Lance logs First Career Win as Niners handle Houston

Week 17 - The San Francisco 49ers (8-7) went into their final home game of the season in desperation mode with a must-win game on tap against the visiting Houston Texans (4-11). Despite being tied with the New York Jets for the 2nd-worst record in the AFC, Houston entered the meeting having scored 30+ points in back to back games, while riding their first winning-streak of the season, their most recent game being a 41-29 drubbing of a shorthanded L.A. Chargers team. Led by rookie quarterback Davis Mills, the Texans would look to continue their hot streak against a playoff hopeful Niners team with a rookie quarterback of their own under center. 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans would be up to the task to try and slow down a Houston Texans team that he spent his first six seasons in the NFL with, including an All-Pro campaign and two trips to the Pro Bowl as a linebacker. On a day that featured little offense from either side in the first half, Ryans' squad had answered the call early on to keep their team in the game when the offense was in need of a pick-me-up. 

Both teams would combine for five punts and a turnover on downs in the game's opening quarter, as San Francisco made it across mid-field on their second possession before failing to convert on a 4th and 1 attempt when 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell was stopped short of the first down marker. The second quarter wouldn't be much better for the San Francisco offense as quarterback Trey Lance took awhile to get going, having been missing in action since Week 5. Making only his second career start in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, Lance was picked off on San Francisco's first offensive play of the second quarter. Playing in front of the 49er faithful at Levi's Stadium for the first time, those rookie jitters would eventually dissipate for Lance the deeper the game went, but not before Houston struck first. Davis Mills would not shy away from hitting his favorite target as receiver Brandin Cooks hauled in four receptions on Houston's ensuing drive, including an 8-yard grab in the end zone for the game's first touchdown, capping a 16-play, 85-yard drive. While it would mark the first score of the game from either side, the Texans would not find the end zone again the rest of the day. 

After exchanging punts, the 49ers had less than a minute to get on the scoreboard and avoid being shutout in the first half for the first time since Week 5 at Arizona, which was Lance's only other start. Thanks to a pair of big plays on passes to receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, Lance was able to help march his team into field goal range by orchestrating a 7-play, 56-yard drive in just 38-seconds as Robbie Gould split the uprights from 37 yards out to put the Niners on the board. Receiving the ball at the half, the 49er offense started off the second half the same way they closed out the first, with Lance hitting Aiyuk for another big play, this time on a 43-yard gain. However, another 4th and 1 attempt would go up in flames when a passing play ended with an incompletion. Luckily, the 49ers would force a turnover of their own when Marcell Harris intercepted a pass on third down. Finding the end zone with a much-needed touchdown, San Francisco would finally strike pay dirt when Lance hit Eli Mitchell with a short pass for the walk-in score to take a 10-7 lead. After having missed the last three contests with a knee injury, the rookie running back returned to his team in a big way by setting a franchise record for the most rookie rushing yards in 49ers history, passing Vic Washington's 811 yards set in 1971. Rushing for 119 yards on the day, it would be Mitchell's 5th 100-yard rushing performance of the season, something no other 49ers rookie had done more than three times in a season since 1950. 

Entering the fourth quarter with San Francisco leading, 10-7, Sunday's game would mark the 21st consecutive game in which Houston trailed to start the fourth quarter. With a chance to tie the game early in the fourth, Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 45-yard field goal when his seventh miss of the season went wide left. Looking to take advantage of Houston's failed attempt to tie the game, Lance and company would do just that as the Niners' young signal-caller found Deebo Samuel streaking in the middle of the field with a play-action pass for a 45-yard touchdown. Adding a pair of late field goals, the 49ers increased their lead to 23-7, which would stand as the final score. Logging his first career win, Lance would wind up throwing for 249 yards passing, 2 touchdowns and an interception, while adding another 31 yards rushing on 8 carries. Receiver Deebo Samuel hauled in three catches for 63 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 19 yards on his way to becoming the first player in NFL history with 1,200+ receiving yards and 300+ rushing yards in a season. Brandon Aiyuk compiled a game-high 94-yards on four receptions, continuing his resurgent second half to the season. The San Francisco defense held Texans QB Davis Mills to just 163 yards passing, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Meanwhile, running back Rex Burkhead was held to just 47 yards on 17 carries, this after a career-high 149 yards rushing a week ago. 

Week 18 Preview: There will be plenty of scoreboard watching in the final week of the NFL's regular season, especially for the 49ers (9-7) and their fans. Entering the conclusion of the 2020-21 regular season schedule, San Francisco currently sits in the 6th spot out of the possible seven playoff seeds. Just behind the Niners are the New Orleans Saints (8-8) who also won on Sunday after defeating the division rival Carolina Panthers, 18-10. All leading up to a dramatic finish to the season with the final NFC Wild Card spot on the line, the 49ers can punch their ticket to the playoffs by simply winning on Sunday against their NFC West rivals Los Angeles Rams (12-4) who recently overtook first place in the division a week ago and are coming off a victory on the road in Baltimore, or a Saints loss. New Orleans will be on the road to take on the rival Atlanta Falcons, who beat the Saints in their first meeting this season. If both the 49ers lose and the Saints win on Sunday, San Francisco would be eliminated from playoff contention. Winners of five straight against the Rams, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will try to prevent that from happening by besting his friend and former colleague Sean McVay for a sixth straight time and for the first time at L.A.'s new SoFi Stadium with actual fans in attendance. Whether it will be Trey Lance under center for a second consecutive week or the return of Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback, we still don't know. 

But of course, nothing can ever come easy for the Niners who as of Monday, may potentially be forced to play without a trio of key players on defense, specifically in the secondary where they're already depleted as safety Jimmie Ward and cornerbacks K'Waun Williams and Dontae Johnson have all been added to the Covid-19 reserve list. Talk about poor timing as the last game of the regular season will now be the most important for San Francisco who will need as much help as possible. 

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