49ers Speared by Texans Defense in Road Loss

Week 8 - Entering Sunday's meeting between the visiting (5-2) San Francisco 49ers and (2-4) Houston Texans, both teams were coming off completely different games than one another. For San Francisco, a 20-10 win at home against the Falcons in which the 49ers were in control virtually all game long and had their way on the ground. As for Houston, a 27-19 loss on the road in Seattle where they were held in check all night long on the ground and were just 2 of 13 on third down. Fast-forward to Sunday and you'd have a total reversal of roles as the Texans began 3-for-5 on third down to start before finishing 9-for-16 despite being without one of their best players in receiver Nico Collins who sat out with a concussion. After totaling a season-high 174 yards of rushing just a week earlier, the 49ers failed to tally 50 yards on the ground against Houston and didn't convert a single first down until the final minute of the first half. In what would be just the sixth matchup all-time between these two franchises, the rare head-to-head meeting would allow 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to face off against his former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for the first time since Ryans was hired to coach the Texans back in 2023 after spending six seasons on Shanahan's 49ers staff. 

Opening the game on defense, the 49ers struggled to get off the field as Houston embarked on a 16-play drive that lasted 9-minutes and 39-seconds, their most plays and longest drive of the season. Although the Texans would be held to a field goal, it would be the first points allowed on an opening-drive by the San Francisco defense this season. Making matters worse, the Niners were held to a three and out punt on each of their first three possessions which did no favors for San Francisco's tiring defense. With a minute remaining in the first half, the 49ers found themselves trailing 16-0 before they received a spark from one of the most unlikeliest of sources. While special-teams usually costs the 49ers on a nearly weekly basis, on Sunday, it would help them ignite a rally to close out the first half. With backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. back to return kicks, his 46-yard kick return to midfield would breathe life into the Niners. After tacking on a 15-yard facemask penalty during the return, the 49ers would be in business. A few plays later they would strike pay dirt. With the NFL celebrating National Tight-Ends Day on Sunday, the founding father of the unofficial holiday would put his stamp on the game as George Kittle hauled in a circus catch in the end zone between two Houston defenders to put his team on the board. 

With Houston electing to pass the ball instead of running the clock in the final 17-seconds of the first half, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud launched a ball down field into the hands of 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir who hauled in the first interception of the season for the San Francisco defense. The interception would end the first half and more importantly halted the Niners' drought of 14 consecutive games without an interception, the longest such drought in NFL history. Lenoir's interception would be a microcosm of how the rest of the half went for the 49er defense as the Texans had piled up 299 yards of total offense by halftime, more yards than they had in total in four of their first six games. Even then, San Francisco wouldn't be completely out of the game just yet. Receiving the second half kickoff, the Niners would have a chance to inch even closer on the scoreboard, but another three and out punt would put an end to any momentum San Francisco had captured. Adding insult to injury, Stroud and the Texans marched 94-yards down the field on their ensuing possession before a 30-yard touchdown reception from receiver Xavier Hutchinson. 

The Niners' second possession of the second half would go much better than their first as a 17-play, 76-yard drive that took over 7-minutes in gametime ended with another touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to a 49ers tight-end, this time Jake Tonges the recipient. With a successful two-point conversion to receiver Demarcus Robinson, the 49ers climbed back into the game trailing by only eight. Unfortunately, the 49er defense would not force a single Texans punt until the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. And with Houston adding a field goal to open the fourth, things would become a bit more difficult as the 49ers attempted to stage a late game comeback while now trailing by two-scores. With Jones marching his team down the field again, a deep shot into the end zone intended for Jauan Jennings would be intercepted, spoiling a last-ditch effort by San Francisco. 

After rushing for a season-high 129 yards a week earlier, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey who was coming off NFC Ground Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Atlanta Falcons, was held to just 25 yards rushing on 8 attempts and ended the first half with a career-low 8 yards. Equally as disappointing was San Francisco's defensive-line which failed to record a single sack on Sunday. With defensive-end Bryce Huff ruled out for the game with a hamstring injury and expected to miss a few weeks, the Niners' laundry-list of injuries showed its ill-effects more than ever in the loss. Poor tackling and an inability to force punts proved to be costly for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh who did what he could with the skeleton crew of players he had at his disposal. The 26-15 final would be Houston's first win over the 49ers since Week 7 of the 2009 season and only their second win against San Francisco in six tries. Finishing with 193 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception on the day, 49ers QB Mac Jones was bested by his Houston counterpart C.J. Stroud who threw for a season-high 318 yards and 2 touchdowns, with his only blemish being the one interception just before halftime. A week after failing to record a single reception, 49ers tight-end George Kittle got back on track with 4 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown, trailing Jauan Jennings (4 receptions, 45 yards) and Kendrick Bourne (3 receptions, 44 yards) in receiving. 

