49ers hold off Seahawks in battle of NFC West division foes
The San Francisco 49ers sit alone atop the NFC West for now -- hardly the kind of firm hold on the division they owned last October.
Alex Smith threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Delanie Walker late in the third quarter and San Francisco held off the Seattle Seahawks, 13-6, Thursday night as the 49ers won their long-awaited division opener.
Frank Gore ran for 131 yards and the 49ers (5-2) took over sole possession of first place in the NFC West by making just enough plays to win this defense-first game, featuring two teams allowing fewer than 16 points per game.
Walker's score was San Francisco's first touchdown in seven quarters after an embarrassing 26-3 loss to the Giants on Sunday in a lopsided rematch of the NFC championship game. The tight end broke his jaw in two places at Seattle last Dec. 24 and sat out until the title game.
Smith went 14 of 23 for 140 yards in another subpar performance. The defense hung tough down the stretch. NFC rushing leader Marshawn Lynch finished with 103 yards for Seattle (4-3).
Accidental overdose killed Reid
An accidental heroin overdose killed Garrett Reid, the son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, a coroner said yesterday.
Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said a toxicology test confirmed the presence of heroin in Garrett Reid's body. Investigators revealed they found a used syringe and spoon in his room, along with a gym bag filled with dozens of syringes and needles, many of them unopened.
"We are confident today that Mr. Reid's death was the result of a self-injected lethal dose of heroin," District Attorney John Morganelli said at a news conference in Easton, Pa.
Reid was found dead in his dorm room early on Aug. 5 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, where he was assisting the team's strength and conditioning coach during training camp.
He was a recovering drug addict who had seemingly turned his life around. His father, Andy Reid, had indicated that his 29-year-old son may have had a relapse.
In a statement released through the Eagles, the Reid family said Garrett Reid's smile, laugh and energy will be missed.
"These results sadly confirmed what we had expected all along," the family's statement said. "We understood that Garrett's long-standing battle with addiction was going to be difficult. He will, however, always have our family's love and respect for the courage he showed in trying to overcome it. In the end, we take comfort in our faith and know that he's in a better place."
Richardson protecting rib
Trent Richardson will be equipped with protective padding over a rib cartilage injury Sunday when the Browns play the Colts. Richardson was injured in last week's win over Cincinnati. The injury made it difficult for Richardson to breathe, and he was taken out in the third quarter. -- AP
