... and went nowhere
While the 49ers revelled in another win, another good game from Jimmy Garoppolo (career-high 334 yards passing) and a new sense of optimism.
HOUSTON >> It’s wasn’t like Jimmy Garoppolo simply had to cut-and-paste his successful starting debut. But he did win his encore Sunday with another second-half comeback, this time toppling the host Texans
26-16.
Garoppolo passed for a career-high
334 yards, and his third-quarter touchdown pass to Garrett
Celek gave the
49ers (3-10) a lead they would not relinquish.
Next Sunday marks his home debut as the 49ers starting quarterback, but he played coy about whether he’s earned coach Kyle Shanahan’s nod to try and go 3-0 when Tennessee visits Levi’s Stadium.
“We’ll see what happens
this week. That’s on Kyle,” Garoppolo said. “I don’t know. We’ll find out (Monday) probably.”
Wait, he’s waiting for Shanahan’s blessing?
“That’s usually how it goes,” Garoppolo responded with a sly smile.
Told by reporters he’ll surely start, he replied: “I like the confidence.”
After winning his starting debut last week with a fourth-quarter comeback at Chicago, Garoppolo started this game rocky, sailing a couple passes and having one intercepted. As he settled down to complete 20-of33 passes, his supporting cast stepped up against the Texans (4-9).
Helping preserve that lead was Adrian Colbert’s forced fumble against Texans star DeAndre Hopkins, with Aaron Lynch recovering at the Texans 32. That set up Robbie Gould’s fourth field goal of the game.
It’s the first time the 49ers have won back-toback games in a season since November 2014. Doing so with consecutive road wins is quite a feat after starting 0-9 for the first time in franchise history.
“We haven’t won a lot this year, but to win these last two — and three out of the last four — it’s definitely exciting,” Shanahan said. “You can feel it in our building. Guys are gaining that confidence.”
As for back-to-back comebacks, Garoppolo said: “It’s not something we want to get into. We would love to be ahead. But it’s finding a way to win. We have a young group of guys in there who are learning how to do that, and we’re figuring out different ways.
“Last week was a field goal. This week, the defense stepped up huge at the end for us. It’s just finding a way to win.”
The 49ers will close their season against three playoff contenders: the Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars at home before a New Year’s Eve visit to the Los Angeles Rams.
Key impressions
TOUGH GUY >> Garoppolo showed his familiar quick release and leadership, but what also stood out was his toughness in the
pocket.
He took nine hits but often got the ball out before a potential sack. In the third quarter, he completed a 13-yard pass to Marquise Goodwin before linebacker Benardrick McKinney hit Garoppolo and drew a roughing-thepasser penalty. Garoppolo did not get sacked until the fourth quarter, and he ran into a second sack due to solid coverage.
“It’s football. Nothing crazy,” Garoppolo said of the hits. “The O-line did a good job today, especially mixing and matching a couple guys in there today.” HOPKINS BEATS JOHNSON >> Aside from his fourthquarter fumble, Hopkins dominated the 49ers defense and especially Dontae Johnson, and not just on two touchdown catches. Johnson drew three penalties trying to cover Hopkins, including two pass-interference calls on the Texans’ touchdown drive that opened the second half. Johnson slammed his helmet to the ground on the 49ers sideline after that third-quarter drive. Johnson got benched in favor of Greg Mabin on the 49ers’ next defensive series, but Johnson returned when Ahkello Witherspoon was injured on the Hopkins fumble play.
Key players
49ERS QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO >> He joined Elvis Grbac and Jim Plunkett as the only 49ers quarterback to win their first two road starts.
49ERS RB CARLOS HYDE >> He scored his first touchdown in seven games, a 2-yard run that gave the 49ers the lead with 2:32 remaining. Hyde finished with 78 yards on 14 carries, and he’s 229 yards shy of his first career 1,000yard season.
TEXANS WR DEANDRE HOPKINS >> He had 11 catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. His fourthquarter fumble, however, was costly.
TEXANS LB JADEVEON CLOWNEY >> The 2014 draft’s top pick overcame an injury scare and had four hits on Garoppolo, along with six tackles, two for loss.
49ERS WR MARQUISE GOODWIN >> After catching all eight targets last week for 99 yards, he nabbed 6-of-12 this game for a team-high 106 yards.