49ers Blog and Q&A

4Q

... 3rd and 6 from HOU 40: Smith fires quick sideline route to Crabtree, who snags it for first down. Another solid, solid effort by the rook ... 1st and 10: Gore runs for three ... 2nd and 7: Smith pass tipped at line ... 3rd and 7: Niners flub snap but call t.o. before fumble ... 3rd and 7: Smith finds Morgan open over the middle for a big, 17-yard gain ... 1st and 10 from 14: Smith fires pass to wide-open Davis for 14-yard TD ... HOU 21, 49ers 14 ...

Texans take over at own 15. ... 1st and 10: Play action, Schaub goes deep to well-covered Johnson, but Johnson still reels in catch at SF 41. Ouch. ... 1st and 10: Quick pass to Brown gains 4 ... 2nd and 6: Inc., Andre Johnson hurt on the play ... 3rd and 6: Big play -- 49ers blitz but Schaub still fins well-covered Owen Daniels for 1st down ... 1st and 10 at SF 29: Brown carries for three ... 2nd and 7: Schaub hits Daniels again (!!) for gain of 16 and a first down.... 1st and 10 from 11: Brown carries, gains zero ... 2nd and 10: Ahmad Brooks sacks Schaub for nine-yard loss ... 3rd and 19; Slaton rushes for minimal gain and then unnecessary roughness on HOU's Duane Brown ... Still, Kris Brown nails big 50-yard field goal ... HOU 24, SF 14

49ers take over at 27: No Crabtree ... 1st and 10: Smith pressured, throws ball away ... 2nd and 10: (Crabtree in) ... Smith to Morgan for 12 yards ... 1st and 10 from 39 ... delay on 49ers, 1st down ... 1st and 15 from SF 34: Pass to Vernon Davis broken up by the cornerback ... 2nd and 15: Pass to Davis, gain of 9 ... 3rd and 6: Pass to Crabtree, gain of 11 yards ... 1st and 10 from HOU 46: Smith to Morgan deep downfield, gain of 23 ... Smith again finds Davis over the middle for a touchdown (a career-high three touchdowns) HOU 24, 49ers 21 with 3:43 to play.

Texans take over at own 16 w/ 3:38. Niners have two time outs ... Pass inc. to Daniels ... 2nd and 10, 3:33: Schaub his Andre Davis for 14 yards and 1st down 1st and 10 from HOU 31: Slaton breaks free for huge, 31-yard gain ... 1st and 10: Slaton stopped for 2-yard loss ... 2 MIN warning ... 2nd and 12: Slaton gains four, Niners call time out ... 3rd and 8: Roman foils a nicely conceived play by the Texans by tipping pass ... PUNT

3Q

Nice return by Robinson gives 49ers ball at own 37. Alex Smith at QB, Barry Sims at RT, Snyder at RG... 1st and 10: Gore loses 2 ... 2nd and 12: Smith to Crabtree for 17 yards ... 1st and 10 from HOU 48 ... Encroachment ... 1st and 5 from 43 ... Gore runs, no gain ... 2nd and 5: Gore runs outside, gains nine ... 1st and 10 from 34: another defensive encroachment ... 1st and 5 from HOU 29: Nice pass over the top to Vernon Davis, hit at 2-yard line, stays up and goes into the end zone. HOU 21, 49ers 7 .... Crabtree wasn't in on that play ... Crabtree watch: five plays, targeted once, one reception for 17 yards

Injury update: Pashos is out; Davis shaken up after TD. Has wind knocked out of him and should return ....

Texans take over at 18 ... 1st and 10: Pass to Walter gains six ... 2nd and 4: Slaton finds an opening for 12 yards ... 1st and 10 HOU 36: Schaub toss to Slaton, no gain ... 2nd and 10: Schaub knocked down by Willis, inc. .... 3rd and 11: Pass to Henderson but comes up short ... PUNT

49ers take over at own 12 ... No Crabtree, Morgan only WR .... 1st and 10: Gore runs for three yards ... 2nd and 7: Gore runs outside, gains 1 .... 3rd and six: (Crabtree, Bruce in) Delay of game penalty ... 3rd and 11: (Morgan in, too) Pass to Davis but well short of first-down marker ... PUNT

Texans take over at SF 47 ... 1st and 10: Schaub runs for 2 ... 2nd and 8: Slaton runs for seven ... 3rd and 1: Schaub sneak gains two .... 1st and 10 from 36: Another Slaton run, loses ball while fighting for extra yards .... 49ers recover at SF 34 ... Goldson strips and recovers fumble

49ers take over at own 34. ... Crabtree and Bruce in .... Rachal at RG ... 1st and 10: Smith wriggled from pressure, runs for 11 yards .... 1st and 10: Gore runs for seven ... 2nd and three: Taser -- Gore takes direct snap, runs ahead for four. ... 1st and 10 at HOU 44: Pass to Crabtree, cuts in for 22-yard gain; play called back on illegal motion on Morgan ... 1st and 15 from 49; Smith hits Davis for eight-yard gain ... 2nd and 7: Pass to Bruce gains 1 ... 3rd and 6: END OF THIRD QUARTER

2Q

Texans begin at own 22 ... 1st and 10: False start on Houston; Smith making Texans jumpy ... 1st and 15: Pass to Daniels gains six ... 2nd and 9: Pass to Slaton nearly picked off by Spencer ... 3rd and 9: Pass to David Anderson broken up by Clements; illegal contact on Bly gives first down ... 1st and 10 at 28: Chris Brown smacked by Smith -1 ... 2nd and 11: Schaub to wide open TE Dreessen overthrown ... 3rd and 11: First pass to Johnson (zone coverage) goes for 18 yards .... 1st and 10 at HOU 44: Slaton hit behind line, no gain .... 2nd and 10: Schaub hit by Evans as he throws, too deep for WR Davis ... 3rd and 10: Pass to Anderson gains only 6 ... PUNT ... Battle fumbles punt at own 14, recovered by Texans at SF 10 ... Spikes has strained shoulder; probable to return ... Sing calls time out, gathers defense at sideline.