Week 9 Preview: While the (5-3) 49ers are clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the league in the injury department, the (2-6) New York Giants have also had a rough go within the last few weeks as they watched two of their best players and two of the game's brightest young talents going down for the season due to injury in receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and running back Cam Skattebo (ankle, leg). Coupled with a young talented rookie quarterback in Jaxson Dart, the Giants appeared to be headed in the right direction before being snakebitten by the injury bug. But that won't stop the 25th overall pick in last April's Draft from attempting to pull off the upset at home over the visiting Niners when the two teams meet in Week 9. With the rest of the NFC Western Division on a Bye in Week 8, the 49ers lost ground in the division by falling to 5-3 on the year, as the Rams and Seahawks remain tied at 5-2. San Francisco will try to get back on track and keep pace against their division foes with a win on Sunday against a Giants team that has allowed 33+ points in back-to-back games and 26+ games in 3 of their last four. New York's defense also gave up 100+ rushing yards to not one but two Eagles running backs a week ago. San Francisco's tandem of Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr. will attempt to repeat that feat on Sunday. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners Ride McCaffrey to Victory over Falcons

Week 7 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium after a brief two-game road trip, the (4-2) San Francisco 49ers would look to shake off their first road loss of the season while playing host to the upstart (3-2) Atlanta Falcons in primetime on Sunday Night Football. After finishing with an 8-9 record a season ago, second-year head coach Raheem Morris has the Falcons playing a much better brand of football so far this season as the team entered Sunday night's game coming off a pair of impressive wins over the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills, two teams that made it to their respective conference championship a season ago. Led by a red-hot running back in Bijan Robinson who tallied 170 rushing yards and a touchdown a week earlier, the head-to-head matchup against San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey would be one of the main storylines entering the game. Having trained with each other in the offseason, Sunday would be the first time both players would step on the same playing field in a game. 

Another storyline on the 49ers' side would be how the team would respond defensively without their leader and heartbeat in All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who was officially added to the team's Injured Reserve list earlier in the day after he suffered a broken and dislocated ankle a week ago. While no player would be able to step in and replicate the type of impact Fred Warner is capable of making, second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune made a good first impression in his first career start. When things were all said and done, Bethune tallied 10 total tackles setting a new career-high, including one tackle for loss. Needing to play inspired ball on defense, Bethune was one of several 49er players able to do just that as both he and fellow linebacker Dee Winters showed up to Levi's Stadium wearing a Fred Warner jersey. While Warner was unable to suit up with his squad, he made his presence very known by showing support to his 49er teammates on the field before the game while riding around on a mobility scooter and hugging them on their way into the locker room after the game. Warner was also shown multiple times on the Levi's Stadium jumbotron during the game which was sure to fire up the fans. 

In what's been a rough season for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers on the injury front, the team finally received some good news regarding tight-end George Kittle as the All-Pro returned to the field on Sunday. In his first game back in action since leaving in the first half of Week 1, Kittle failed to log a single reception in the entire game on two targets, but he still made his presence felt as his blocking prowess played a major role in why the running game was finally able to have some success. Behind Kittle's stellar blocking, running back Christian McCaffrey was able to surpass his season-high in rushing yards (69) by halftime. McCaffrey would nearly double that mark on Sunday night by finishing with 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, his most rushing yards in a game since Week 16 2023 and his seventh consecutive game with over 100 scrimmage yards. Sunday's game would also be McCaffrey's seventh career game with 100+ rushing yards and 70+ receiving yards, breaking a tie with Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes for the most in NFL history. CMC would also become the first player in NFL history with 50+ rush yards and 50+ receiving yards in 6 of his team's first 7 games. 

But before the 49ers took control of the ballgame on the ground and imposed their will in the trenches, things got off to a less-than-ideal start. While San Francisco was able to hold Atlanta's offense to a three and out punt on the game's opening-drive, the Falcons did manage to strike first with a field goal on their second possession and had an opportunity to add on more as San Francisco saw their second drive that was trending in the right direction go up in flames when quarterback Mac Jones had his pass intended for Jauan Jennings tipped into the air and intercepted. Their third possession would be a charm, however, as San Francisco found the end zone on McCaffrey's first of two touchdowns. The team would tack on a field goal after forcing Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to fumble the ball following a Bryce Huff strip-sack, giving the Niners a 10-3 advantage. Atlanta nearly got three-points back on their end just before the half following a big gain on a 38-yard completion to receiver Darnell Mooney down the sideline, but a key intentional-grounding penalty one play later would result in a pivotal 10-second runoff that ended the half and prevented the Falcons from even attempting a field goal try.  

With San Francisco opening the second half in possession of the ball, they would add another Eddy Pineiro field goal to increase their lead to 13-3. After holding the Falcons offense to their second-fewest rushing yards in a half this season thru the first two quarters, Atlanta would take advantage of a big 45-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Taking over near midfield, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson who had been held in check up to this point began to finally put his stamp on the game, catching a screen-pass and scoring on a 10-yard touchdown to make it a 13-10 ballgame. Atlanta would have a chance to take the lead or at least tie the game near the midway point of the fourth quarter, but coach Morris' decision to bypass a game-tying field goal attempt and instead go for it on 4th and 1 at the San Francisco 35 yard line would come back to haunt him as cornerback Chase Lucas read the play perfectly and caused a broken pass intended for Drake London, resulting in a pivotal turnover on downs. With rookie cornerback Upton Stout listed as a gametime-decision, his injured ankle would keep him sidelined for the game which led to Lucas being called upon to fill in. And fill in he did, making several key plays in coverage that helped keep London (4 receptions, 42 yards) and company at bay. 

