Don’t call it The Drive. It was too game-opening, too exhibition-season, too Aug. 22 to merit a capital-lettered nickname.
The 49ers will settle with calling it a welcome leap forward for their starting offense, which kicked off Sunday’s 15-10 exhibition victory over the Vikings with a 12-play, 70-yard, 6:57-long touchdown drive.
That was one of the NFL’s top returning defenses on Candlestick’s grass, mind you.
“We just took it down the field methodically,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “That’s not a bad defense we were going up against. We just came out against the No. 1 rush defense in the NFL and marched it down the field.”
The 49ers did it with tight end Delanie Walker catching 24- and 11-yard passes, all while Pro Bowl starter Vernon Davis and his strained knee sat.
Full story: Smith, offense appear driven at long last