HOUSTON >> Pass after pass, Jimmy Garoppolo found his target, the chains moved and the 49ers passing attack looked ready to pounce on its regular-season challengers.
Saturday night’s opening-series, touchdown drive went so smooth the 49ers kept Garoppolo in for an encore. That second possession went swell until a couple penalties and an interception (off a tipped pass) against the host Houston Texans.
And the Texans eventually rallied for a 16-13 win, going ahead on a last-minute touchdown catch by Vyncint Smith as Emmanuel Moseley trailed in coverage.
Garoppolo’s stat line (10-of-12, 136 yards, one touchdown, one interception) reflected more than his familiar poise and accuracy. His receivers and offensive line stepped up, just as they did last December when the 49ers won here in Garoppolo’s second start.
Defensively, the 49ers weren’t as sharp, allowing an opening-series touchdown for the second straight exhibition and enhancing concerns about their lack of pass rush and pass coverage.
But Garoppolo and the offense provided more than enough highlights, starting with a 40-yard completion down the left sideline to Marquise Goodwin at the Texans’ 35. Other beauties included a 24-yard, fourth-down toss to Kyle Juszczyk and a third-down, 2-yard touchdown strike to Trent Taylor.
Garoppolo’s final pass got intercepted: a 20-yard throw on first-and-35 that sailed high off Dante Pettis’ fingers, with the interception recorded by Stanford product Johnson Bademosi.
Garoppolo repeatedly stayed in his pocket’s safe confines, and although offensive tackles Joe Staley and rookie Mike McGlinchey were solid bookends, it must be noted that the Texans did not play seven defensive starters, including pass-rushing demons J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus.
As for the right guard competition, Mike Person played the first series before being relieved by Joshua Garnett, whose exhibition-season debut included a second-quarter pancake block.
Three impressions
1. Clutch passing >> Garoppolo was 6-of-6 for 106 yards on third-down passes in the opening quarter, and if you tack on his 24-yard completion to Kyle Juszczyk on fourth-and-1, he had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in those clutch situations.
Not surprisingly, Garoppolo often went to last season’s go-to options: Marquise Goodwin (three receptions, 77 yards) and Trent Taylor (two catches, 7 yards, 1 touchdown). The other third-down receptions was to Cole Wick, who’s filling in for the injured George Kittle (shoulder). The only third-down pass that didn’t yield a first down was an 8-yarder to Goodwin, setting up the Juszczyk catch in which Garoppolo rapidly went through his progressions and found the fullback open on the right flank.
The pass-oriented start offset a lackluster rushing effort, as Jeremy McNichols got the start and Joe Williams was first off the bench instead of the newly signed Alfred Morris.
2. Welcome aboard, Weston >> Let’s not tee off on new center Weston Richburg for his back-to-back penalties that hindered the 49ers’ second series. Instead, consider it his coming-out party, showing the ornery side attached to his reputation.
Richburg disputed a holding penalty the second it was called on him, and officials flagged him for that debate. Yes, he’ll have to watch that temper come the regular season, but Richburg brings an angry side to an offensive line otherwise full of nice (but solid) guys. You can bet whoever starts at right guard is going to have a demanding center next to them, so good luck Person, Garnett and Jonathan Cooper.
3. Defensive struggles >> Reuben Foster made Reuben-esque plays, De Forest Buckner got pressure amid double teams, and the 49ers defense is still lacking play makers to help them. Mind you, the 49ers starting defense was without cornerback Richard Sherman, linebacker Malcolm Smith and defensive linemen Solomon Thomas and Arik Armstead.
Sherman suited up for warmups (complete with a left-elbow pad) but did not make his 49ers debut and changed into a T-shirt by kickoff. Coming off hamstring and Achilles issues, he does look on pace to play in the regular-season opener, if not next week’s game at Indianapolis. Sherman’s replacement, Jimmie Ward, gave up a couple third-down conversion catches.
Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson was 5-of-8 for 73 yards on the Texans’ opening possession, culminating in a fourth-and-goal, 1-yard touchdown pass to former 49ers receiver Bruce Ellington, who easily sidestepped safety Jaquiski Tartt at the line of scrimmage.
Studs
1. Trent Taylor >> While Goodwin remains Garoppolo’s favorite, Taylor looks back in the fold as 1A. Catching a third-and-2 touchdown pass made for a nice exhibition-season debut from Taylor, who missed offseason program because of lower-back surgery to shave bone spurs. Garoppolo again went to Taylor, producing a 5-yard catch on third-and-4.
2. Offensive line >> Before we gush praise, we must note that the Texans sat seven defensive starters, including pass-rushing demons J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus, as well as leading tackler Benardrick McKinney and cornerback Jonathan Joseph. That said, excellent blocking kept Garoppolo clean in the pocket. Joe Staley, Laken Tomlinson, Weston Richburg, Mike Person and Mike McGlinchey are meshing well as a reconfigured unit, although Person only played the first series before yielding to Joshua Garnett and, late in the third quarter, Jonathan Cooper.
3. Backup defensive tackles >> If the 49ers didn’t already have nose tackle Earl Mitchell, they’d be in fine shape relying on Sheldon Day and D.J. Jones, who each forced a fumble. Day had five tackles and Jones three.
Duds
1. Joe Williams >> Unproductive running the ball, he failed to snag Nick Mullen’s first pass and it resulted in a fourth-quarter interception. Williams had 18 yards on eight carries, and he remained on the sideline as undrafted rookie Jeff Wilson played the final drives. Williams’ roster chances are dimming, and that’s even with Alfred Morris yet to make his debut.
2. Pass rush >> It was a far too quiet night, especially for Cassius Marsh as the starting “Leo” linebacker — and best edge rusher, by default. Marsh started in place of Solomon Thomas (concussion). Perhaps the 49ers will have to try Arik Armstead there once cleared, presumably by Week 1. Jeremiah Attochu isn’t pushing Marsh on the depth chart, Eli Harold isn’t doing much as outside linebacker threat, and the 49ers have pass-rush issues. How much do the Raiders want for Khalil Mack?
3. NFL helmet rule >> For the second straight game, the 49ers had a player flagged for allegedly violating a new rule that forbids lowering helmet to initiate contact, and the rule is inciting debate league-wide.