Sunday was not a banner day for San Francisco (5-3).
It’s easier to identify what went wrong versus what went right from Sunday’s 26-15 San Francisco loss at the Houston Texans (3-4).
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for a season-high 318 yards and Houston outgained San Francisco in total yardage 475-223. As rough as parts of Sunday were, the 49ers had their chances to make it a more competitive ball game and just fell short.
Still, the 49ers’ Week 8 loss was not without some notable positive performances. Here’s a look at the 49ers’ best performances from Sunday’s setback.
George Kittle
And a very happy National Tight Ends Day to you Mr. George Kittle. Kittle finished with four grabs for 43 yards, including this spectacular one-handed 17-yard touchdown snag in traffic.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Jake Tonges
It wasn’t just Kittle that found paydirt on National Tight Ends Day. 49ers tight end Jake Tonges pulled San Francisco back within a score late in the third quarter with this 2-yard touchdown grab from Mac Jones.
Deommodore Lenoir
San Francisco cornerback Deommodore Lenoir picked off Stroud just before the end of the first half, notching his seventh career interception.
Tatum Bethune
49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune tallied a career-high 14 tackles in the contest, which is the most by a San Francisco player since Fred Warner recorded 15 against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 12, 2024.
Christian McCaffrey
It speaks to the greatness of San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey that Sunday falls well below he and the 49ers’ standard. And that obviously isn’t entirely McCaffrey’s fault either.
McCaffrey finished with eight carries for 25 yards and caught three passes for 43 yards. In the process, McCaffrey notched a pair of impressive milestones.
With his 43 receiving yards, McCaffrey has reached 5,025 receiving yards in his 103rd career game, which is the second-fewest games to reach 5,000 or more receiving yards by a running back in NFL history. Only Lenny Moore with the Baltimore Colts achieved 5,000 receiving yards faster (98 games).
McCaffrey’s 68 scrimmage yards also means McCaffrey has eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards in the first eight games of the season. McCaffrey becomes the fifth 49er in franchise history to register 1,000-plus scrimmage yards in the first eight games of a season and the first since Frank Gore in 2010.
McCaffrey joins a group that includes Gore, Roger Craig (1985, 1988), Garrison Hearst (1998) and Charlie Garner (2000).
Thomas Morstead
It’s not what 49ers fans are looking for, but veteran punter Thomas Morstead had a really good day on Sunday. The 17-year NFL vet booted five punts for an average of 47.6 yards and had three punts downed inside the 20, including one at the Houston 6-yard-line.
In a different circumstance, Morstead’s work could have been a big factor in a San Francisco victory. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner probably summed up best how most San Francisco fans felt about that, though.
More 49ers news: 7 observations, players who stood out in 49ers abysmal Week 8 loss vs. Texans