The 49ers (1-3) host the Indianapolis Colts (4-0) at Candlestick Park for a 1:15 PT kickoff.
Peyton Manning starts at quarterback for Indianapolis. Edgerrin James runs the ball. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne lead the receivers. Alex Smith makes his first NFL start in place of the benched Tim Rattay. Kevan Barlow at running back; Brandon Lloyd at receiver.
Alex Smith makes his first NFL start Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The first overall pick from the 2005 draft out of Utah, in his rookie year, gets the start against Peyton Manning and the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.
Tim Rattay is the inactive backup after the staff's four-game evaluation. Kevan Barlow stays the lead back. Brandon Lloyd the WR1. The Colts come in 4-0 with Manning averaging 280 passing yards a game and Marvin Harrison as one of the league's top receivers.
Favored by the Colts by 16 at home. The kind of home game where the rookie's debut against a Super Bowl contender will be the day's defining storyline.
Week 5 across the NFC sees the contenders pulling away. The Falcons (4-0), Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Buccaneers lead the conference. The 49ers (1-3) trail in the NFC West. Around the AFC the Colts (4-0), Patriots, Steelers, and Chargers dominate. The Sunday game is the kind of week where Alex Smith's first NFL start, against the league's last undefeated team, is the kind of audition the staff hopes will produce real football.
Through four games the 49ers are 1-3 with a -56 point differential. Tim Rattay finished his four-start run with 5 TDs and 5 INTs and a 70.6 rating. Alex Smith makes his first NFL start. Kevan Barlow averages 42 rushing yards a game. Brandon Lloyd averages 83 receiving yards a game. The defense allows 33 points per game. The Colts are 4-0 with Peyton Manning averaging 280 passing yards a game and 8 TDs/2 INTs. Edgerrin James averages 100 rushing yards a game. Vegas opens Indianapolis as 16-point home favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 2-1 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 1-3 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 1-3 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4-0 | W4 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2-1 | L1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 1-2 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 1-2 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 4-0 | W4 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2-2 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1-3 | L2 |
| Houston Texans | 0-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 3-1 | W3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2-2 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-2 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 1-3 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 2-2 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-2 | L1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1-3 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1-3 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 3-0 | W3 |
| New York Giants | 3-1 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3-1 | W3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2-2 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1-2 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 1-2 | L2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1-3 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-4 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-0 | W4 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-1 | W2 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2-2 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-2 | W1 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | Dominic Rhodes 6 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | Cato June 24 yard interception return ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 14-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 30 yard field goal | 14-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | Edgerrin James 4 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 21-3 |
| Colts | Troy Walters 18 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 28-3 |
Peyton Manning threw for 255 yards and a touchdown and the Indianapolis Colts beat the 49ers 28-3 at Candlestick Park. Alex Smith, in his NFL debut as starter, threw four interceptions and 74 yards on 23 attempts. Kevan Barlow ran for 99. Edgerrin James ran for 105 and a touchdown. The 49ers' offense produced one field goal. The 49ers fell to 1-4 in Alex Smith's debut.[1][2][3]
Alex Smith threw four interceptions Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The first overall pick's NFL debut as the 49ers' starter, against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, produced the kind of brutal opening tape the year's identity tape was hoping to avoid. The Colts beat the 49ers 28-3.
Smith finished 9-of-23 for 74 with the four picks. Kevan Barlow ran for 99 yards as the offensive bright spot. Brandon Lloyd was held to two catches for 36. Edgerrin James ran for 105 and a touchdown for the Colts. Peyton Manning threw for 255 with a touchdown.
1-4. The kind of home loss where, against the league's last undefeated team, the rookie quarterback's first NFL start produced exactly the kind of game the year's transition was promising. The bye comes next week. Then the Washington Redskins at home in Week 7. The kind of October where the staff's evaluation of Alex Smith's development becomes the year's central question.
Colts 28, 49ers 3. Margin: -25. Five-game record: 1-4, -81 differential.
* Peyton Manning: 23-of-31 for 255, 1 TD, 2 INTs.
* Edgerrin James: 21 carries for 105, 1 TD.
* Marvin Harrison: receiving production with TD.
* Alex Smith: 9-of-23 for 74, 0 TDs, 4 INTs (1st NFL start as starter).
* Kevan Barlow: 18 carries for 99.
* Brandon Lloyd: 2 catches for 36.
* Joe Nedney: 1 FG.
* 49ers 1-4 (heading into bye); Colts 5-0.
A 28-3 home loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Candlestick. Alex Smith's NFL debut as the starter produces four interceptions. The 49ers fall to 1-4 heading into the bye.
How it unfolded
Indianapolis scored on its opening drive with an Edgerrin James touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Joe Nedney field goal. The Colts added a Peyton Manning touchdown to push the lead to 14-3. Manning threw a second touchdown to make it 21-3 at halftime. The third quarter was a Colts field goal that made it 24-3. The fourth quarter was a Manning third touchdown to close it 28-3. Alex Smith threw two of his interceptions in the second half.
The turning point
Alex Smith's first NFL interception. With the rookie's first NFL start producing the kind of opening-drive struggle the year's transition was promising, his pick early in the second quarter gave the Colts the kind of short field the defense surrendered into a touchdown.
By the numbers
Smith 74 passing on 23 attempts with no TDs and four INTs. Kevan Barlow 99 rushing on 18 carries. Brandon Lloyd 36 receiving on 2 catches. Manning 255 on 31 attempts with a TD. Edgerrin James 105 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Alex Smith's NFL debut as the starter, the kind of opening-tape performance the year's transition produced. Tim Rattay inactive as the backup. Kevan Barlow's productive day as the lone offensive bright spot. The defense surrendering 28 to a Colts offense that was on pace for the league's highest scoring.
What it means
1-4 with the bye next week. The kind of home loss where Alex Smith's rookie debut produced the kind of growing-pains tape the year's transition was promising. The kind of October where the bye-week reset, with the rookie now in the starter role, has to actually develop the QB1 position into something credible by the second half.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Alex Smith | 9/23 | 74 | 0 | 4 | |
| IND | |||||
| Peyton Manning | 23/31 | 255 | 1 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 18 | 99 | 0 | 21 |
| Frank Gore | 8 | 31 | 0 | 11 |
| Alex Smith | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| IND | ||||
| Edgerrin James | 21 | 105 | 1 | 33 |
| Dominic Rhodes | 5 | 18 | 1 | 8 |
| Jim Sorgi | 2 | -3 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Kevan Barlow | 3 | 29 | 0 | 21 |
| Frank Gore | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Johnnie Morton | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Steve Bush | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Fred Beasley | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Chris Hetherington | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Billy Bajema | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IND | ||||
| Reggie Wayne | 6 | 75 | 0 | 21 |
| Brandon Stokley | 6 | 59 | 0 | 18 |
| Edgerrin James | 4 | 42 | 0 | 16 |
| Dallas Clark | 3 | 36 | 0 | 18 |
| Troy Walters | 1 | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| Marvin Harrison | 2 | 17 | 0 | 9 |
| Dominic Rhodes | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
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