Texans take over at SF 10 ... 1st and goal: Slaton hit by McKillop after one yard gain ... 2nd and goal: Tiny dump to Slaton, bad, no-look tackle by Clements and Slaton dives into end zone. Houston 14, 49ers 0.

49ers take over at 20 ... Crabtree and Moragn in at WR; Rachal in at RG ... 1st and 10: Pass to Walker six yards ... 2nd and 4: Gore loses 2 ... 3rd down: False start on Rachal .. 3rd and 11: Nice sideline catch by Crabtree in front of CB for 18 yards. ... 1st and 10: Gore gains five yards ... 2nd and 5: Pass to Walker, gain of two ... 3rd and 3: Pass incomplete to Bruce, offensive p,i. on Bruce ... PUNT. Crabtree watch: six plays, targeted once, one reception for 18 yard.

Texans take over at own 22 ... 1st and 10: Pass to Walter, gain 14 ... 1st and 10: Delay of game on 49ers ... 1st and five: Slaton runs for four yards ... 2nd and 1 from HOU 45: Chris Brown hits hole, gains 13 ... 1st and 10 from 42: Schaub roles out, finds wide open Owen Daniels for TD. Who blew coverage? Goldson? Houston 21, 49ers 0. Daniels has five catches for 100 yards.

Michael Robinson has a stinger; his return is probable.

49ers take over at own 20 ... Crabtree and Bruce the receivers; Snyder in at RG ... 1st and 10: pass to Gore for nine yards ... 2nd and 1: Coffee gains 2 ... 1st and 10 from SF 31: Coffee gains 1 ... 2nd and 9: Deep sideline route to Bruce is incomplete, but p.i. on CB Dunta Robinson ... 1st down at HOU 46: Morgan in slot, takes handoff and gains six ... 2 MIN warning ... 2nd and 4: Sideline pass to Crabtree is incomplete .... 3rd and four: Hill scrambles, taken down two yards short of first down ... timeout SF ... 4th and 2: Hill pressured, throws while falling, nearly picked off. Crabtree watch: eight plays, targeted once, no receptions.

Texans take over at own 38 with 1:29 ... 1st and 10: Slaton no gain .... 2nd and 10: Schaun sacked by Lawson .... 3rd and 19: Slaton carries; Smith forces fumble and Clements recovers with :01 second left in the half. ... Nedney on the field; officials reviewing play .... Mike Carey rules that Slaton was down by contact with :07 left

END OF HALF ... Right tackle Tony Pashos has a shoulder contusion and his return is questionable. Unknown how the 49ers will shuffle the lineup ... Snyder at RT and Rachal at RG?

1Q

Houston takes over at 31, Morgan makes tackle on kickoff .... 1st and 10: Justin Smith flushes Schaub, Willis tackles after 2-yard gain ... 2nd and 8: Quick pass to Slaton, Goldson tackle ... 3rd and 5: Schaub runs again, is stopped 1 yard short ... PUNT

49ers fair catch at the 20 ... Crabtree (split end), Morgan and Bruce start the game ... On first down, Hill seems to want to go to Crabtree but double clutches and is sacked by Mario Williams. Crabtree hurries back to the huddle and talks to Hill ... 2nd down: Gore stopped after minimal gain ... 3rd down: Vernon Davis drops pass. ... Holding penalty brings back good Lee punt; he booms another, and Delanie Walker makes an immediate tackle at the Houston 43. Crabtree watch: Three plays, targeted once, no receptions.

Houston at own 43: 1st down: Schaub to Daniels for 8 ... 2nd and 8: Texans gain 1 ... 3rd and 1: Slaton runs right, cuts inside for six. ... 1st and 10 from SF 42: Smith wiffs on tackle, Slaton runs around and is eventually tackled by Smith. Loss of 5. ... 2nd and 15: Schaun pass tipped by Willis inc. .... 3rd and 15: Schaub pressured, throws ball away ... PUNT

49ers begin from own 14 ... Crabtree at split end ... 1st and 10: Quick pass to Gore, gains six before being pushed ob by Cushing .... 2nd and 4: Gore gains one ... 3rd and 3: Hill tries to hit Davis, who has single coverage; pass nearly picked off ... PUNT ... Crabtree watch: Three plays, not targeted, no receptions.

Texans take over at own 39 ... 1st down: Schaub to Owens, gain of 31. Willis had good coverage, but throw was spot on ... 1st down: Schaub to Walter for nine yards ... 2nd and 1: Slaton loses four yards; Spikes and Demetric Evans ... 3rd and 5: Schaub to Daniels for 12 ... 1st and 10 from SF 13 .... Pass to Daniels, ball poked out by Willis, inc. ... 2nd and 10: Direct snap to Slaton, gain of 1 ... 3rd and nine from 12: screen to Slaton; taken down by Brooks at 1 ... 1st and goal from 1: Slaton runs down line, slips in for TD ... Houston 7, SF 0 ...

49ers take over at own 25 ... Crabtree, Bruce the wideouts ... 1st and 10: Gore runs off right guard (Rachal) gains 1 ... Zgonina gets past Rachal for sack ... 3rd and 16: Bubble screen to CRABTREE picks up four yards. History, folks. History. ... 4th and 12: 49ers PUNT. Jacoby Jones takes it to the end zone, but there are two flags on the play. Block in the back gives Texans ball on own 22 Crabtree watch: Three plays, targeted once, one reception for four yards. END OF 1st Q