SAN FRANCISCO — Round one of the San Francisco 49ers’ in-game quarterback competition goes to . . . Shaun Hill, their nonchalant starter who barely had time to impress (or tank) in Friday night’s two-pass cameo against the Denver Broncos.

He didn’t, however, create much separation from Alex Smith, and vice versa, in the 49ers’ 17-16 win.
That duo did look dynamic compared with new Denver Broncos starter Kyle Orton, who had three passes intercepted in the first 25 minutes and surely made the AFC West-rival Raiders drool.
Hill played only the first series, so we’ll be reading far too much into his 10-snap tour of duty. But whenever there’s this kind of smoke (see: 49ers quarterback controversy), every aspect of that fire must be extinguished.
Both quarterbacks looked efficient, and their passer ratings were almost identical: Smith’s was 120.8, Hill’s 118.8.
So why did Hill get the better report card? He moved the chains, produced a scoring drive and showed the form that had him 5-3 as a starter last year under then-interim coach Mike Singletary.
“Hill is less of a mystery,” Singletary said. “You have a better idea of who he is and what he brings. He can be more consistent, he’s great at managing the game and he can also throw down field.
“Alex Smith, because of injuries and inconsistent playing time, he’s capable of things and we need to know to what extent,” Singletary added.
“Bullets were flying. He did a decent job here and there. Nothing great.”
Hill followed up a 23-yard pass to Davis with a much more impressive completion, an 18-yarder into a tight window to Davis on third-and-18.
Those two completions and a 9-yard scramble were offset somewhat by two sacks. Overall grade: B-.
That second sack is especially concerning. Hill took about five steps back, then five more to the left before going down (and apparently losing the football, though no fumble was called) for an 8-yard loss at the Denver 34. Do that in the regular season (see: J.T. O’Sullivan, 2008), and Joe Nedney’s field-goal range will be tested.
“That last sack kind of hurt us. That was completely on me,” Hill said.
“The offensive line did a great job out there. So I’d like to have that play back, and I feel like we could have gotten seven out of that.”
Instead, that opening drive produced a field goal. But it also produced renewed hope that the maligned Davis can catch.
That’s enough about Hill’s series. The throne is his anyhow. Smith isn’t going to tear up defenses this exhibition season, not when Isaac Bruce is in street clothes (Friday’s case), Michael Crabtree remains in a contract stalemate and the first-string blockers take holidays, as Smith got sacked twice.
But it was a welcome sight to see Smith return to game action for the first time since last exhibition season. During that span, he had career-saving surgery on his right shoulder, and his feud with Mike Nolan came to an end with Nolan’s midseason termination.
Nolan was back at Bill Walsh Field on Friday night as the Denver defensive coordinator, and because you’re fashion conscious, no, he did not patrol the sideline in a Joseph Abboud black suit.
Nolan’s defense did sack Smith the first time he dropped back to pass, at the 49ers’ 15-yard line. Nolan proceeded to make good on his bounty and paid Ryan McBean in John York’s old marked bills (kidding, kidding).
The 49ers didn’t ask Smith to air it out the way the Raiders’ turned loose their own No. 1 overall draft pick a night earlier across the Bay.
This isn’t an indictment of Smith, but he converted those three interceptions by the 49ers defense into only six points (point after kick failed). Overall grade: B- (told you there was little separation).
Smith finished 5-of-7 for 33 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Brit Miller on the play immediately following Orton’s third interception.
“I felt like it’s been too long since I was last out there,” Smith said.
“. . . In the end, it’s about consistency. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been so sporadic. I’ve had streaks of playing well and not playing well.”
Smith can’t gain the ground he needs to when he simply looks just as capable as Hill. Smith needs a knockout punch. Friday night served as a respectable sparring session, for both quarterbacks. No need to call Brett Favre quite yet.