By Morris Phillips
AP photo: The Houston Texans KJ Dillon breaks up a pass intended for the San Francisco 49ers Bryce Treggs in the second half of Sunday’s first exhibition game at Levis Stadium
SANTA CLARA–It might not seem like much, but on the occasion of the 49ers’ pre-season opener against the Texans, we found out Coach Chip Kelly’s real name is Charles, and contrary to the prevailing thought, the new ball coach isn’t so serious that he can’t make us laugh.
And what about the football? All in all, despite the 24-13 loss, not a bad first impression.
Kelly’s high-paced offense debuted with 50 offensive plays, and 302 yards in total offense… in the first half. Those numbers accompanied a 13-7 halftime lead, and dwarfed those of the Texans, who ran just 25 plays and gained 89 yards. Evaluating a pre-season football game places significant weight on what happens early, when the starters are on the field, and from that perspective the 49ers showed that with a healthy, experienced offensive line and Carlos Hyde running behind it, this Chip Kelly offense could be pretty good.
“I think someone said we had 50 plays or something like that,” tight end Vance McDonald said. “It’s really awesome to see. Again, you wish you could come out with a victory in the pre-season game, but it was still really fun to see what we could do tempo-wise and see how it wore the defense out.”
How things will look a month from now in the season opener against the Rams is far from settled. Colin Kaepernick was a last minute scratch due to arm fatigue, so the quarterback competition between Kapernick and Blaine Gabbert didn’t come any closer to a resolution. Kelly explained that in fairness to Kap, who could have played, it was better to hold him out, and give him an opportunity to make an impression in Week 2 at Denver. In his absence, Gabbert admitted he was up and down, but definitely up in throwing a 43-yard touchdown pass to McDonald, which ranked easily as the most impressive offensive play of the day by either team.
The key for either quarterback, according to Kelly, will be the ability to make snap decisions that keep the offense humming, and in position to wear down the opposing defense, much like the offense did on Sunday against the Texans in the opening half.
So good was the running game early, Mike Davis, the team’s third round pick from a year ago, looked like a first rounder, in accumulating 72 yards rushing on five carries, including a 44-yard run that was longest play from scrimmage all day. All five of Davis’ carries came in the second quarter, where a huge chunk of the team’s 161 yards rushing in the first 30 minutes were realized.
Hyde looked good too, rushing for 27 yards in the first quarter, most of those on a 22-yard run that ended with Hyde attempting to run over his Texan tackler. Along the offensive line, Daniel Kilgore was back in his familiar role as center, flanked by young pros, Andrew Tiller and Zane Beadles, who at least for now, are ahead of better known Anthony Davis and rookie first rounder Joshua Garnett.
Defensively, the 49ers showed significant depth in their front seven, where Erik Armstead, arguably the team’s most improved player, resides at left defensive end. Armstead, also was held out as precautionary move, which allowed the team’s top draft pick, DeForrest Buckner to see significant time. Ahmad Brooks had a sack from his outside linebacker spot, and the competition between Michael Wilhoite, Ray Ray Armstrong and Gerald Hodges for the inside backer spot opposite NaVorro Bowman, saw Armstrong and Wilhoite make several impressive plays.
Without the spirited quarterback competition, Thad Lewis and Jeff Driskel followed Gabbert, and the team’s offensive output suffered as a result. The 49ers ran just 28 plays after halftime, and never hit a rhythm, amassing just 107 more yards in offense. Also, the penalties that were pleasantly absent in the first half, cropped up with the team committing six of their eight miscues after halftime.
J.J. Watt, Brian Cushing, Jadeveon Clowney and Jonathon Joseph were the most prominent Texans to not suit up and play, and besides Kaepernick and Armstead, the 49ers also held out receiver Torrey Smith and safety Eric Reid.
Afterwards, Kelly, thought to be aloof especially with the media, answered every questions posed without pretense, drawing laughs when he couldn’t offer injury information for quarterback Lewis and others, saying he was in such a rush to greet the media and offer his thoughts, that he bypassed the training room and the injury updates.
Given where the 49ers were a year ago, under Jim Tomsula, a coach who almost everyone questioned in terms of his competency, and the seemingly endless personnel losses and defections, the tone was much lighter in the home locker room. The team’s overall health has a great deal of importance in that regard, but also there’s a sense that Kelly has a sound scheme and the foundation is in place for the team to make a significant jump from last year’s 5-11, last place finish.
On Saturday, the 49ers travel to Denver to take on the Broncos with the game time set for 6pm.
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