The San Francisco 49ers dropped their third game of the season on Sunday, falling short 26-15 on the road to the Houston Texans in a rough game on both sides of the ball.
It was a really slow start for
the 49ers, who trailed 16-0 to open the game before attempting a comeback. They got within a touchdown multiple times, but were never able to bridge the gap or effectively stop quarterback C.J. Stroud, who had a season-high 318 passing yards to go with three touchdowns and an interception.
Offensively, Mac Jones couldn’t get much going while facing significant pressure, completing just 19 of 32 passes for 193 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The run game was an afterthought, with Christian McCaffrey rushing just eight times for 25 yards as the 49ers were completely one-dimensional due to playing from behind.
As a result, the 49ers will drop to second place in the NFC West at 5-3, with the Los Angeles Rams staying at 5-2 on their bye week.
Here are three quick takeaways from the 49ers 26-15 loss to the Texans on Sunday.
Time of possession
The 49ers were dominated in the first half.
Their first defensive possession was a 16-play, 57-yard drive from the Texans that they ultimately stopped for a field goal with a good run stop from Ji’Ayir Brown on a third down in the red zone. Still, that drive set the tone for Houston and took 9:41 off the clock.
The 49ers gave it right back in less than two minutes and Houston went nine plays for 71 yards for another field goal drive in the red zone. San Francisco went three-and-out this time after a four-play drive their first time out, giving the ball back in 92 seconds.
Houston then went 10 plays for 82 yards and a touchdown on a drive spanning nearly six minutes. After another three-and-out from San Francisco, the Texans went 11 more plays for 62 yards and another field goal.
At that point, it was 16-0. Houston had outgained San Francisco 272 to 15 yards. They had the ball for 24:06, compared to the 49ers’ 4:56. That kind of start on the road is absolutely killer and put the 49ers in such a hole that they were one-dimensional playing from behind the rest of the way.
Yes, they scored a touchdown to end the half, thanks to a short field. But, that didn’t matter as they went three-and-out and let Houston go 12 plays for 94 yards and a touchdown on their opening possession of the second half. Just like that, it’s 23-7.
Six of Houston’s first seven drives were at least nine plays long, all going for scores (the lone other drive was an interception to end the first half). That’s not a formula for winning football.
The Texans ended up holding the ball for 41:22 in this one, in comparison to 18:38 for the 49ers. They ran 75 plays, compared to 44 for San Francisco. That will add up on a defense, especially on the ground and with injuries, where the 49ers struggled on Sunday.
Defensive miscues
The 49ers had been an elite defense through the first seven weeks of the season, even with the numerous injuries and younger players starting.
On Sunday, though, their flaws showed. Missed tackles were a theme. The secondary, specifically the safeties, consistently looked lost in coverage. And there was virtually no pressure. C.J. Stroud, who had been sacked at least twice in every game this season, was not sacked once on Sunday against the 49ers, who struggled without Bryce Huff.
If one of those factors is an issue, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has been able to make do. But, when all of those problems come up, it’s tough to get off the field defensively.
If the 49ers are serious about competing this year, they need to make a trade for a pass-rusher soon.
Offensive woes
This is a game where the 49ers injuries showed.
At some point, being as beat up as they are is going to come back and hurt you. San Francisco’s offensive line was outmatched against Houston’s elite defensive front. Pressure was constantly there and Mac Jones didn’t have much time in the pocket.
With Brock Purdy, there’s the ability to extend plays, which could’ve been helpful at times on Sunday. Then, there’s the receiving core, which deeply misses separators and good-handed wideouts like Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers have not been able to take shots downfield without a reliable threat there. That limits you deeply against a defense like Houston’s.
The screen game also wasn’t working as much, as Houston swarmed to the ball quickly to minimize yardage on those plays or kill them altogether. The 49ers usually don’t win games when they run the ball eight times. But, Sunday was one where they just looked outmatched offensively with their current personnel.