Taking advantage of Atlanta's unsuccessful gamble, the 49ers marched 59-yards on 15-plays in just under 6-minutes, capping off the big drive with McCaffrey's second touchdown of the night from 4-yards out. Penix Jr. and the Falcons offense would give it one final shot at a last-ditch comeback with under 2:30 remaining in regulation, but another turnover on downs would seal the Niners' 20-10 victory. McCaffrey would lead both teams in rushing (129) and receiving (72), helping San Francisco put up their highest total in rush yards (174) since 2024 Week 8 vs the Dallas Cowboys. With the win, quarterback Mac Jones earned an extra $400K in incentives by winning four games as the 49ers' starting QB, improving his record to 4-1 as the team's starter. Jones would have his most pedestrian game yet on the season by throwing for only 152 yards, no touchdowns and 1 interception, but still found a way to help his team get the win. Jones' counterpart Michael Penix Jr. threw for 241 yards and 1 touchdown but did suffer the big fumble before the half. Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson was held to just 40-yards on the ground on 14 carries, but did have a strong night receiving with 52 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Niners kicker Eddy Pineiro logged another strong outing in the win by going 2-for-2 on field goals from 55 and 43 yards, setting a San Francisco franchise record for consecutive field goals made to start a season with 17. 

Week 8 Preview: The (5-2) 49ers will head back on the road to pay a visit to the Lone Star State where they will face off against the (2-4) Houston Texans and head coach DeMeco Ryans who served two seasons under Kyle Shanahan as defensive coordinator of the 49ers from 2021-22. Coming off a 27-19 loss on the road to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, the Texans offense had a lackluster night both on the ground with only 56 rushing yards to show for and thru the air from quarterback C.J. Stroud who took a beating and was pressured virtually all game long. Robert Saleh's 49er defense will look to replicate that same success Seattle had against this Houston group. Stroud might also be without his top target in receiver Nico Collins who had to exit Monday's game after his head hit the turf on a play that has left him in the league's concussion protocol. Putting pressure on the Niners to keep up their winning ways are the division rival Rams and Seahawks who share a three-way tie with San Francisco for the top spot in the NFC West at 5-2 on the year. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

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. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Blown Opportunities Doom 49ers in Music City Meltdown

Week 16 - The final Thursday Night Football game on the 2021-22 NFL schedule would be a doozy and a major letdown if you're a fan of the San Francisco 49ers (8-6). On the road to take on the Tennessee Titans (9-5) in the Music City, Thursday's match-up would mark the latest point in the season that the 49ers would have to travel two time zones and over 2,000 miles in preparation for a game, not to mention on short rest. But none of that would seem to bother coach Kyle Shanahan's team early on as San Francisco quickly jumped out to a double-digit lead, while also missing several other opportunities and leaving plenty of other points on the table. 

San Francisco was in total control of the game through the first two quarters and came out guns blazing on offense as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo connected on each of his first five pass attempts, including a big play on a 23-yard gain to receiver Deebo Samuel to setup the game's first touchdown. Playing without rookie running back Elijah Mitchell who missed his third straight game with a knee injury, Jeff Wilson Jr. got the start and answered the call with a 1-yard touchdown to put his team ahead, 7-0. The Niners offense which didn't face a single third down on their initial possession (11-plays), would march just as easy on their second possession after a big play from fullback Kyle Juszczyk who's 26-yard reception turned into a 41-yard gain after a face-mask penalty against the defense. Several plays later, the 49ers would setup shop for a 2nd and goal from the 8 yard-line. It would be there where San Francisco would commit their first of many blown opportunities. Looking to connect with tight-end George Kittle, Garoppolo's pass was intercepted in the end zone, ending the scoring threat and marking Jimmy G's first red zone interception since 2019. 

Though Tennessee's offense failed to do anything with the takeaway and was forced to punt, the damage was still done as Garoppolo never looked the same from that point on. The Niners would add to their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal one possession later, but only after Garoppolo missed his target on a deep pass to a wide-open Juszczyk who was streaking down the right sideline but was overthrown. What should've easily been a 17-0 lead, was only a 10-0 advantage for the Niners who walked off the field and into the locker room at halftime having dominated through the game's first two quarters. However, the game would quickly turn into a tale of two halves as Tennessee came out firing on all cylinders to open the third quarter. After four offensive possessions and only four punts to show for through the first two quarters, head coach Mike Vrabel was able to get through to his Titans team at halftime. With the Niners leading by 10+ points for a seventh straight game, Tennessee chipped away at San Francisco's lead with a field goal to open the second half. Showing some signs of life, the Titans defense would get yet another gift just one play into the Niners' ensuing possession when Garoppolo air-mailed a pass intended for Deebo Samuel and into the arms of a Titans defender. 

Taking over in the red zone, the Titans would find the end zone several plays later to tie the game at 10-all. In a matter of less than two-minutes, the 49ers quickly saw their 10-point lead evaporate and all momentum shift to the side of Tennessee. Making it across mid-field on their next possession, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan faced a difficult decision to go for it on 4th and 1 which then turned into a 4th and 6 following a false start penalty on 49ers All-Pro Trent Williams. Even that wouldn't stop Shanahan as the decision to gamble would backfire once Garoppolo was unable to connect with Brandon Aiyuk for the first down. Making matters worse, the San Francisco defense would have the Titans pinned back on several third and long's on their next drive, including a third and 23 & a third and 10, but were unable to come up with a stop on either play. Having to play without their whole left side of the offensive-line, Tennessee did catch a break in time for Thursday's game by getting a pair of starting wide-receivers back in A.J. Brown who's been out since Week 11, and Julio Jones. Marking the first time since Week 9 that Titans QB Ryan Tannehill would have both targets at his disposal, the game would quickly turn into the A.J. Brown show as the star receiver came up with both receptions when facing those aforementioned third and long's. 

