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49ers vs. Texans: 5 biggest challenges facing San Francisco in Week 14

By Peter Panacy

HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 28: Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans hands the ball off against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half in a pre-season NFL game on August 28, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 49ers won 40 to 13. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 28: Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans hands the ball off against the San Francisco 49ers in the second half in a pre-season NFL game on August 28, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 49ers won 40 to 13. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 28: Lance Lewis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers catches the ball while Dre Hal #38 of the Houston Texans defends in the second half in a pre-season NFL game on August 28, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 49ers won 40 to 13. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 28: Lance Lewis #18 of the San Francisco 49ers catches the ball while Dre Hal #38 of the Houston Texans defends in the second half in a pre-season NFL game on August 28, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 49ers won 40 to 13. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco 49ers visit the Houston Texans in Week 14, and Niner Noise explores the five biggest challenges facing head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.

For only the second time this season, the 2-10 San Francisco 49ers have a chance to establish a winning streak.

This, after knocking off the Chicago Bears on the road, 15-14, last week.

In order to do so, the Niners will have to upend the 4-8 Houston Texans on the road, which presents another slew of problems head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. will have to face.

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Houston’s season, once so promising, has fallen apart after key injuries to quarterback Deshaun Watson, defensive end J.J. Watt and linebacker Whitney Mercilus. The record might not indicate anything promising, but the Texans still have vastly superior talent to the Niners at this point in their rebuild.

And yet San Francisco could still pull off the upset.

To do so, the 49ers will have to overcome some key challenges facing them during this contest. In this slideshow, we’ll explore exactly what those challenges are and why they’re so crucial to the Niners’ pending efforts.