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. 

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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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