With rookie Trey Lance starting just the second game of his NFL career, the 49ers defense knew they had to produce a stellar performance against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and in the end they delivered.
The 49ers limited the Texans to just 222 total yards in their 23-7 win on Sunday and held them scoreless after giving up a touchdown early in the second quarter. The Texans had just 3.6 yards per play compared to 6.8 for the 49ers, who rolled up 416 total yards in the win.
The goal set by defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was to dominate for Lance, and based on the results, it was a mission they accomplished.
"We always have three keys to victory for our defense—DeMeco does—and this week we had one: it was that we had to have our most dominant performance of the year," linebacker Fred Warner said after the game. "That's just in general. Obviously we knew that Trey was going to be the starter, but we needed to do that for the team. Was it our most dominant? I don't know. We've got to go back and watch."
Not everything was perfect for the defense (there were a few key penalties they'd like to have back, for starters), but their performance gave Lance and the offense time to settle in, overcome a slow start, and eventually put the Texans away in the second half.
"I thought the defense and special teams played really well," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday. "Holding them to three yards per play on defense, special teams, we've been down here over this last month and this at least felt like that was one of our better games in a while. Which I think that allowed us to be more comfortable on offense, start to get into a rhythm and not really press and just let it happen naturally."
The biggest play of the game for the defense—and their most fortunate break—came on an interception by linebacker Marcell Harris, the first of his NFL career. Harris appeared to have fumbled the ball back to the Texans after making the interception, but officials ruled that his forward progress had been stopped.
That's a PICK @MarcellJHarris! #HOUvsSF on CBS/49ers App pic.twitter.com/gN2R3NeORn
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 2, 2022
The interception was a crucial turning point as it came with the Texans up 7-3 in the third quarter and led to the first touchdown of the game for the 49ers. Harris seemed to think the call was the right one.
"For the most part I thought I was down," Harris said. "I heard the whistle as I was being held up and God was behind me and we got the ball back with a chance for the offense to score. I can't ask for nothing more."
Warner, on the other hand, chuckled a bit when he was asked about the fumble.
"Next time he needs to go down, but we got away with one," Warner said.
But regardless of what one thinks about that play, it was one of several moments in the second half that helped shut down the Texans and send the 49ers home with a win. The Texans finished the game with seven punts, one turnover on downs, and five three-and-outs in addition to the interception, while the 49ers finished with one of their best defensive performances of the season and a win for the rookie.
"It is understood from the whole team," Harris said. "We got each other's backs and for him to get that start, get a win under his belt, that's nothing but love for him. As a defense, as a whole, we played great, phenomenal, I think. Kudos to Trey for the win."
