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49ers past Texans to close in on playoff berth
Lance makes second-half surge with two touchdowns.
49ers starting quarterback Trey Lance (5) throws the ball against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
2022.01.02 – Trey Lance’s launched a 45-yard strike to reached an open Deebo Samuel, who naturally headed for the end zone to cushion the San Francisco 49ers’ lead in an eventual 23-7 win over the Houston Texans Sunday.
Lance led the 49ers to five scores on their final seven drives, starting late in the first half when he completed three passes for 56 yards in the final 38 seconds to set up Robbie Gould’s 37-yard field goal on the final play of the half. The rookie quarterback threw two touchdown passes in the second half of his second career start.
“I think I got into a better rhythm and probably settled in after that two-minute drive,” Lance said. “Hopefully I can get started faster whenever that next time is.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan got back into the locker room after the latest win by the 49ers just in time to see New Orleans finish off its own win a couple thousand miles away.
The Niners will have to wait at least another week to clinch a playoff berth.
“It’s pretty simple for us,” Shanahan said. “I think our playoffs, I kind of thought going into this game that they started today because I had a feeling that was going to go like that and it did. I’m just glad we took care of business. So we got our second playoff game next week.”
The 49ers can clinch their second postseason appearance in five seasons under Shanahan with a win next week against the Rams or a loss by New Orleans.
2022.01.06 – 49ers vs. Rams (LOMBARDI: Garcia talking Lance vs. Garoppolo)
2022.01.06 – 49ers vs. Rams (LOMBARDI: Garcia talking Lance vs. Garoppolo)
2022.01.02 – (SF 49ers vs. Houston Texans) NFL Video Highlights
San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel (19) runs with the ball against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
2022.01.02 – (SF 49ers vs. Houston Texans) NFL Video Highlights
Lance got the nod for the 49ers (9-7) for the first time since Week 5 with Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined by a thumb injury and overcame an interception in the first half to lead San Francisco to the win.
Lance didn’t play skittish enough for the 49ers to rush Garoppolo back next game with a sprained thumb, which kept him out of uniform Sunday and reportedly will require postseason surgery.
“If Jimmy is 100% healthy and can do everything perfect, I’d definitely go with Jimmy,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I’m not going to throw one guy in after a game like this.
“Jimmy’s been doing it for us all year, and it’s going to be hard for Jimmy to be 100%, which is how most people are this time of year. But Trey did a good job. If Jimmy can’t go, we won’t hesitate at all (to start Lance).”
Shanahan expects Garoppolo to be able to throw at practice on Wednesday and that he will have a better idea about who will start the finale then.
Lance fared much better against lesser competition in his second start than he did in a 17-10 loss to Arizona in October.
He went 16 for 23 for 249 yards with his biggest play coming in the fourth quarter when he rolled right and then threw deep over the middle to Samuel, who caught it for a 45-yard touchdown that put the Niners up 17-7.
“Besides the bad interception, he protected the ball real well and that was a big thing going into this game,” Shanahan said about Lance. “He was very efficient. The play at the end (Samuel’s touchdown) was huge, and, for the most part, he made good decisions throwing the ball.”
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC: 49ers’ crucial win vs. Texans)
49ers starting quarterback Trey Lance (5) hands the ball to RB Mitchell (25) against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC: 49ers’ crucial win vs. Texans)
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC: 49ers’ crucial win vs. Texans)
The Texans (4-12) struggled to get much of anything going offensively and failed in their attempt at their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
“In the second half, we did some things that we’ve done earlier this season to lose ballgames,” coach David Culley said. “We didn’t protect the ball. We didn’t stay consistent on offense and gave up some big plays on defense that we haven’t been giving up. Those have been our Achilles heel all year long.”
Texans’ QB Davis Mills went 21 for 32 for 163 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Houston was held to 222 yards of offense.
“We knew it was Trey’s second start and we had to play a really good game to help him out,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said. “I think we did that.”
SCARY MOMENT
Shanahan got startled during a break in the action late in the fourth quarter when a child ran on the field and came up to him on the sideline before being taken away by security.
“I was just looking at my call sheet and heard a soft voice in front of me saying, ‘Holy cow! Kyle Shanahan.’ I didn’t know if it was my son at first. It startled me a little bit. Then I realized it was a kid. I had never seen a kid run on the field. I said, ‘Wow man how did you get down here.’ Security got him. I wish I was able to give him something.”
MOMENTUM SHIFT
The game shifted in the third quarter with a couple of big plays — and calls — for the 49ers.
It started when Marcell Harris made a move and intercepted a pass from Mills. Harris appeared to lose the ball on a fumble, but officials ruled that his forward progress was stopped.
On the next play, Terrance Mitchell was called for a 37-yard pass-interference penalty against Brandon Aiyuk to set up the Niners in the red zone. Lance finished the drive with an 8-yard TD pass to Elijah Mitchell to give San Francisco a 10-7 lead.
Mitchell finished with 21 carries for 119 yards, the rookie’s fifth 100-yard game.
The Texans had two pass-interference calls go their way early in the fourth quarter to get into the red zone, but a sack on third down by Samson Ebukam and then a missed 45-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn kept San Francisco ahead 10-7.
TURNAROUND
The Texans were stagnant for most of the first half before Desmond King intercepted a pass from Lance in the second quarter.
Lance threw to George Kittle in coverage instead of an open Samuel for his second interception of the season.
The Texans, who had only one first down on their first four drives, moved the ball 80 yards by converting four third downs, taking a 7-0 lead on Mills’ 8-yard TD pass to Brandin Cooks. Mills was 3 for 3 for 47 yards and the TD on third down on that drive.
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC : ‘Shanahan proud of Lance’)
San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell runs to score a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC : ‘Shanahan proud of Lance‘)
2022.01.02 – 49ers vs. Texans (NBC : ‘Shanahan proud of Lance’)
KEY INJURIES
Houston S Jonathan Owens (wrist), DL Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) and DB Grayland Arnold (ankle) were hurt.
UP NEXT
Texans: Host Tennessee on Sunday.
49ers: Visit the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Related – See below: Mostert’s Epic Dash to Super Bowl!
Related: 49ers fall to Titans in last second field goal
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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Mostert’s Epic Dash to Super Bowl!