30. The year's identity tape produced a credible-but-losing performance.
What it means
0-2 with the Seahawks on the road next Sunday. The kind of home loss where the new starter's debut produced real football. Kevan Barlow's 114-yard rushing game is the year's lone offensive bright spot.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Ken Dorsey | 18/32 | 205 | 0 | 1 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Aaron Brooks | 25/34 | 279 | 3 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 20 | 114 | 2 | 60 |
| Jamal Robertson | 9 | 38 | 1 | 16 |
| Terry Jackson | 5 | 28 | 0 | 13 |
| NOR | ||||
| Aaron Stecker | 15 | 41 | 0 | 19 |
| Aaron Brooks | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Deuce McAllister | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Curtis Conway | 8 | 112 | 0 | 37 |
| Eric Johnson | 5 | 60 | 0 | 25 |
| Jamal Robertson | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Kevan Barlow | 2 | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Brandon Lloyd | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| NOR | ||||
| Donte' Stallworth | 9 | 113 | 1 | 45 |
| Joe Horn | 8 | 94 | 1 | 23 |
| Jerome Pathon | 2 | 53 | 1 | 37 |
| Aaron Stecker | 6 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
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