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Top Takeaways from 49ers’ Preseason Opener in Houston

By Peter Panacy

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The San Francisco 49ers might have lost their preseason opener against the Houston Texans on Saturday night by a score of 23-10.

But that doesn’t mean the contest was awash with failure.

“I hope I’m presenting a very tempered approach to what happened tonight with Jarryd.” – Jim Tomsula on Jarryd Hayne

Preseason games are always difficult to gauge. The score and individual statistics matter little as does the outcome. This period of matchups is mostly to evaluate deeper talent and to determine the team’s depth chart.

Some of those answers were revealed on Saturday.

A number of fringe players showed up in a big way against the Texans. Developing cornerbacks Dontae Johnson, Keith Reaser and Kenneth Acker all had nice moments, which create some questions regarding how the secondary will shape up in the regular season.

And nose tackle Mike Purcell had a strong effort. He finished the contest with six tackles — one of which was for a loss.

But on another note, San Francisco’s first-round draft pick Arik Armstead didn’t exactly have an amazing start to his NFL career.

The rookie defensive end showcased his promise, but also still looked just as raw as many fans believed he would be.

The offensive line was also problematic later in the game. No. 3 quarterback Dylan Thompson was sacked in the second half and then taken down in the end zone for a safety by Houston linebacker Jason Ankrah.

In spite of the problems, what were some of the other takeaways from the 49ers?

Jarryd Hayne’s NFL Debut

Running back Jarryd Hayne may be a former Australian rugby star. But he was an unknown commodity at the NFL level heading into tonight’s contest.

Not so much any longer.

Hayne finished the night with five carries for 63 yards. He also had a long 53-yard run, which can be viewed here.

“He absolutely has to battle to make the roster,” Tomsula said via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. “And I hope I’m presenting a very tempered approach to what happened tonight with Jarryd. There were things that went on and we still have a long way to go.”

“The thing that excites me is the kind of person he is. You get into a situation where you’re rooting for guys, you’re pulling for guys. But it’s got to happen. And he’s one of those guys.”

Jun 11, 2015; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne (38) participates in drills at minicamp at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Hayne also displayed some prowess fielding punts and kickoffs on special teams.

The former rugby star is battling for a roster spot with fellow running backs Carlos Hyde, Kendall Hunter, Reggie Bush, Mike Davis and Kendall Gaskins.

Blaine Gabbert Shows Improvement

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert had a horrible preseason in 2014. But his start to the preseason in 2015 has been anything but.

Gabbert took over for No. 1 quarterback Colin Kaepernick after the starter played just one drive. After that point, Gabbert finished the night with eight completions on 11 attempts for 86 yards and a touchdown to tight end Garrett Celek.

His passer rating for the game was 125.6.

During the offseason, quarterbacks coach Steve Logan spent time working on decreasing Gabbert’s velocity while improving his accuracy per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

The results are still raw, and it’s hard to suggest that this is the type of quarterback Gabbert will be from this point forward especially considering he was going up mostly against second-tier defensive players.

Aug 15, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) throws in the pocket against the Houston Texans in a preseason NFL football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

But it’s nice to know that Gabbert has a little more potency in case Kaepernick suffers any sort of injury or setback in the regular season.

Third-Down Woes on Both Sides of the Ball

San Francisco’s defense had some promising moments. But this unit still allowed nine Houston conversions on 17 third-down plays.

A big part of the problem was the lack of a pass rush. The 49ers’ key pass-rushers, like linebacker Corey Lemonier and defensive end Tank Carradine, struggled to gain consistent pressure. And the Texans’ crop of quarterbacks were frequently allowed time to complete passes to the open man.

Aug 15, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans receiver Cecil Shorts III (18) scores on a 58-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason NFL football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On the flip side, the 49ers offense couldn’t handle third-down situations. They were 1-of-9 in this area on the night.

Again, it’s hard to gauge exactly where the problem is with so little a sample size. The offensive line was problematic later in the game. And Thompson looked completely lost under center when he took over for Gabbert in the second half.

Still, the lopsided numbers contributed to San Francisco losing the time-of-possession battle. Houston had a significant edge here with a possession time of 40:06 compared to 19:54.

Regardless, the 49ers have one preseason game under their belt.

There were enough positives to suggest San Francisco isn’t going to be entirely lost as many people may think. And the fact that the 49ers rested a number of key veterans is also an indication that this group is better than anticipated.

But there are problems that need to be fixed.

And it will be interesting to see how the 49ers go about doing this as they prepare for another contest versus the Dallas Cowboys on August 23.

Next: 49ers - Texans Game Preview Postgame Wrapup

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.

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