O’Sullivan makes strong case to be 49ers starting quarterback
CHICAGO (AP) — J.T. O’Sullivan made a perfect case to start. And Alex Smith’s counter-argument didn’t measure up.
O’Sullivan threw for 126 yards and a touchdown in his limited time while Smith struggled, and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 37-30 Thursday night.
Although the third preseason game usually is a dress rehearsal for the opener, coach Mike Nolan would not select O’Sullivan as the starter this week. This game might convince him.
He was 7-for-8 with a perfect 158.3 passer rating in his third preseason start. He led the 49ers (2-1 preseason) to field goals on the first two possessions and a two-play, 77-yard touchdown drive on the third one. He hit Vernon Davis with a 40-yard pass and then scrambled to his right before throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jason Hill to give the Niners a 13-10 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.
That should be enough to beat Smith, who came on early in the second quarter and was 6-for-17 with 83 yards and a touchdown.
He entered the game after Chicago’s Garrett Wolfe fumbled the kickoff following Hill’s touchdown pass, giving the Niners possession on the Bears’ 16. Moran Norris ran it in from the 1 to make it 20-10.
Smith also led the Niners on a 62-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Zeigler, giving the 49ers a 27-20 lead with 9:28 left in the third quarter. Otherwise, it was a rough night for him.
Shaun Hill replaced him late in the third quarter and was 6-for-7 with 60 yards against the Bears’ reserves. But after Thursday’s game, the starting job appears to be O’Sullivan’s.
The Bears’ quarterback drama ended Monday when coach Lovie Smith selected Kyle Orton the starter over Rex Grossman. And Orton backed it up with a strong showing.
Orton was 10-for-17 with 147 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for Chicago (0-3).