Official Texans vs. 49ers Game Thread, 12/10/2017
 

The 2-10 San Francisco 49ers visit NRG stadium this Sunday to take on the 4-8 Texans in an early game on FOX. The Texans are coming off a 24-13 road loss to the Tennessee Titans while the 49ers are coming off 15-14 road win over the Chicago Bears. New 49er QB Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to start. Statistically, the two teams are not that far apart.... the Texans have the edge in scoring with 24.7 ppg (though mainly accumulated with Watson at QB) which is 8th in the league while the 49ers score a dreadful 16.8 ppg (29th). The Texans rush better and defend the rush better. But a lot of that can be thrown out the window because Garoppolo brings an entirely new look to the 49er offense. Forcing Garoppolo to throw might be just what the doctor ordered for the 49ers.

TV = FOX (channel 26 local), noon CST, Sunday, December 10, 2017

Announcers = Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth

Current line = Texans by 2½ to 3

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

CBS (late) = Tennessee @ Arizona, Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

FOX (late) = Philadelphia @ LA Rams, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

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Prime time:

TNF = New Orleans @ Atlanta (NBC/NFLN)

SNF = Baltimore @ Pittsburgh (NBC)

MNF = New England @ Miami (ESPN)

Here's our chance to knock Cleveland's draft picks down a notch. Is 5-11 such a bad season given all the calamities?

Bah, I'm holding out for 6-10 or 7-9. :p

Whatever it ends up, the off-season will be filled with how Bobby Mac, Rick Smith, Billy O and Tom Savage all suck and the team's play will not be attributed to injury or "other"....

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Sean Pendergast looks at 49ers vs. Texans.

Check out the kooky David Anderson paying-his-debt video at the bottom of the article.....

Like Sean, I'm picking the 49ers across the board in this one to assure a Texan victory.....

DeAndre is ridiculous. If by some miracle he ever gets a full season with Deshaun the results will be absolutely insane.

The list of QBs he's produced with is truly amazing. It also shows just how bad Osweiller was when any flunky who gets under center can make Deandre a star. Either way I hope for the Texans, the fans, and Hopkins himself that he gets the benefit of a full season of Watson next year.

Battle Red day.

Texans win the toss and defer, 49ers to receive.

Opening kickoff is brought back to the 49er 13. 49er's ball.

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Hyde for 3.

Pass to Usecheck (?) goes for 6 or so.

Pass to is dropped and penalty on the 49ers is declined. 49ers to punt.

White is tackled at the Texan 32 on the play. Texan's ball.

13:18 left in the 1st qtr.

Pass to Fuller gets about 15.

L Miller for maybe 1.

Pass to Fuller over the middle gets 11 or 12, 1st down.

Pitch left to L Miller goes for no gain.

Pass to Hop along the sideline goes for 7. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Savage pressured, get sacked. Loss of 1. Texans to try the long FG.

Fairbairn's 55-yarder is good.

Texans 3, 49ers 0

9:02 left in the 1st qtr.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. 49er's ball at their 25.

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Hyde for 3.

Hyde for 11, 1st down.

Pass to Goodwin good for 13. Ball in Texan territory.

Pass to Kittle gets 8

On 2nd and 2, Breida runs for 3 yards or so and the 1st down.

Pitchout to Breida loses 1 but flags are down.....illegal formation on the 49ers. Makes it 1st and 15.

Pass is INT'ed by KJ! Penalty on the play.....horse collar tackle on the 49ers after the INT adds 15. Texan's ball.

5:33 left in the 1st qtr.

Texans start at their 40 yard line.

L Miller powers for 11.

L Miller for 1.

Pass to Hop gets about 8 or 9.....3rd and 1 coming up.

Fuller on the sweep gets no gain...... Texans going for it on 4th and 1.

L Miller up the gut doesn't work (surprise!). 49ers takeover on downs. Ball at the 49er 42.

2:47 left in the 1st qtr.

