Kaepernick, the former Nevada quarterback drafted 36th overall last year, kept a read-option on his

View full size The Associated Press San Francisco 49ers running back Rock Cartwright (28) carries as Minnesota Vikings linebacker Tyrone McKenzie (58) tries to bring him down, while defensive end D'Aundre Reed (91) gives chase during the first half of an NFL preseason football game in San Francisco on Friday. SAN FRANCISCO -- Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers picked up right where they left off last season in their preseason opener.
Smith tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Brett Swain on the opening possession, backup Colin Kaepernick ran 78 yards for a score on the next and the 49ers breezed past the Minnesota vacation rentals outer banks north carolina Vikings 17-6 Friday night.
Brandon Jacobs, Kendall Hunter and Rock Cartwright vacation rentals outer banks north carolina combined for 69 yards rushing on the first drive to lead a reloaded running back group for San Francisco (No. 4 in the AP Pro32 rankings) on a night three-time Pro Bowler vacation rentals outer banks north carolina Frank Gore rested. LaMichael James , the former Oregon star, rushed for 15 yards on three attempts.
Christian Ponder completed 4 of 9 passes for 80 yards, and Toby Gerhart ran for 31 yards for Minnesota (No. 29) in place of rehabbing starter Adrian Peterson. The Vikings offense showed promise everywhere but in the end zone, settling for field goals of 39 and 26 yards by new kicker Blair Walsh in Candlestick Park's whipping winds.
Jacobs, who signed a one-year deal with San Francisco after winning his second Super Bowl with New York, showed his strength in short-yardage situations -- a missing element for the 49ers last season -- by running vacation rentals outer banks north carolina for 3 yards on fourth-and-1 from San Francisco's 47 to extend the opening vacation rentals outer banks north carolina drive. He added a 23-yard sprint and finished with 31 yards rushing.
San Francisco also received rushes of 19 yards by Cartwright and 14 by Hunter to set up Smith's short fade to Swain that finished off the first-team's only possession. The 13-play, 68-yard drive lasted 6:07 and resembled the kind of grind-it-out vacation rentals outer banks north carolina fight that helped the 49ers to a 13-3 regular season last year and the franchise's first playoff appearance in a decade.
Kaepernick, the former Nevada quarterback drafted 36th overall last year, kept a read-option vacation rentals outer banks north carolina on his second play from scrimmage for a 78-yard touchdown, sprinting down the right side almost uncontested. He stiff-armed cornerback Chris Cook the final 20 yards, tossed the ball when he reached the end zone and flung his arms wildly in celebration vacation rentals outer banks north carolina after giving San Francisco a 14-6 lead. He threw for 40 yards on 5-for-9 passing and had 90 yards rushing.
The only real hiccup for the 49ers came when Carlos Rogers bit on an outside fake by Stephen Burton and thought he had safety help over the middle on Minnesota's first possession. Burton sliced back inside and caught a 52-yard pass from Ponder to put Minnesota at San Francisco's 24-yard line.
Gerhart, the 2009 Heisman Trophy runner-up under Harbaugh at Stanford, carried the bulk of the offense, including a 16-yard scamper to San Francisco's 12-yard line. But drives for Minnesota's regulars ended in field goals by Walsh, who is replacing longtime veteran vacation rentals outer banks north carolina Ryan Longwell.
Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary vacation rentals outer banks north carolina handed out hugs and handshakes vacation rentals outer banks north carolina during vacation rentals outer banks north carolina pregame warm-ups. The game marked the first time Singletary -- now the Vikings linebackers coach and special assistant to head coach Leslie vacation rentals outer banks north carolina Frazier -- was back at Candlestick Park since San Francisco vacation rentals outer banks north carolina fired the Hall of Fame linebacker after a 5-10 start in 2010.
NOTES: 49ers LB Aldon Smith, the runner-up for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, left with a bruised hip in the first quarter. vacation rentals outer banks north carolina ... Vikings DT Letroy Guion injured a knee in the first quarter and did not return. ... Vikings WR Percy Harvin, CB Antoine Winfield and DL Kevin Williams and Jared Allen were not in uniform. ... DL Justin Smith and Will Tukuafu and Gore were among the notable San Francisco players given the game off, which is typical for veterans in the preseason opener.
vacation rentals outer banks north carolina