Rewarding him for his big third down conversions, Tannehill continued to feed Brown, including on an 18-yard strike in the end zone that gave Tennessee a 17-10 lead, their first of the game. In need of a response, the 49ers would get just that two possessions later. The Niners entered Thursday night's game with a league-leading five drives of 90+ yards and they would get another late in the fourth quarter, embarking on a 9-play, 95-yard touchdown-scoring drive to tie the game at 17-all. Fueled by a 56-yard play from Garoppolo to Deebo Samuel which left the Niners duel-threat wideout winded and on the sideline for the remainder of the drive, Jimmy G found Brandon Aiyuk all alone in the back of the end zone for the easy score. Taking over with less than two and a half minutes in regulation would be the Titans offense led by Tannehill who entered the game with 12 game-winning drives since joining the franchise in 2019, the most in the NFL in that span. With a number of dink and dunk plays through the air and on the ground, Tannehill would wait until his team's final drive to show off his athleticism as he broke free for a 23-yard scramble up the middle to put his team in field goal range. Kicker Randy Bullock would take it from there, splitting the uprights from 44-yards out for the game-winning field goal. With only 4-seconds remaining, the Niners would be in need of a Music City Miracle of their own, but came up short as time expired as Tennessee escaped with the 20-17 victory. 

After committing four turnovers a week ago in Pittsburgh, the Titans registered a clean sheet on Thursday as the 49er defense was unable to force a single turnover, eventually losing the turnover battle -- 2-0, both on a pair of Jimmy Garoppolo interceptions. With the win, Tennessee improved to 10-5 on the year, completed their mission of clinching the AFC South Division. Meanwhile, the loss by the 49ers dropped them to 8-7 on the year and clinched a playoff spot elsewhere in the conference for the Dallas Cowboys. In the loss, Garoppolo threw for a game-high 322 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions compared to Tannehill's 209 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions. Deebo Samuel hauled in 9 receptions for 159 yards, while also adding 32 yards on five carries for San Francisco. A.J. Brown made his return to the field a memorable one, catching a game-high 11 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. Neither team did much on the ground, with the Niners' Jeff Wilson Jr. leading all rushers with only 45 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in a game played without Tennessee's All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. 

Week 17 Preview: The Niners will return to Levi's Stadium to play their last home game of the season when they welcome the visiting Houston Texans (4-11). Facing another one of Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan's previous employers, the Texans are riding their first two-game winning streak of the season after upsetting a depleted Chargers team behind a pair of strong performances from rookie QB Davis Mills and a career day from running back Rex Burkhead who carried the ball 22 times for a personal-best 149 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. With L.A. missing several key players due to Covid issues, Houston took advantage of the holes in the Chargers' lineup and put up their highest point total of the season. Not to be taken lightly, Houston can not be overlooked by a 49ers team that can ill afford dropping another winnable game against an inferior opponent with the playoffs on the horizon. With a chance to flush the disappointing loss at Tennessee, the Niners control their own fate in the NFC Wild Card picture after both the division rival Rams and Cardinals clinched playoff spots in Week 16 on Sunday. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners Oust Texans for Second Straight Win

Week 14 - With the (2-10) San Francisco 49ers heading into Week 14 coming off their first road victory of the season and second win overall, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the new-look Niners would head into Houston in search of their first pair of back to back road victories since 2014 and first multi-game winning-streak under rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan. A week after setting a franchise record for the most passing yards by a 49ers QB making his debut, Garoppolo would set a career-high in that same category on Sunday against a good Texans defense that has been without its captain in J.J. Watt since Week 5.

Getting off to yet another slow start on offense, San Francisco would fail to score a first quarter touchdown for a ninth consecutive game as Houston jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a career-long 55-yard field goal from kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn. Threatening to answer with a score of their own, the 49ers offense would march to the Houston 34-yard line before Garoppolo was picked-off for the second time of his career on a botched play by he and receiver Trent Taylor who stopped and turned instead of cutting like Garoppolo had anticipated. Sunday's game would also turn out to be another busy one for Niners kicker Robbie Gould who followed up a five field goal performance a week ago against the Bears which helped him take home NFC Special-teams Player of the Week honors for Week 13, with four more made field goals in this one. With the game tied at 3 with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter, both teams would exchange touchdowns just before the half. Ignited by a pair of big receptions by 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in passes of 29 and 31 yards, running back Carlos Hyde put the finishing touches on the successful drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown.

Houston would be quick to answer on their ensuing possession led by an impressive nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive orchestrated by third-string QB T.J. Yates who would enter the game in place of the injured Tom Savage. Savage would leave the game in the 2nd quarter after suffering a concussion following a hard hit on third down by 49ers defensive-end Elvis Dumervil. It would be a scary moment as the Texans QB was seen lying on the ground with his hands twitching in what some experts fear was a possible seizure. Making matters worse, Savage would return on Houston's following possession, taking three more snaps before having to punt on a three and out. Savage would try making his way back onto the field one possession later before being stopped by a member of the medical staff who would escort him to the locker room, putting an end to his day. Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins would haul in his first of two touchdown receptions on the afternoon to bring Houston within a point with under a minute remaining. And while it appeared both teams would head into the half even at 10-points apiece, Houston would fail to convert on the extra-point as Fairbairn's kick went wide left. San Francisco would have other plans as Carlos Hyde crept into enemy territory with a 31-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive. Garoppolo would move the ball another 31-yards in three plays before setting up Robbie Gould for a 35-yard field goal to help San Francisco jump out to a 13-9 lead at halftime.