Deep pass to Goodwin is over everyone, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Hyde gets about 9 but flag is down.....holding on the 49ers brings it back. 2nd and 17 coming up.

Garoppolo's pass can't find a home over the middle, inc. Brings up 3rd and 17.

Hyde gets 5. 49ers to punt.

White fair catches at the Texan 12. Texan's ball.

1:27 left in the 1st qtr.

Just had a 35 minute power outage on a perfectly clear day. Thanks, Entergy.

Score = Texans 3, 49ers 3

About 5 minutes left in the half.

Pass to Juszczyk good for nice gainer. 29 yards. Ball at the Texan 37.

Breida for 2.

Screen pass to Juszczyk goes all the way to the Texan 4.

Breida for 2. 2nd and goal coming up.

Hyde breaks a tackle and goes in for the score.

49ers 10, Texans 3

2:32 left in the half.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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Yates in at QB.

A Ellington for almost 4.

Pass to Hop gets no gain.

2 minute warning (1:58 actual)

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On 3rd and 5, TJ scrambles for the 1st down at the Texan 46.

Pass to Anderson off the mark, inc.

Pass to A Ellington a little low, inc. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Hop good for 15 and the 1st down.

A Ellington for 7.

Pass to Hop goes for big gainer but a flag is down....holding on the defense is declined. Ball ends up at the 49er 7 yard line, 1st and goal.

TD to Hop in the end zone! Nice job, TJ!

Extra point is no good..

49ers 10, Texans 9

54 seconds left in the half.

The ensuing kickoff is brought back to the 21. 49er's ball.

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Hyde gets loose on the left side for 27 yards.

Garoppolo keeps for 4. 2nd and 6 coming up at the Texan 44. 30 seconds left in the half. Niners have one timeout left.

Pass to Robinson gets 18.

Spike with 15 seconds left.

Pass to Robinson goes for 9. 3rd and 1 coming up with 2 seconds left. 49ers going for the FG.

Gould's 35-yarder is good.

49ers 13, Texans 9

Halftime.

I'm just getting home...why did Yates go in?

2nd half kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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Pass to Hop gets 15, PI on the 49ers is declined.

L Miller loses 1.

Pass over the middle to A Ellington gets nice gain. 16 yards. Ball at the 49er 44.

A Ellington for no gain.

Pass to Hop gets 9.

On 3rd and 1, pass to Hop in the flat draws the PI... ball placed at the 49er 29, auto 1st down.

Pass to Hopkins in the end zone good for the TD! 29 yards.

Texans 16, 49ers 13

12:11 left in the 3rd qtr.

TJ for president!

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The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. 49er's ball at their 25.

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Hyde for 7.

Pass to Goodwin good for 13. Tack on 15 for hit on Garoppolo. Ball a the Texan 40.

Screen pass to Juszczyk goes inc.

Pass to Murphy gets 20. 1st down at the Texan 20.

Breida for 1.

TE screen to Kittle only gets 1 or 2. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Goodwin gets the 1st down at the Texan 7. 1st and goal.

Garoppolo pressured, throws inc into the end zone.

Pass to Murphy at the goal line goes inc. Broken up by JJo.

Garoppolo's pass into the end zone can't find a home, inc. 49ers to go for the FG.

Gould's 25-yarder is good.

Texans 16, 49ers 16

8:12 left in the 3rd qtr.

Savage concussed.

Hopkins 10/144, 2 TDs.

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The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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L Miller for almost 5.

Lob pass over the middle to L Miller gets a 1st down at the Texan 38.

Pass to Anderson good for 7.

L Miller for no gain. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Pass to White a little high, inc. Texans have to punt.

Punt is returned to the Niner 15. 49er's ball.

5:26 left in the 3rd qtr.

Breida for no gain.

Pitch to Breida going left gets 4. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Celek goes all the way to the Texan 20 yard line. 61 yards on the play.

Breida for 1.

