49ers fall to Colts 23-17 in 3rd preseason game

INDIANAPOLIS - If the 49ers really are to become a scoring juggernaut this season behind Jimmy Garoppolo, he'll need more help than what he got in Saturday's third exhibition against the Colts.

Five of Garoppolo's passes were dropped, including a potential touchdown strike to tight end Cole Hikutini. Actually, two other throws got dropped, and those should have been interceptions by linebacker Darius Leonard.

Coach Kyle Shanahan kept in Garoppolo and the starting offense through the first half and for the first series after halftime. All that unit could produce: two field goals from Robbie Gould, and too many miscues. The 49ers' end result: a 23-17 loss.

Defensively, the 49ers had their full complement of starters available for the first time this exhibition season, including an encouraging debut from cornerback Richard Sherman.

As for health concerns, linebacker Reuben Foster came out in the third quarter with a potential concussion, and oft-injured defensive back Jimmie Ward left with a quadriceps injury in the first quarter.

The 49ers had planned to play Foster in next Thursday's exhibition finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it's unlikely he gains medical clearance by then, so he likely won't return until after he serves a two-game suspension to start the regular season.

No other 49ers starters sustained an apparent injury and all should be available for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener at Minnesota, assuming running back Jerick McKinnon (calf) and tight end George Kittle (shoulder) get medically cleared.

Now let's get to the top three impressions from Saturday's exhibition:

THREE TAKEAWAYS

1. Passing-game hiccups: From Garoppolo's first pass of the game, his receivers had trouble latching onto the ball. Raheem Mostert dropped a screen pass, then Garrett Celek did and then Kendrick Bourne had a fourth-and-2 throw clank off his hands at the goal line.

As noted earlier, Hikutini got into the act by dropping a potential touchdown throw by Garoppolo on a post route, a drop that hurts Hikutini in his competition with Cole Wick for the No. 3 tight end role.

More concerning were Garoppolo's near interceptions, and some familiar struggles in the red zone, where the Colts defense wisely defended Trent Taylor on back-to-back targets. Garoppolo was 9-of-19 for 135 yards, one “sack” on a scramble out of bounds and a 71.2 passer rating.

On the bright side, Garoppolo did connect with Pierre Garcon for completions of 15 and 47 yards in their budding chemistry. Marquise Goodwin remains Garoppolo's favorite target, and he returned from a hand injury to total three catches for 40 yards.

2. Sherman presence: Sherman (Achilles, hamstring) didn't get tested much in his debut, and he broke up the only pass that came his way - a 7-yard throw from Luck to Ryan Grant on a crossing route at the 49ers' 20-yard line. Sherman earlier make a textbook tackle on T.Y. Hilton for no yards after the 6-yard catch.

A predictable byproduct of Sherman's presence: fellow cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon repeatedly got targeted on the other side of the field and he struggled.

Witherspoon did make a third-down pass defense in the first quarter, but he later got beat by a spin move on a 19-yard, third-down conversion, and he also committed a pass-interference penalty on a Colts touchdown drive in the second quarter.

3. Hello Alfred: Patient, hard-nosed running is what the 49ers expected from Alfred Morris and he did exactly that in his debut (17 carries, 84 yards). Mind you, Morris often had wide-open lanes thanks to the 49ers' improved run blocking.

Assuming McKinnon and Breida are healthy come the regular season, Morris will have to offer something different, and short-yardage situations could be it. He converted a third-and-1 carry into a 3-yard gain to the Colts' 36 by following Kyle Juszczyk and Mike McGlinchey blocks.

Morris ran 17 yards on the 49ers' first snap, only to have that play nullified by an illegal formation penalty on Goodwin. Next snap: an 11-yard run by Morris. He's not a roster lock, but he's a smart insurance policy in case injuries flare up with McKinnon and Breida.

Meanwhile, if Mostert makes the team as a fourth running back, it will be because of his special-teams ability rather than backfield potential.

NOTES

The 49ers defense started in fine fashion as Jeremiah Attaochu recorded a third-down sack, after Andrew Luck initially got hit by Solomon Thomas and then Cassius Marsh, with DeForest Buckner also in the vicinity. That defense was basically at full strength, and they went against a Colts offense missing left tackle Anthony Castonzo and top running backs Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin.

Rookie Fred Warner, rather than Foster, started at inside linebacker next to Malcom Smith, which is likely how the 49ers will line up as Foster serves a two-game suspension.

On the third series, Foster replaced Smith, who had been out of exhibition action since a hamstring injury six snaps into the opener.

Mark Nzeocha had mixed results in his starting debut at strong-side linebacker in place of the traded Eli Harold. Nzeocha made a tackle for no gain on third-and-1 at one point. But in the third quarter, he drew a 15-yard penalty for lowering his head to initiate contact, the fourth 49ers player flagged for the infraction this exhibition season under the new rule.

Joshua Garnett also had mixed results as he rotated in the first half with Mike Person at right guard. Garnett had an impressive, second-level pancake block on a Morris run, but he also got beat badly to open the second half and cost Morris a 2-yard loss. Jonathan Cooper lined up as a third-string left guard in the fourth quarter, not a positive sign for his roster hopes.