A star is born as 49ers produce thrilling finale

IT BEGAN as one of the worst NFL games anybody in the 80,000-strong crowd is likely to have seen, but ended with a thrilling finish and the possible emergence of a new star.

The San Francisco 49ers rallied to beat the Denver Broncos 24-16 behind an inspiring second-half performance from stand-in quarterback Troy Smith at Wembley on Sunday.

When the teams headed to the locker rooms with San Francisco nursing a 3-0 lead, fans were instantly trying to forget an insipid opening half an hour.

But the fireworks started soon after the break, when Denver took a 10-3 lead and seemed to have the game under control.

Enter Smith, a man released by the Baltimore Ravens in September and fighting for a future in the league.

Handed his chance by an injury to regular Alex Smith, his namesake had looked rusty in the opening half but produced an inspired play under pressure to complete a 38-yard pass to Chris Bailey and move San Francisco one yard from the endzone.

It was a risky throw as he tried to avoid advancing defenders, but turned Smith into a hero.

“It’s kind of like watching Brett Favre,” said 49ers coach Mike Singletary. “I don’t want to put him in the same light, but sometimes he makes a decision to throw a ball, I’m not going to go over there and said, ‘Don’t do it’.

“I might go over there and say, ‘Be careful’. But the kid made a play.”

That play brought the 49ers back to life. Smith ran in the touchdown himself and moments later completed another pass to Michael Crabtree to put the 49ers on top. When Frank Gore crossed for a third touchdown soon after, they were 24-10 ahead.

A late Denver rally fell short as the 49ers recorded only their second win in eight games this season.

It remains to be seen when the British fans will next get to indulge that love of the NFL first hand.

The league’s need to conclude a Collective Bargaining Agreement with its players means no progress towards planning a possible return next year can be made at the moment.

Meanwhile, back across the Atlantic, Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre extended his NFL record to 292 consecutive starts but did not finish the 28-18 loss to the New England Patriots in Foxborough.

Favre left the field with a chin injury which required 10 stitches after being out-scrambled by Tom Brady.

Brady scrambled to find Branton Tate for a 65-yard touchdown and give the Patriots the lead before BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ first touchdown made it 21-10.

Favre had driven the Vikings to the three yard line before he was injured and Tarvaris Jackson took over to throw a touchdown pass to Naufahu Tahi and also hit Percy Harvin for a two-point conversion to make it 21-18.

But 13 plays from Brady took the Patriots 80 yards and ended with Green-Ellis getting cartwheeled into the end zone to make it 28-18.

Philip Rivers threw a go-ahead, 48-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates midway through the third quarter as the San Diego Chargers rallied for a 33-25 win against the Tennessee Titans, who lost quarterback Vince Young to injury.

Aqib Talib intercepted two passes, returning one 45 yards for a touchdown and saving the game with the other, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit for the fourth time this season to beat the Arizona Cardinals 38-35 in Glendale.

Jason Campbell threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns and Oakland’s defence performed well to help the Raiders even their record at the midpoint of the season with a 33-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

The New Orleans Saints were 20-10 winners over the Pittsburgh Steelers.