49ers use a timeout (#1).

Garoppolo's pass into the end zone is inc but a push by K Johnson goes for 5 yards and an auto 1st down at the Texan 14.

Hyde for 6 but holding backs it up 10. 1st and 20 coming up for the 49ers.

Pass to Bourne goes to the 6 yard line. 2nd and 2 coming up.

Pass to Celek goes for the TD.

49ers 23, Texans 16

1:53 left in the 3rd qtr.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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TJ rolls out and throws low and inc to Anderson.

Pass to Anderson is dropped, inc.

On 3rd and 10, pass to White can't hang on, inc. Texans have to punt.

Punt is brought back to the 49er 27 or 28 but a flag is down.....Cole injured on the play.... blind-side block on the 49ers backs it up 10. Ball ends up at the 49er 13.

Hyde for 4. About a minute left in the 3rd qtr.

Hyde for 2. Flag is down.....holding against the 49ers backs it up 10. ½ the distance to the goal places the ball at the 49er 7½

Flags presnap. False start offense. ½ the distance. Ball at the 49er 3½. 2nd and 19 coming up.

End of the 3rd qtr.

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On 2nd and 19, pass to Bourne goes for 11. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass in KJo's direction goes inc but draws the PI. 1st down 49ers at their 42.

Breida for 3.

Garoppolo sacked by Cushing! Loss of 4.

On 3rd and 11, deep pass goes inc. An almost INT by Williams. 49ers have to punt.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 40.

12:33 left in the game.

L Miller for 3 or 4....flag down....holding on the defense, 5 yards and an auto 1st down.

Deep shot to Fuller a little too long, inc. More of that, please....

Delay to L Miller goes for 4. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Yates' arm is deflected, pass goes inc. Texans have to punt.

Punt goes into the end zone, touchback. 49ers ball at their 20.

11:11 left the game.

Pass to Goodwin good for 18.

Breida for 6.

Breida for 1. Brings up 3rd and 3 with about 9½ minutes left in the game.

Garoppolo sacked and flags on the play.....holding against the Texans (KJack) gives the 49ers a 1st down at midfield.

Hyde for 1.

Hyde for no gain. Brings up 3rd and 9 with about 7½ minutes left in the game.

Garoppolo uses a timeout. 1 timeout left for the 49ers.

Garoppolo sacked by Lewis! 49ers have to punt.

White fields the punt and is tackled at the Texan 22. Texan's ball.

6:31 left in the game.

L Miller for 9.

L Miller gets 3 but holding on the Texans backs it up 10. Makes it 2nd and 11 coming up.

Pass to Hopkins is caught and fumbled. 49ers recover. 49er's ball at the Texan 32.

5:52 left in the game.

Hyde twists for 7.

Garoppolo keeps and gets tackled by Clowney for a loss of 3. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Taylor gets 6....4th and 1 coming up. 49ers going for the FG.

Gould's 41-yarder is good.

49ers 26, Texans 16

3:50 left in the game.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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Pass to White flutters inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Yates is sacked but the defense was off sides. 2nd and 5 coming up.

Pass to Anderson gets the 1st down at the Texan 39.

Pass to Hop off his hands, inc. 3:17 left in the game.

Flags presnap. False start Texans, -5. Brings up 2nd and 15.

Deep pass to Hop nearly INT'ed but inc. 3rd and 15 coming up.

Yates is sacked. Brings up 4th and 22. Texans going for it.

Pass to White gets the 1st down at the 49er 49.

Shanahan is challenging the ruling of a fumble of the catch after the refs blew the whistle.....Was he down by contact?

Play stands. Can't be challenged.

Yates scrambles for 12. Texans use a timeout.

Caught but out of bounds by Hop so inc.

Pass to L Miller loses 1. Texans use their final timeout with 1:41 left the game.

Yates keeps for 4.

On 4th and 7, Texans going for the FG.

Fairbairn's FG hits the post no good.

