The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that,
a review of Week 8:
And Nick Caley took that personally: After the debacle in Seattle, perhaps no Texans player/coach was under more condemnation than OC Nick Caley. Ryans had to issue the dreaded verbal vote of confidence for him. Certainly, a great Seattle defense line made the offense look stupid, but Houston execution did not help matters. This game, completely different story. Granted, the 49ers were without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, which would weaken any defense. However, the Texans responded with a masterclass in smart, efficient offense. For a team that didn’t break 270 yards for a full game, Houston gained 299 yards and put up 16 points in the 1st half. Caley’s offense produced a smart, effective game. The Red Zone execution (1 TD in 5 trips) might leave something to be desired, but Houston scored on every trip. Against a 49ers’ team that was in the top 10 for scoring defense, Houston scored on its 1st 6 drives. Houston generally avoided the big lost yardage play, surrendered no sacks and controlled the clock for over 41 minutes. Houston went 9 of 16 conversion rate on 3rd Down, a major step up for a team that only converted 30% coming into the game. Maybe Caley still doesn’t survive the year, but respect the bounce-back.
Get to 20: In Houston’s wins, they score more than 20 points. In their losses, they are under 20. The defense, aside from the Seattle game, has not surrendered more than 20 points. Given how the team leads in scoring defense (14.7), Houston doesn’t need the most explosive attack. A smart, near-ball control offense like today is a way ahead. Even with only one Red Zone TD, the Texans did score on all five trips (4 FGs/1 TD), and the Texans’ defense, if it continues this quality of play, is going to make scoring opportunities difficult for other teams. If the Houston offense can get at least 20 points, that will win more games than not.
Checkdowns aren’t bad: One of the criticisms on Stroud is that he will sometimes look for the home-run ball too much. Good to try to hit big plays, but the NFL is about moving forward. The checkdown/dump-off can be your friend. See the Woody Marks 50-yard catch-and-run. The play wasn’t meant to be a big gainer, but it came from Stroud going through his progressions, and then seeing an open option when all else was non-viable. Several times during the game, Stroud worked through the progressions, but then quickly turn to an open checkdown. Sometimes, Stroud does not take that option (see the end of the Jacksonville game). Not that you want Stroud to become “Captain Checkdown”. It is all about looking for the big, but executing the smart.
The Play That Decided the Game:
- 3rd and 3 from the SF 47 yard line (13:50, 3rd)
Until the final 45 seconds of the 1st half, it was ALL Texans. Then the 49ers, via kickoff return and penalty, got the ball at the HOU 35. San Francisco took 4 plays to score on a Kittle TD. Houston then ended the half throwing what could have been a brutal INT. Then, Houston gave the 49ers the ball at their 40. Two plays later, San Francisco had a 3rd and short. Enter Will Anderson, Jr. Although Anderson did not have a huge statistical game, he put the 49ers line through [KITTEN]. On this play, he stormed past the RT and nearly barreled into Mac Jones, forcing a weak incompletion. Instead of building on the end-of-half momentum, SF suffered its 4th 3-and-Out and punted. Houston drove 96 yards, punctuated by Stroud’s second TD pass, pushing the lead to 16 (23-7). San Francisco never got any closer than 8 the rest of the way. Had the 49ers scored on that opening second half drive, different ball-game.
FUN WITH NUMBERS:
24.31: Houston’s 1st half TOP: If it felt like Houston was on offense the entire first half, you would be right. A team hadn’t held on to the ball for that long in a half since 2009. A combination of ball-control offense and ferocious defensive effort will do that for a team. The trend somewhat continued in the 2nd half as Houston would end the game with over 41 minutes TOP
32: Consecutive games that CJ Stroud was sacked when he played in more than one possession (regular/postseason): Not counting the season-ending game against the Titans in 2024 where he only played in the first series, the last regular season/postseason game CJ Stroud played in where he was NOT sacked was a Week 5 matchup against the Falcons as a rookie (2023). Since then, he’d been sacked at least once in every single game where he played more than one series…at least until this past Sunday.
GAME BALLS
QB CJ Stroud: 30-of-39 for 312 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, to go along with 7 rushes/scrambles for 30 yards will do nicely. Oh, and no sacks.
RB Woody Marks: Second straight home-game of over 100 combined offensive yards (62 yards rushing, 49 yards receiving).
DE Will Anderson Jr.: 1 tackle/1 sack/1 TFL/3 QB Hits. He was all over the 49ers’ battered offensive line. If Anderson was one-on-one with a tackle, advantage Anderson. We already discussed his game-changing play in the 3rd quarter.
FB British Brooks: Brooks’ “WHAM” block on the 49ers DL Jordan Elliott. That is all.
SHOULD BE FORCED TO CLEAN UP AFTER AN ALL-NIGHT CAL MCNAIR VIDEO GAME BENDER WHILE BEING FORCED TO LISTEN TO THE OLD “RICE-A-RONI, THE SAN FRANCISCO TREAT” JINGLE ON REPEAT:
SF WR Jauan Jennings: In the 3rd quarter, he dropped a catchable pass that would have set the 49ers deep inside Houston territory with just over 6 minutes in the 3rd quarter. The 49ers did eventually score a TD on that drive, but at the end of the 3rd quarter. If Jennings make that catch, San Francisco saves time. Given how the 49ers were up against the clock in the 4th quarter, they really would’ve wanted those extra 5+ minutes back. On the final effective 49ers possession, Jennings let himself get out-muscled by Lassiter, who snagged the INT at the HOU 1. Not a great game for the team’s leading receiver.
PK Ka’imi Fairbairn: Not for his point-scoring kicks (4-4 FGs, 2-2 XPs), but for his kickoffs. In three consecutive kickoffs, he had an unnecessary touchback, giving the 49ers the ball at the 35, a kickoff that the 49ers returned to midfield, followed by a 15-yard penalty that put the ball at the Texans’ 35-yard line and to open the 2nd half, Fairbairn’s kick fell short of the landing zone, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40. Thanks to the defense, only the second kickoff mentioned resulted in any damage to the Texans. Still, that is an evolving process for Houston, which doesn’t make it easy for players and fans.
The next game does not get any easier. After playing the NFC West leader, the Texans get the surging AFC-West-leading Denver Broncos (6-2), fresh of an obliteration of the Deep Southern Oklahoma Cowboys, at NRG Stadium. Another Sunday noon CDT kickoff on Fox. See you then.
