NFL | Denver quarterback Kyle Orton is picked off 3 times by 49ers

SAN FRANCISCO — Kyle Orton threw passes that were intercepted in his first three series during a disastrous Denver debut, while San Francisco's quarterbacks were steady in the 49ers' 17-16 victory over the Broncos on Friday night.

Alex Smith threw a 3-yard TD pass to Brit Miller after ex-Chicago Bear Orton's third first-half pass that was picked off in the exhibition opener for both teams. The game featured the return of former 49ers coach Mike Nolan as Denver's defensive coordinator.

Ex-Washington Huskies quarterback Damon Huard, 36, threw a 40-yard TD pass to Miller to put the 49ers ahead 17-10.

Orton's backup, Chris Simms, hit Kenny McKinley for a 52-yard TD pass with 1:52 left, but the Broncos failed on the two-point conversion pass.

Other exhibitions

Rams 23, at Jets 20

New York rookie Mark Sanchez, a former USC standout, completed a 48-yard pass to David Clowney on his first play, but the Jets lost to St. Louis.

Vikings 13, at Colts 3

Sage Rosenfels guided Minnesota on scoring drives on the first two series, helping the Vikings beat Indianapolis. Rosenfels was 10 of 13 for 91 yards.

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning took six snaps and was sacked three times.

At Saints 17, Bengals 7

Carson Palmer, playing for the first time since an elbow injury sidelined him early last season, completed 7 of 11 passes for 133 yards for Cincinnati in its loss to New Orleans.

Ex-UW Husky Mark Brunell, 38, of the Saints threw a 64-yard TD pass to Robert Meachem.

Notes

• A jury in Atlanta found Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall not guilty of misdemeanor battery against his former girlfriend. Marshall, 25, had faced two counts of simple battery stemming from a March 2008 argument with then-girlfriend Rasheedah Watley at the Atlanta condominium they shared.

• It's official: Eli Manning, New York Giants quarterback, is the highest-paid player in the league. Signing a deal that was agreed to last week, Manning got a six-year, $97 million extension, with $35 million guaranteed.

• Jacksonville offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, who played college ball at Virginia and was the eighth player taken in this year's draft, signed a five-year, $25 million contract, with $19 million guaranteed.

• Green Bay signed defensive lineman B.J. Raji, formerly of Boston College, to a five-year, $28.5 million deal, with about $18 million guaranteed. Raji was the ninth player drafted.