Opening the second half, the Texans offense would pick up right where they left off in quarter number two as Yates and Hopkins connected once again in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown from 29-yards out. Unfortunately for them, it would be the last time Houston would score as they were shutout in the 4th quarter and watched as the 49ers put up 13 unanswered-points. After a field goal to tie it, tight-end Garrett Celek would break a tackle and turn up the field for a 61-yard completion that would set up Garoppolo's second touchdown of the season as he appropriately awarded Celek by throwing to him near the goal-line. Things would settle down as a series of punts from both teams kept it a one-possession game before a costly fumble by DeAndre Hopkins allowed San Francisco to take a double-digit lead as Robbie Gould registered just another day at the office by converting on his fourth field goal of the day. The Texans would get as close to the San Francisco 34-yard line to set up Fairbairn for a 52-yard field goal to make it a one-score game, but his kick would crash into the left upright, sealing the 26-16 win to make it two in a row for Shanahan and the Niners.

With the win, Garoppolo improves his career record to 4-0, becoming just the second QB in the last 13 seasons to win his first four starts, joining Broncos QB Trevor Siemian (2016). Jimmy G. finished with a career-best 334 passing yards in Sunday's win, giving him 627 yards in his first two starts in a Niner uniform, the most by a 49ers QB in the team's history since the merger in 1970. Meanwhile, the team improves to 3-10 on the season after logging their first winning-streak since a three-game win-streak in Weeks 10-12 in 2014. Along with Garoppolo, the accurate kicking of Robbie Gould has played a huge role in San Francisco posting back to back road wins for the first time since the Jim Harbaugh era as Gould has now connected on 14 straight field goals for the second time this season after beginning the year having made 15 straight. 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin also seems to be enjoying his new quarterback under center as the speedy Goodwin has caught 14 passes for 205 yards with Garoppolo as the starter, including a team-high 106 yards on Sunday and trailing only DeAndre Hopkins' 11 grabs and 149 yards for the game. Running back Carlos Hyde finished with 78 yards on 14 carries to lead all rushers and the 49er defense held Texans back Lamar Miller to only 53 yards on the ground in 17 attempts.

Week 15 Preview - Next on the schedule for the 49ers is a home game against the (8-5) Tennessee Titans who are currently in the AFC playoff picture for the second Wild Card but are coming off a 12-7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Returning to Levi's Stadium for what will be the first home start for QB Jimmy Garoppolo since joining the Niners, Jimmy G. and company will welcome the struggling Marcus Mariota who has already thrown for more interceptions this year (14) than he did in either of his first two seasons, while also nursing a banged up left knee. But Mariota won't be the only one the Niner defense will have to keep tabs on as the unpredictable but dangerous running back tandem of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry look to bounce back from a disappointing performance in Sunday's loss as they combined to rush for just 54 yards on 19 carries. Sunday's game will also see the return of former 49er tight-end Delanie Walker who spent his first 7 seasons with the Niners before signing with Tennessee in 2013 where he's developed into one of the league's better tight-ends and has been named to a pair of Pro Bowl's since joining the Titans. With Tennessee trailing the (9-4) Jacksonville Jaguars who currently lead the AFC South by a game, the 49ers could play spoiler down the stretch with a win on Sunday, and could also put a dent in Jacksonville's hopes to lock up the No. 1 overall seed as they'll make a trip to Levi's the following week.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Former Bear Gould Plays Hero in 49ers Win at Chicago

Week 13 - In a match-up between two under-performing teams, Jimmy Garoppolo and the (1-10) San Francisco 49ers would pay a visit to the windy city to take on Mitch Trubisky and the (3-8) Chicago Bears. With San Francisco leading the all-time series versus Chicago by a slim margin entering Sunday at 33-31-1, Sunday's game would be another close affair in the latest chapter of the 49ers-Bears rivalry. Making only the third start of his career and first in a 49ers uniform, newcomer Jimmy Garoppolo would impress in his return home with a little help from a former Chicago Bear. Having grown up just 26 miles north of Soldier Field in Arlington Heights, Jimmy G. would make quite the impression on Niner fans as he helped lead San Francisco to their second victory of the season and first on the road. It would also be a memorable day for former Bears kicker Robbie Gould who was kept busy all afternoon long while providing all the scoring the Niners would need on Sunday to beat the team he spent 11 seasons with. A year after being cut by the team Gould set multiple franchise records with for most career points and field goals made, the 35-year old kicker would connect on five field goals to exact his revenge in his first return to Soldier Field as a member of the visiting team, including the game-winning field goal with seconds to spare.

