Broncos v. 49ers Preseason: How To Watch And 5 Things To Watch For

Knowshon Moreno (27) stiff arms San Francisco 49ers defensive back C.J. Spillman (27) during the second quarter of a preseason game at Sports Authority Field. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

It’s finally game day, Broncos Country!

Make sure to tune in at 7:00 p.m. MST and watch your Denver Broncos take on the San Francisco 49ers in the first preseason game of the year. Weather in the Bay Area is expected to be a partly cloudy 59 degrees with a 10% chance of rain.

Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch will call the game with Rod Mackey reporting from the sideline.

KTVD 20 (MyTV – Denver)
KKTV 11 (CBS – Colorado Springs)
KKCO 11 (NBC – Grand Junction CO)
KLWY 27 (FOX – Cheyenne WY)
KTWO 2 (ABC – Casper WY)
KOTA 3 (ABC – Rapid City SD)
KTVQ 2 (CBS – Billings MT)
KXLF 4 (CBS – Butte MT)
KWBQ 19 (MyTV – Albuquerque)
KMYU 12 (MyTV – Salt Lake City)
KTNV 13 (ABC – Las Vegas)

Not in these areas and still want to watch the game live? You can get the NFL.com’s Preseason Live package for just $20.

The game will also be re-aired on the NFL Network Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

If you’d like to listen to the game, KOA (850 AM)/The Fox (103.5 FM) has Dave Logan doing the play-by-play and Ed McCaffrey doing the color commentary.

Now here are five things to watch for during tonight’s game.

1. The Broncos offensive line – It’s going to be a jumbled mess. Expect starting tackles Ryan Clady (shoulder) and Orlando Franklin (hip) to sit this one out. Because of this, I’d like to see Peyton Manning ride the bench as well. Offensive linemen that are still getting used to their new spots are more prone to tripping and stepping on the quarterback’s ankles. Zane Beadles will likely line up at left tackle and Chris Clark at right tackle. Ryan Lilja and Louis Vasquez will likely be the left and right guards, respectively. Manny Ramirez will get the nod at center. All I expect out of this grouping is one series.

2. The running backs’ pass blocking – Sure it’s easy to see who runs the ball well, but the team’s No. 1 running back when the season starts will be the most well-rounded back. Let’s see if the big rookie Montee Ball can use his size to protect the QB. Will Ronnie Hillman’s added weight help him in this aspect? Knowshon Moreno has looked like the best pass blocker of the three thus far, but as John Fox says, evaluations will mostly be game based.

3. The future (a.k.a. “Plan B”) – Brock Osweiler should see significant time Thursday evening. Fox says that the plan is to play the second team the second and third quarters. Osweiler has been more accurate and quicker with his decision making in his second year. If this can translate to a game, the Broncos’ future looks to be in good hands.

4. The safety battle – Duke Ihenacho has been enough of a playmaker thus far in camp that he’s seen time along side Rahim Moore with the starting group. With David Bruton performing well also, veterans Mike Adams and Quentin Jammer (been with the third string) have their jobs on the line.

5. The 4th and 5th receiver spot – Sure, Thomas, Decker, and Welker are the big three, but who else is joining this loaded wide receiver group? Veteran Andre “Bubba” Caldwell has performed well in camp and he’s got good size. The Broncos drafted Tavarres King and he’s had a solid camp as well. Keep an eye out for Gerrell Robinson though. I expect him to come up big tonight.

As you watch the position battles, get to know new players, and keep your fingers and toes crossed for a healthy but productive game, I want to wish each one of you a happy return to the season. The journey begins!

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