49ers takeover at the Texan 42.

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49ers kneeling it out.

Final score:

49ers 26, Texans 16

I didn't think it could get any worse than McNeck's being a bigoted shitstain for all the world to see, but I was sadly mistaken.

Savage gets concussed, has an obvious seizure on the field, and then goes back in the game.

(I'll set aside the sorry truth that Yates is clearly a better NFL quarterback than Savage. I like Tom as a guy a lot. I really wish he were a better player.)

(And I will never get over the arrogance and stupidity in equal measures involved in letting Bouye walk.)

Yeah. Though, Yates looked better than the last time he was with the Texans.

I just kept wondering how the Bills let Yates go in favor of their other terrible backup. Probably the same thinking that allowed the Texans to make Savage their Game 1 starter this season.

All that said, I feel horrible for Savage. I really hope he has no long term effects from these hits. If he gets and accepts some advice to hang it up to avoid any more concussions, then I hope that happens for the sake of his family. Maybe get into coaching or scouting, find other ways to stay in the business of the game.

Coaches get ideas about guys and it's the rare coach that's able to revise one of those ideas. The fact that Case Keenum is having a pretty successful year as a starter does not surprise me nearly as much as the fact that a team actually let him win a starting job.

I wonder how viable football at any level is on an ongoing basis unless significant helmet technological improvement is made immediately.

Early line in Texans @ Jags next Sunday is the Jags by 11 to 12½. I'll probably be on the Texans plus the points as it is a good spot for a Jag letdown after their triumphant victory over the Seahawks today....

Well the season has been over for the Texans several weeks now, so this was one more disappointment to add to the list.
I'm curious about next weeks game to see who shows up ? After that total humiliating blow out at the hands of the Jags in our home-opener do we just roll over and play dead or does the team have any fight left ?
So we are now basically in offseason mode and the leading question is does MCNair retain O'Brien & Smith or go with a clean slate for 2018, or retain one and drop the other ?

I think it's more a GM thing than a coach thing. GMs wield the real power.
Football as a profession is ego driven like every other profession. GMs don't get much credit for accidents in their favor. GMs also don't get credit for guys acquired by someone else. GMs only get called geniuses for drafting/signing their own guy and having him succeed. It's why Drew Brees has spent the last decade mostly winning in New Orleans instead of mostly winning in San Diego. It's why Blake Bortles is still playing in Jacksonville and will probably ruin a playoff game for them when TJ Yates could probably lead that defense to a win.

So guys stand by "their guys" because they want credit and because if they can fix "their guys" then they were never really wrong in the first place. So draft pick Tom Savage sticks around for years because Rick Smith wants to one day be proven right for drafting him.

How could they tell?

This was disappointing because I think we have better personnel than SF and we were playing at home.

Our defense seems to run in slow motion and too many arm tackles.

Vince: "Everybody's grabbin' out there. Grab. Grab. Grab. Nobody's tackling."

We would be like #5 or #6 in the draft order if we had draft picks.

I don't know.....they are down to the B and C-team at many positions. Yates would be a C-teamer. I'd say pretty much most of the leaders and rally guys are on IR.

15 Sun, Dec 17 @ Jacksonville 1:00 PM CBS
16 Mon, Dec 25 vs Pittsburgh 4:30 PM NBC
17 Sun, Dec 31 @ Indianapolis 1:00 PM CBS

The one thing (only thing?) the team can come away with in the next three games is some of the younger replacement guys getting some playing time/experience. In some cases, it is a situation where we can see a young, upside player learn his craft while the high-paid incumbent (and not necessarily better player) has to watch from the sideline. Then again, some of the B & C-teamers aren't ever going to be quality starting material.

No picks in the first two rounds in the upcoming draft just really sucks.... If they can find two or more quality starters in FA along with the others returning from IR (in 2018), it might not be the hopeless situation it seems at this point.... but this year is toast.

I think it's clear we are tanking for the 65th pick.