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How important is the preseason to Peyton Manning? More important than you probably think.
Especially preseason away games.
Manning soaks up every snap he can get in a game situation, including Denver's summer scrimmage and the preseason games. A year ago, he talked about his struggles in Atlanta, and how having no away-game preseason preparation opened the door for him to struggle against the Falcons back in 2012.
That's why I believe Sunday's Denver Broncos game against the San Francisco 49ers is so important. It's Denver's only away-game opportunity for the first team offense to deal with a hostile environment before the Broncos' Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks, in Seattle, in Week 3.
Let's be clear: Week 3 is Denver's Game of the Year. Readers voted it that way, and momentum toward that game has only increased since Denver beat Seattle in the preseason a week ago.
So what will I be watching as the Broncos travel to San Francisco? Hopefully a well-oiled offensive machine, ready to soak in the experience of a hostile game environment in preparation for arguably the loudest fans in the NFL in September.
Game time
Kickoff for the game is set for Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Mile High time at brand spanking new Levi's Stadium.
TV Schedule
The game will be nationally broadcast live on NFL Network. The NFL Network broadcast will be the 49ers edition of the game, unfortunately, with Ted Robinson and Tim Ryan calling the game. If you are in one of these local markets, however, you'll want to to tune in there (via 506sports.com). The Broncos broadcast will feature Ron Zappolo and Big Al Williams.
| 49ers broadcasts | Broncos broadcasts |
|---|---|
|
KPIX (CBS/5 - San Francisco) KOVR (CBS/13 - Sacramento) KION (CBS/46 - Monterey CA) KSBY (NBC/6 - San Luis Obispo CA) KFRE (CW/59 - Fresno) KERO (ABC/23 - Bakersfield CA) KLAS (CBS/8 - Las Vegas) KOLO (ABC/8 - Reno NV) KCVU (FOX/30 - Chico CA) KBVU (FOX/29 - Eureka CA) KMVU (FOX/26 - Medford OR) KVAL (CBS/13 - Eugene OR) KTVZ (NBC/21 - Bend OR) KITV (ABC/4 - Honolulu) [TD] |
KTVD (My/20 - Denver) KKTV (CBS/11 - Colorado Springs) KKCO (NBC/11 - Grand Junction CO) KMYU (My/12 - Salt Lake City) KTNV (ABC/13 - Las Vegas) KWBQ (CW/19 - Albuquerque) KLWY (FOX/27 - Cheyenne WY) KTWO (ABC/2 - Casper WY) KTVQ (CBS/2 - Billings MT) KXLF (CBS/4 - Butte MT) KRTV (CBS/3 - Great Falls MT) KXLH (CBS/9 - Helena MT) KPAX (CBS/8 - Missoula MT) KOTA (MeTV/3.2 - Rapid City SD) KFVE (My/9 - Honolulu) |
NFL Network schedule
In addition to the live broadcast, NFL Network will re-air the game on Tuesday, August 19th, at 10:00 p.m. Mile High time and Wednesday, August 20th at 2:00 p.m.
Online Streaming
The NFL Preseason Live package is $15.99 and covers all preseason games, including on-demand re-airs.
Follow it live
Live Chat: MileHighReport.com during the game
Twitter: Follow @MileHighReport
Facebook: Mile High Report
Enemy blog: Niners Nation
Radio
850 AM KOA & 103.5 FM The Fox
Odds
The 49ers are 4.5-point favorites at home in their stadium opener.
Who you got?
Will the Broncos eek out a victory against a rabid 49ers fanbase? Will San Francisco defend its new home turf? Does anyone pay attention to final scores in preseason games?