NFL

Niners Buried by Broncos' Scoring Avalanche

Manning sets career TD pass record in 42-17 wipeout of injury-riddled San Francisco

It was still early in the second quarter Sunday night in Denver when the Broncos, already up 14-3, were driving for another touchdown.

“Wow,” said analyst Cris Collinsworth on the NBC TV coverage. “We’re in Colorado, and this has the feel of an avalanche.

He was right.

The Broncos then scored on Peyton Manning’s third touchdown pass of the night – the 509th of his career, breaking Brett Favre’s NFL record – and Denver had a 21-3 lead en route to a Rocky Mountain massacre.

The Broncos won, 42-17 , to break San Francisco’s three-game winning streak and drop San Francisco back to 4-3.

On this night on a nationally televised stage, the 49ers defense was no match for Manning’s mastery. Playing without linebackers Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith and missing defensive backs Chris Culliver and Jimmie Ward, Manning and his excellent receiving corps had a field day. It was the most points allowed by the 49ers defense since Jim Harbaugh became head coach.

Before being relieved after three quarters, Manning was 22-of-26 for 318 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. Eight of those throws went to Demaryius Thomas, who caught eight passes for 171 yards and two scores. The Broncos running game, too, slashed one of the NFL’s best rush defenses.

This was an across-the-board wipeout.

From the start, the 49ers offense couldn’t generate any consistency, meaning Manning and Co. kept getting the ball back quickly, then adding points.

The Niners went three-and-out on their first possession, had a drive stall before missing a field goal and went three-and-out again before finally getting a Phil Dawson field goal when a long drive from their own 13 stalled at the Broncos’ 4. That’s when the Broncos drove for their third score on Manning’s record-breaking TD pass.

In addition to the 49ers’ bad night on both sides of the ball, San Francisco lost cornerback Chris Cook (hamstring) and center Daniel Kilgore. Kilgore had to be carted off the field – so his loss could be long-term.

Fortunately, the beatdown in Denver only counts as one loss. In the NFC West, the 49ers are still in the hunt (behind the 5-1 Cardinals and ahead of the 3-3 Seahawks) and now have a bye week to get a bit healthier and regroup before their next game on Sunday, Nov. 2 against the visiting Rams.

As former NFL scout and ESPN analyst Matt Williamson tweeted late in the game, “Brutal night for the #49ers, but like I said on Friday’s Podcast: Just stay alive and make your run in December when it matters most.”

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