Having trailed in 62% of minutes played this season (3rd most in the NFL), Garoppolo would lead the San Francisco offense down the field on their opening possession before fizzling out in the red zone and having to settle for a Robbie Gould field goal, something they would make a trend out of virtually all afternoon long as all five of Gould's field goals came inside the 20. The Niners' inability to strike pay dirt would be the result of multiple red zone penalties. Chicago on the other hand would make only one trip inside the red zone on Sunday, but would make the most of it as Trubisky capitalized with an 8-yard touchdown pass to receiver Deontrelle Inman who hauled in his first score as a member of the Bears. Helping set up Chicago's touchdown would be a 49er turnover as Garoppolo was charged with an interception, the first of his career, on a ball that was stripped from the receiver as Bears corner Kyle Fuller wrestled the ball out of Louis Murphy's hands before both players fell to the ground. The so called "interception" which was more of a fumble than anything, would set the table for Trubisky while also ending a streak of 104 career passes without an interception for Garoppolo.

Aside from Trubisky's lone touchdown pass, rookie running back Tarik Cohen would provide the rest of Chicago's offensive fireworks with an explosive 61-yard punt return to give his team a 14-6 lead in the first half. After being surrounded by multiple Niner defenders and appearing to be dead in his tracks on the punt return, Cohen reversed from sideline to sideline before bursting up the middle for a special teams touchdown that would've made Devin Hester blush. It would mark the first punt returned for a touchdown by a Chicago Bear against the Niners since Hall of Famer Gale Sayers took one to the house in 1967. A man of many traits, Cohen has dazzled in his rookie campaign and now has a passing touchdown, receiving touchdown, rushing touchdown and special teams touchdown under his belt this season. The special teams score would be a wake up call for a San Francisco squad that has been the best coverage unit in the NFL thus far, having held opponents to an average of 2.5 yards per return before Cohen's big play. A pair of Niner weapons would make some big plays of their own on Sunday as rookie receiver Trent Taylor and speedster Marquise Goodwin each eclipsed the 90-yards receiving mark while combining for 14 receptions and helping Garoppolo set a new career-high in passing yards.

Completing 26 of 37 pass attempts (70%), Garoppolo finished with 293 yards through the air as San Francisco held onto the ball for a season-high 38:47 in time of possession. Though it's still very early in the career of Garoppolo who has only three career starts to his name, the newest member of the Niners received some high praise from running back and fellow San Francisco teammate Carlos Hyde who said Jimmy G. reminded him of, "a young Tom Brady." And while he's still light years away from being held in the same regard as one of the game's all-time greats, it's safe to say the two share a handful of similar traits as Garoppolo displayed a comfort level that I wouldn't have imagined possible behind an offensive-line as spotty as San Francisco's. Garoppolo also excelled on third down (10 of 18), an area the Niners offense has been exceptionally awful in this season as the ten third down conversions were the most by a 49er team since 2007. Taking over with just under five and a half minutes remaining in regulation and trailing 14-12, Garoppolo made excellent work of the field and game-clock on San Francisco's final possession as he helped march his team 86-yards into field goal position while eating up 5:23 of time to set up kicker Robbie Gould who put the dagger into the heart of his former team with his fifth field of the day to give the 49ers the 15-14 win.

Week 14 Preview - Continuing their road trip, the 49ers will travel to Houston to take on the (4-8) Texans. Coming off a 24-13 loss to the division rival Titans on the road, the Texans will look to bounce back as they return to Reliant Stadium and play host to Garoppolo and the Niners. One of Kyle Shanahan's earliest employers in the NFL where he spent a total of four seasons as the team's wide receivers and quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator, Shanahan hopes to break even against his former employers after a Week ? loss to the Washington Redskins whom Shanahan also worked for in the past. Backed by a solid defense that features one of the most dominant defensive-lines in all of football, even without perennial Pro Bowler J.J. Watt who is out for the year with a ? injury, Garoppolo will be on high alert all afternoon long. The same can be said about the San Francisco secondary which will have to keep close tabs on one of the NFL's best receivers in DeAndre Hopkins who has tallied nine receiving touchdowns on the season and has already eclipsed the 1,000 yards receiving mark for the third time in five years. Throwing to Hopkins will be Texans quarterback Tom Savage who is looking to improve off a career-high 365 yards passing on 31 of 49 pass attempts in Sunday's loss. One way to limit Savage in the passing game will be getting to the QB who has had a hard time hanging onto the ball when he's being pressured as he's fumbled the ball eight times this year, losing seven.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Week 5: 49ers Defense grabs Houston by the horns, 34-3.

After getting back on track in Week 4 with a blowout win on the road over the division-rival St. Louis Rams, the 49ers returned home hoping they could translate that performance against the visiting Houston Texans. Having struggled mightily at the quarterback position with Texans starting QB Matt Schaub throwing a pick-six in three consecutive games, Houston head coach Gary Zubiak saw the trend continue on Sunday night. Three plays into the Texans opening-drive, Schaub would have his first pass attempt of the game picked-off and returned 18-yards into the end zone as cornerback Tremaine Brock read the pass intended for wide-out Andre Johnson like a book, logging his first career touchdown and putting San Francisco up early. With the interception returned for a touchdown, Schaub became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a pick-six in four consecutive games. 

Filling in for the injured Nnamdi Asomugha who missed his second consecutive game nursing a knee-injury, Brock would receive plenty of hugs and high-fives from his 49er teammates by games end as he picked-off Schaub for a second time in the second quarter. And though Schaub would be intercepted for a third time in the third quarter this time by defensive-lineman Tony Jerod-Eddie and later be replaced, Houston's struggles would go far beyond those at the quarterback position. With a lost fumble by backup running back Ben Tate and a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter to add to Houston's woeful night, the Texans would be unable to find an answer for the 49ers Frank Gore. After compiling over 150 yards in week 4, Gore followed up that performance with another solid outing by rushing the ball for 81 yards and a touchdown. 

