2025 Week 8: Texans Defeat the Depleted 49ers 26-15
At NRG Stadium, the San Francisco 49ers drop to the Houston Texans on National Tight Ends Day. Around the NFL, teams and players celebrated their tight ends with special gear and honored those who came before them. Throughout Week 8, 10 different tight ends were able to secure a touchdown pass to commemorate the holiday.
After Sunday’s matchup, the Texans were Pro Football Reference’s no. 1 team defense with a top-3 passing defense and top-5 rushing defense. On the other side of the ball, Houston’s offense has struggled with injuries to starting wide receivers Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Christian Kirk and running back Joe Mixon.
San Francisco has started to get some of its offensive skill players back from injury, adding to its already dominant offense. Tight end George Kittle played his second game of the season on Sunday, while wide receiver Jauan Jennings played in his fifth. The defense has also flourished in defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s first season back with the 49ers. However, both units struggled against the Texans.
Houston quickly took command of the game with a 19-play first drive that resulted in a field goal. Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn was able to secure two more field goals in the second quarter and a touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud to wide receiver Jayden Higgins.
While it looked like the 49ers were going to have a scoreless first half, running back Brian Robinson Jr. had a 46-yard kick return to put them at the 50-yard line. A face mask penalty committed by the Texans helped set up a touchdown catch by Kittle. On the next Texans’ drive, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir picked off Stroud to finish the half.
The Texans took the momentum back in the second half, with another touchdown pass from Stroud. They put the game away in the fourth quarter with a field goal by Fairbairn to put the final score at 26-15.
Despite their success in previous weeks, the 49ers’ offense struggled against Houston’s league-leading defense. San Francisco will look to bounce back at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants next Sunday morning.