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SAN FRANCISCO -- Quarterback Peyton Manning saw the field for only 2:48 of game time in Denver's preseason-opening 10-6 win at San Francisco.
Manning and the first-team offense played just one series together, in which they picked up a pair of first downs on a seven-play, 22-yard drive that stalled at the Denver 48-yard line.
"It was one series, and we got a couple of first downs," Manning said. "Had a second-and-10 play where we only got one yard. That put us into a third-and-long. That's not a team you want to get a lot of third-and-longs against. They're good on third-and-long."
Manning went 2-of-4 passing for 13 yards and a 57.3 QB rating on the drive that ended when his third-and-9 pass intended for Wes Welker fell incomplete.
After a Britton Colquitt punt backed the 49ers up to their 3-yard line, the Broncos defense forced a three-and-out, giving the offense starting field position near the 47 for its next drive.
Manning said he lobbied Head Coach John Fox for one more series, but it didn't work.
"Well, they told us it was probably one series," Manning said. "I tried once we punted them down there backed up and stopped them and got the next series at the 50, I made one final attempt at the head coach, but to no avail."
Even though he was on the field for less than three minutes of game time, Manning knows how things work in the preseason.
"Well, I guess I've been doing it for a number of years now and I think any competitor would tell you that they want to be in there the entire game," Manning said. "I'd imagine it would increase a little bit more – it'll be a good road test next week against Seattle."
Next week's game at Seattle will be the Broncos' final road tune-up trip before the regular season.
Once the games start to count, the team will face a difficult road test early in the year when it travels to New York to play the Giants in Week 2.
"I'd imagine it would increase a little bit more – it'll be a good road test next week against Seattle," Manning said. "That's probably going to be our last chance to get ready with crowd noise to get ready for our first road game being the Giants game. I didn't think we really got to experience that as much last year with the schedule. We only played one series against Chicago and didn't play at all against Arizona. So, I would think we could take advantage of the opportunity next week against Seattle to get a little bit of a road test."