Aside from Gore, the 49ers would be relatively quiet on the offensive side of the ball. For the second consecutive week, QB Colin Kaepernick failed to put up eye-popping numbers through the air nor did he have to. The third-year player out of Nevada had an Alex Smith-like performance in the sense that he played smart, mistake-free football. Kaepernick completed only 6 of his 15 pass attempts for 113 yards to three different receivers, but one of those passes would go for a 64-yard connection to tight-end Vernon Davis who beat man to man coverage and ran down the sidelines for the easy score, putting to rest any doubt regarding his sore hamstring that caused him to miss week 3. Davis would lead all receivers with 88 yards on a trio of receptions. 

Houston would eventually get on the board in the third quarter via a Randy Bullock field goal after hooking and missing an earlier attempt in the first quarter wide-left but it wouldn't be nearly enough as San Francisco got another solid performance from the defense despite the absence of several key defensive players. Niners kicker Phil Dawson put an exclamation mark on the game by splitting the uprights from 24 yards out late in the fourth quarter to seal the 34-3 win. With the win and a Seahawks loss, the 49ers gain a game in the NFC West standings over Seattle (4-1) who San Francisco (3-2) now trails by a game. 

Week 6 Preview:  Heading into Week 6, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers are riding their first winning-streak of the season and are coming off of back-to-back blowout wins as they get set to host the division-rival Arizona Cardinals (3-2) who have a two game winning-streak of their own. With a stingy secondary led by Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson who Colin Kaepernick will have to steer clear of considering he's amassed 3 interceptions against the Niners in his last two games, we'll likely see another average performance through the air where as a majority of the 49ers offense will come on the ground. Expect a healthy diet of Frank Gore who's rushed for 13 touchdowns in his last 13 meetings against the Cardinals as well as another stout performance by the San Francisco defense who will create plenty of problems for Arizona QB Carson Palmer who will be returning to the bay area after spending the last two seasons under center in Oakland. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Houston, We Have A Problem

Since joining the NFL as an expansion team in 2002, the Houston Texans have had little to cheer about finishing third or worse in the division in all but one season when they finished second in 2009 behind the arch rival Indianapolis Colts. But with the Colts suffering without their franchise quarterback and still seeking their first win of the season, the Texans have taken advantage by compiling an overall record of 7-3 which is tied for tops in the AFC and finally appear to be in a favorable position to make their first playoff trip in franchise history. Those chances were dealt a huge blow this past weekend however, when the team learned after their 37-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that they'll be without their Pro Bowl QB Matt Schaub for the rest of the season.

During the first half of Sunday's victory in Tampa Bay, Matt Schaub and the Houston offense tried a quarterback sneak when pinned on their own goal line when Schaub's foot got caught underneath a pile of Buccaneers defensemen, injuring his foot in the process. Schaub would stay in the game, but only threw three passes in the second half as Arian Foster and the Texans ground attack carried the rest of the load on offense. Taking over for the injured Schaub following Houston's BYE week this weekend will be Matt Leinart who hasn't started a game since 2009 while a member of the Arizona Cardinals. Leinart, a former Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Southern California, hasn't had the most successful career in the NFL since being selected 10th overall in the 2006 Draft and has only seen limited playing time after suffering a broken collarbone in 2007 which eventually led to Kurt Warner taking over the starting position in Arizona.

The timing of Schaub's injury couldn't be any worse. Not that any time is good for a player to endure an injury, but the injury to Schaub is especially unfortunate with the team expecting to welcome back in time for their next game Pro Bowl wide out Andre Johnson who's missed the last six games due to a hamstring injury he sustained in early October. The absence of Schaub also severely hurts Houston's chances of succeeding in the playoffs assuming they make it there. If the Texans hang on to win their first ever division title and clinch a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history, a trip back to the playoffs might not be something Houston experiences for another several years considering this season has been the first season in which they haven't had to worry about the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts. With the 4-time MVP Manning expected to be at full strength come next season it's unlikely the Texans will have as easy a chance to taste postseason success as they do this year.

Even with Schaub sidelined for the remainder of the year the team should be able to survive the season off their dominant run game and stingy defense, both of which rank among the best in the league and have carried the Texans to where they are now.


Follow me on Twitter @FraserKnowsBest

NFL No-No's

Back to his old antics - Two big no-no's took place recently regarding two NFL defensemen, one former and one current. It was learned several weeks ago that Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was arrested on rape charges after police raided a Holiday Inn hotel and found the 51 year old Taylor with a 16 year old run away female prostitute. According to the girl who was paid $300 for sex, she was dropped off at Taylor's hotel in up-state New York and was struck by her pimp. Taylor faces numerous charges such as third-degree statutory rape which is a felony and third-degree patronizing. Both of which are related to the girl being a minor. The rape charge carries a maximum of 4 years in prison and the prostitution charge carries a maximum of 1 year in jail.

While Taylor's bail is set at $75,000 and his preliminary hearing is set to take place on June 10th, Taylor's attorney says he denies all charges. However, he's not the only one being convicted as a second man, 36 year old Rasheed Davis, was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Police say Davis drove the girl to Taylor's hotel and told her she had to have sex with him. Police went on to say Taylor cooperated with officials and that he was not intoxicated as no drugs or alcohol were found in his hotel. Police gained knowledge of the girl's whereabouts when she began sending text messages to her uncle who later called and sent for the police.

