SANTA CLARA – The 49ers will encounter the NFL’s stingiest protection to attain towards Sunday in Houston.
The Texans, conversely, will pit their embattled offense towards a 49ers’ patchwork protection that surprisingly is holding opponents beneath 20 factors.
Do the maths: a high-scoring affair shouldn’t be anticipated Sunday at NRG Stadium (10 a.m. PT kickoff).
“Their defense is unbelievable,” stated 49ers quarterback Mac Jones, who’s poised to make his fourth straight begin whereas Brock Purdy.
Jones has performed in Houston simply as soon as earlier than, and he hasn’t forgotten that fourth-quarter comeback win as a 2021 rookie with the New England Patriots.
“We got kind of lucky,” Jones joked. “There was a roughing the quarterback on a third-and-20 to keep the drive alive. Then we went down and kicked (a winning field goal). … It is nice when you have played in a stadium and know what to expect fan-wise are, where the play clocks are, and all that stuff.”
Different stuff to fret about: edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson whereas former 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair patrols the center and security Jalen Pitre (three interceptions) lurks within the secondary.
Tight finish George Kittle described Anderson as “incredibly powerful, explosive (and) likes to bully people, and he has an elbow brace that is scary.” As for the general Texans’ protection, it’s familar to Kittle and others contemplating the Texans’ coach is DeMeco Ryans, previously the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2021-22.
“They have the DeMeco blueprint: they fly around, they hit people, they don’t back down from anything and they want to hit you hard,” Kittle stated.
The 49ers (5-2) have but to crack the 30-point mark in any sport this season.
Whereas coach Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense can depend on Christian McCaffrey because the NFL’s chief in scrimmage yards, defensive coordionator Saleh once more should adapt to the lack of a premier participant. Go rusher Bryce Huff is out after straining his hamstring late in Sunday’s 20-10 win over Atlanta, weakening a unit that misplaced defensive finish Nick Bosa in Week 2 and linebacker Fred Warner in Week 6.
“I don’t think anybody on our team can emulate the speed Bryce has coming off the edge,” rookie defensive finish Mykel Williams stated. “We have to go do our job and maximize our ability to make up for what we lost.”
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir hasn’t practiced this week due to a quadriceps harm, however Saleh shouldn’t be bemoaning the potential of one other void.
“This league is about opportunity,” Saleh stated. “You have your superstars that are just different. You have your Bosas of the world that transcend coaching and are just special. The rest are A to Z, and the gap is (small). Some just need an opportunity, and you hope they take advantage of it.”
As for buying reinforcements earlier than the Nov. 4 commerce deadline, “nothing has presented itself that aligns completely to this point,” basic supervisor John Lynch stated on KNBR 680-AM.
Barring extra assist from blitzers, that defensive entrance shouldn’t strike worry into quarterback C.J. Stroud. Then once more, the Texans haven’t surrounded their quarterback with a stellar forged, even after he delivered wild-card playoff wins in his and Ryans’ first two seasons in Houston.
“I get the narrative for Houston but this is also the same team that dropped 44 on Baltimore and put 26 on Tennessee in a shutout,” Saleh stated of the Texans’ solely wins this season.
Houston’s offense, nonetheless, regarded bleak in Monday’s 27-19 loss at Seattle. “They have an offense that people will say is struggling right now,” linebacker Tatum Bethune stated, “but, on tape, I see a lot of playmakers that will capitalize if you give them a chance.”
PRACTICE PARTICIPANTS
Quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) remained a restricted participant in apply together with offensive sort out Spencer Burford (knee).
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (quadriceps), vast receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee), linebacker Luke Gifford (hamstring) and middle Jake Brendel (hamstring) didn’t apply.
On the Texans, vast receivers Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) didn’t apply.
CRAIG IN CONTENTION AGAIN
Roger Craig, the 49ers’ pioneering dual-threat working again from 1983-90, is amongst 34 former gamers advancing within the Seniors class for Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame voting. 9 semifinalists can be introduced in a month.
Initially Printed: October 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM PDT
