CHICAGO — 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 on 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.
After two mediocre outings against Oakland and Green Bay, O’Sullivan couldn’t have performed any better against the Bears.
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.
Notes
RAMS: Steven Jackson signed a six-year, $44 million contract, ending a 27-day holdout, and was on the field for practice with St. Louis. The 235-pound running back had been entering the final season of a five-year, $7 million deal he signed as a first-round pick in 2004. Linehan said he understood the business end of the game after Jackson got a deal that includes more than $20 million in bonuses and puts him third on the salary scale on the team, trailing only quarterback Marc Bulger and Pace and fifth among NFL running backs.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh signed linebacker James Farrior to a five-year, $18.2 million contract extension that includes a $5 million signing bonus. Farrior was signed through this season, but the 12-year-veteran had hoped to sign an extension that would keep him in Pittsburgh until he retired.
TEXANS: Houston fullback Jameel Cook was arrested and charged with marijuana possession Wednesday. A Fort Bend County sheriff’s deputy stopped Cook at about 7:30 p.m. because his 2007 Mercedes sedan had no front license plate or registration sticker, sheriff’s department spokeswoman Terriann Carlson said Thursday. He’s free on a $500 bond after authorities said he had about two grams of marijuana, no valid Texas driver’s license and no proof of liability insurance.
DOLPHINS: Miami running back Ronnie Brown will likely miss Saturday’s exhibition against the Kansas City Chiefs with a strained right thumb. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said Brown is not expected to play. LIONS: Detroit quarterback Drew Stanton bruised his right thumb in practice, but the backup hopes to play in the team’s third exhibition game. Stanton said his throwing hand hit the back of a teammate’s shoulder pads, and X-rays of the thumb showed it wasn’t a major injury. His right hand was packed with ice after practice.
PATRIOTS: New England signed 10-year veteran Mike Flynn in a move to shore up an injury-depleted offensive line. The 34-year-old played his entire NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens before he was released in February. He can play both center and guard.
BILLS: Buffalo bolstered its offensive line by signing undrafted rookie free agent Dustin Dickinson. Dickinson spent two months with Seattle before being released in late June. He played college at Houston, where he appeared in 49 games, including 39 starts.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