Shockingly, this isn't Taylor's first run in with the law or controversy. Drinking played a huge role in his party lifestyle, but his obsession with crack cocaine would do a brunt of the damage. LT failed a number of drug tests in 1987 before later checking into rehab, only to be arrested twice over a three-year span for attempting to buy cocaine from undercover officers. Taylor also claims he would hire and send prostitutes to opponents' hotel rooms the night before a game in attempt to tire them out. LT was also arrested in November of 2009 for fleeing the scene of a car accident.

Taylor, who's married and has three children, was once upon a time the most feared defeseman in the entire NFL and is often regarded as the greatest defensive player of all-time. The 10-time Pro Bowl LB who spent his entire 13 year NFL career with the New York Giants, was named a First-Team All-Pro on nine separate occasions from 1981-89 and a Second-Team All-Pro once in 1990. Taylor won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards along with one MVP Award and helped lead the Giants to two Super Bowl Championships before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and having his number retired. With everything that's been going on and continuing to deteriorate what's left of Lawrence Taylor's public image, I doubt we'll be seeing him on ABC's 'Dancing With The Stars' or those Nutrisystem ads anytime soon...


Cushing's failed test - Maybe not as severe as rape charges, Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing will be suspended for the first 4 games of the 2010 NFL season for testing positive for having elevated levels of hCg in his system. The hormone was detected in a drug test in September of 2009 and violates the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. Cushing, the winner of last season's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, was in danger of having the award stripped away by the AP. But after a revote, the former USC Trojan received the most votes again, retaining his award. Aside from earning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors, Cushing was also named a starter to the 2009 Pro-Bowl and was an All-Rookie Selection.

San Francisco 49ers x Week 7 x Houston We Have a Problem

Once again, things got ugly quick for the 49ers, as the San Francisco defense looked as if it was still on it's BYE week the team had in week 6. San Francisco fell behind early and went into the half with a 21 point deficit. Niners running back Frank Gore made his return as he started his first game since getting injured on the first drive in week 3 when the team made a visit to Minnesota. However, Gore had almost no effect as the Niners run game was shut down by Mario Williams & company.

The second half told a different story, as coach Singletary decided to let back up quarterback Alex Smith start the remainder of the game in spot of Shaun Hill. Before Smith took the field I began to worry, then again things couldn't have gotten any worse than they already were, trailing 21-0. Smith, a former number 1 overall pick by the Niners in the 2005 NFL draft has played well under expectations and nowhere near his college career. But as soon as he took over for Hill, the 49er offense began to show a late form of life. Smith went on to throw for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns on 15 for 22 passing, compared to Hill's 45 yards on 6 for 11. Smith's 3 td's all caught by tight end Vernon Davis. Although the Niners were able to rally late in the game, it was still not enough as the Texans D intercepted a 4th and 10 pass by Smith with 30 second remaining ending the possible comeback.

Smith's turnaround performance caught the attention of coach Singletary as he later named Alex Smith the starter for next week's game against the Indianapolis Colts. I agree with the move, given the game Smith had but I'm not convinced he can have back-to-back performances like that. But only time will tell. Alex Smith wasn't the only Niner making headlines, as 1st round draft pick Michael Crabtree finally made his long anticipated NFL debut, leading all 49er wideouts in receptions with 5, for a total of 56 yards. It might not of been the most memorable debut but he showed that he's got great hands as he made a few difficult catches. He also played a lot more than I had expected, so it'll be interesting to see how well he does the rest of the season.

On to week 8, where once again the 49ers will have their work cut out for them, this time against former MVP and SuperBowl champion Peyton Manning & the Colts. *Gulp!*

San Francisco 49ers x Week 6 x Crabtree

So far this Football season has been full of surprises and upsets. Through the first 5 weeks, both the Broncos (5-0) and Bengals (4-1) have been atop the list by surprising everyone in a good way as they've played better than many if not most expected. & Then there's those who haven't. I.E. The Titans. But one team that doesn't get much recognition is the Houston Texans. The Texans were in Cinci on Sunday to take on the mighty Bengals where Houston came out on top 28-17.

With the 49ers enjoying a BYE week and trying to recover from a brutal home beating by the Atlanta Falcons, they'll have their work cut out for them up against those same Texans that upset the Bengals. Houston isn't known for its defense, but rather their offense, led by quarterback Matt Schuab who threw for 392 yards on Sunday to go along with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. However the quarterback position isn't the only weapon the Texans have on offense. Running back Steve Slaton and wide out Andre Johnson should give the Niner defense plenty to deal with.

This BYE week isn't only helpful to prepare for the upcoming opponent, but it also gives San Francisco star running back Frank Gore some more time to recover from his ankle injury, as he's expected to make a return to the field next Sunday. Another anticipated return to the field is the one Michael Crabtree will be making, as he makes his NFL debut. Little more than a week ago Crabtree and the Niners agreed to a 6-year contract. & The BYE week is that much more beneficial as it'll give Crabtree some much needed time to get familiar with the playbook. The former Texas Tech star receiver isn't expected to play much, aside from 3rd downs, but it'll still be a sight to see, watching him out there with an offense that has been relatively quiet in the passing game.