49ers vs. Texans: What to Look for from San Francisco in Preseason Opener
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers open up the preseason with a home contest versus the visiting Houston Texans. Niner Noise points out five elements fans should watch during Sunday’s game.
The San Francisco 49ers kick off the 2016 preseason with a home exhibition versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, August 14 at 7 p.m. ET.
The opening week of preseason football is a welcomed return for NFL fans across the world, although the aura of exhibition football quickly wears off. The regular season can’t come soon enough, right?
As such, we shouldn’t expect to see too much actual NFL action. Teams play their starters for a drive or two — rarely more than a quarter in these opening matchups.
Still, certain factors and elements should command our attention.
Head coach Chip Kelly won’t be revealing too much of what he plans on doing in regular-season contests. The offense will be a little more vanilla than usual, and starting reps will be over long before halftime even commences.
The same must be said of the defense.
But this preseason opener provides us with a glimpse into what may be expected during the regular season. And the game will answer a few pressing questions as well.
Let’s break down five of these points fans should watch this Sunday evening.
Next: Chip Kelly's Uptempo Offense