{"id":19433,"date":"2025-10-24T16:09:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T16:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/19433\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T16:09:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T16:09:27","slug":"the-standards-5-fast-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/19433\/","title":{"rendered":"The Standard\u2019s 5 fast predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want more ways to catch up on the latest in Bay Area sports? Sign up for the Section 415 email newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to the Section 415 podcast wherever you listen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 49ers are among six NFC teams that enter Week 8 with a 5-2 record, which shows how well they\u2019ve done to overcome major injuries and how difficult the road ahead is if they hope to secure a playoff berth.<\/p>\n

It appears Kyle Shanahan\u2019s team will once again be without quarterback Brock Purdy, whose toe injury is lingering longer than anticipated. Backup Mac Jones is 4-1, but the Texans\u2019 defense presents one of the toughest challenges the 49ers\u2019 offense has faced yet.<\/p>\n

Can Jones and a revamped rushing attack score enough to beat DeMeco Ryans\u2019 Texans? Here are our predictions. <\/p>\n

Offensive star of the game<\/p>\n

Kawakami: Jauan Jennings. You\u2019ve got to believe that Ryans will throw everything he\u2019s got at Christian McCaffrey. Which offensive player can pick up the slack? I\u2019ll go with Jennings, who\u2019s looking healthier these days and is tough enough to wrestle through some strong coverage.<\/p>\n

Lombardi: George Kittle. He was already awesome last week in the run game, even serving as an interior lead blocker to spearhead the 49ers\u2019 radical shift to gap-scheme running. That revived the key part of the team\u2019s offense and set the table for this week\u2019s matchup against the NFL\u2019s No. 1 defense. The way to beat Houston: Balance, and Kittle catches are the key to delivering that. <\/p>\n

Defensive star of the game<\/p>\n

Kawakami: Malik Mustapha. He looked dynamic last weekend against Atlanta and Houston\u2019s struggling offense should give him plenty of chances to tee off. There\u2019s a reason he\u2019s the only constant in the 49ers\u2019 new four-safety rotation.<\/p>\n

Lombardi: Alfred Collins. He quietly rose to the top of the defensive tackle pecking order with 39 snaps last week. This is another sizable development for the 49ers, who are even more reliant on quality DT play now that Fred Warner isn\u2019t supporting the line on that second level. If Collins continues to surge, the 49ers can hold steady against the run \u2014 and that\u2019s the ultimate key to defensive stability. <\/p>\n

The 49ers\u2019 potential X-factor<\/p>\n

Kawakami: Eddy Pi\u00f1eiro. This doesn\u2019t feel like a multiple-touchdown kind of game for the 49ers (or the Texans, either). Pi\u00f1eiro has made at least two field goals in every game since debuting in Week 2 and I think the 49ers might need four or more in this one. Probably including at least one from 55 yards or more.<\/p>\n

Lombardi: Kyle Shanahan. Because Ryans \u2014 his former pupil \u2014 is on the other side, we may have a prime opportunity to appreciate the fact that the 49ers have one of the best coaching staffs in football. They\u2019re 5-2 despite massive injury upheaval. It\u2019s getting harder and harder to bet against Shanahan devising a path to victory even with a shorthanded group. <\/p>\n

The key stat to track <\/p>\n

Kawakami: Sack totals. These are two good defenses \u2014 that haven\u2019t gotten to the QB much this season. Houston is the No. 1 ranked defense in yards, but only has 14 sacks, which is middle of the pack. The 49ers have only 9, which ranks 30th in the league. I think one of these defenses will get a bunch on Sunday and that team will win this game.<\/p>\n

Lombardi: A single interception. It\u2019s now been 14 games since the 49ers notched a pick, an NFL record. Can they finally grab one Sunday? For as inconsistent as Houston\u2019s offense has been, the Texans have generally protected the ball: They have only six giveaways. <\/p>\n

Game prediction<\/p>\n

Kawakami: Houston 17, 49ers 16. This feels like the opposite of the Atlanta matchup, which was quietly a great one for the 49ers. The Texans aren\u2019t a good team, but they can do stuff defensively that will bug the 49ers and set up some short fields for the Houston offense.<\/p>\n

Lombardi: 49ers 17, Texans 16. This may devolve into a bar fight. Houston is really good on the defensive side of the ball and might offer more confidence-building opportunities for the 49ers\u2019 defense on the other side. But Shanahan\u2019s team has shown that it knows how to win gritty. Here\u2019s another chance. <\/p>\n

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