O'Sullivan delivers TD in victory

O'Sullivan delivers TD in victory
By Matthew Barrows - mbarrows@sacbee.com
Last Updated 11:52 am PDT Sunday, August 17, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C6

SAN FRANCISCO - J.T. O'Sullivan was having another up-and-down performance Saturday night when he locked onto his favorite target, rookie receiver Josh Morgan, who was streaking down the left side of the field.

O'Sullivan stepped up and hit Morgan in stride for a 59-yard touchdown, an NFL first for Morgan and the first as a 49er for O'Sullivan. That put the 49ers up 14-3. From there they ran away from the visiting Packers 34-6.

Neither a dazzling touchdown nor a blowout victory, however, was enough to win O'Sullivan the starting quarterback job, at least not immediately. Coach Mike Nolan said he and his assistants would look at the game film before reaching any conclusions. He also said he didn't feel bound to make a decision by the team's third preseason game Thursday in Chicago.

"We don't have a timetable on it," he said. "We want to make a good decision, and we will." Alex Smith, who entered the game in the second half, said he was under the impression the competition was still open.

"They kind of talked about us going into that third preseason game and letting us battle it out until then," Smith said.

O'Sullivan played the first half, finishing eight of 17 for 154 yards. His touchdown strike to Morgan also masked a blunder he committed earlier in the game when, in the shadow of his end zone, he was intercepted by cornerback Charles Woodson.

O'Sullivan was following tight end Vernon Davis on the play and didn't see Woodson.

On the ensuing series, he led the 49ers on a 15-play, 87-yard drive that ended when tailback DeShaun Foster snuck the ball over the goal line on fourth-and-one.

O'Sullivan hit wideout Jason Hill for 27 yards on a big third-down play early in the drive. Later, he hooked up with Morgan on a nice, 22-yard pass play to the Green Bay 3-yard line.

On the 49ers' next possession, O'Sullivan found Morgan for the score, and said he recognized the coverage right away. When the safeties stepped forward to cover the 49ers' underneath receivers, he knew the fleet-footed Morgan would blow by them.

"He made a great play going to get it - the ball was a little inside," O'Sullivan said.

Smith also had a chance for a long, momentous touchdown play to Morgan when he entered the game in the second half. His pass, however, was under thrown and batted down by Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush.

Smith, who a day earlier had attended a funeral service for his best friend in San Diego, engineered a touchdown drive of his own after nose tackle Ronald Fields pounced on a fumble at the Packer 16.

Smith nearly had a touchdown pass to a wide-open Hill, but the third-down throw was off the mark.

On fourth-and-2 from the 8, Nolan elected to go for it again. Smith's lob pass to Cam Colvin was incomplete but the Packers were flagged for defensive holding, placing the ball on the 1-yard line.

Fullback Moran Norris scored on the next play.

Smith said he regretted missing the throws to Morgan and Hill. But Nolan, said the quarterback showed great character and resilience all week.

"I was pleased with Alex, especially with all the distractions he's faced as of late," Nolan said. "He showed a lot of maturity. That's difficult for some guys when they're not playing in the game. ... he did a nice job. I'm proud of him."

Allen Rossum punctuated the win with a 67-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.






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