The 49ers (3-12) travel to Reliant Stadium for a 1:15 PT kickoff against the Houston Texans (2-13) in the season finale on New Year's Day.
Tony Banks starts at quarterback for Houston with David Carr on the injury report. Vernand Morency runs the ball. Andre Johnson leads the receivers. Alex Smith starts for the 49ers; Frank Gore returns from injury at running back; Arnaz Battle at receiver.
The season finale Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. The 49ers (3-12) face the 2-13 Houston Texans in the kind of road game where, with the Texans needing the loss to keep the first overall pick (and the 49ers needing the win for the year's identity tape), the outcome will directly affect both teams' offseasons.
Alex Smith stays the starter. Frank Gore returns from his injury at running back. Brandon Lloyd the WR1. The Texans come in with Tony Banks at quarterback (David Carr on the injury report).
Favored by 1 on the road. The kind of finale where 4-12 closes the year on the right note and a loss closes it 3-13.
Week 17 across the NFL sees the playoff field set. The Seahawks, Bears, Falcons, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Buccaneers, and Panthers compete in the NFC. The Colts, Patriots, Bengals, Chargers, Steelers, Broncos, and Ravens compete in the AFC. The Texans (2-13) need the loss for the first overall pick (which will become Reggie Bush). The 49ers (3-12) are eliminated. The Sunday finale is the kind of week where the 49ers' upset would give the Texans the first overall pick.
Through fifteen games the 49ers are 3-12 with a -192 point differential. Alex Smith averages 5.2 yards per attempt with one TD and nine INTs. Frank Gore returns from injury. Maurice Hicks averaged 109 last week. Brandon Lloyd averages 53 receiving yards a game. The defense allows 30.1 points per game. The Texans are 2-13 with Tony Banks at quarterback (David Carr injured). Vernand Morency averages 60 rushing yards a game. Andre Johnson leads the team in receiving. Vegas opens the line as essentially pick-em; total 39.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 10-5 | W4 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-7 | W5 |
| Buffalo Bills | 5-10 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 3-12 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11-4 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-5 | W3 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 6-9 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5-10 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 13-2 | L2 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 11-4 | W2 |
| Tennessee Titans | 4-11 | L2 |
| Houston Texans | 2-13 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 12-3 | W3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9-6 | W1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 9-6 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-11 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 13-2 | W11 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 5-10 | -- |
| St. Louis Rams | 5-10 | L4 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3-12 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-5 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 9-6 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-6 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6-9 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 11-4 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-7 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 5-10 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-12 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 10-5 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 10-5 | W1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8-7 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-12 | L4 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Texans | Kris Brown 21 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| Texans | Vernand Morency 3 yard rush ( Kris Brown kick) | 10-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Brandon Lloyd 14 yard pass from Alex Smith ( Joe Nedney kick) | 10-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 42 yard field goal | 10-10 |
| Texans | Corey Bradford 25 yard pass from Tony Banks ( Kris Brown kick) | 17-10 |
| 49ers | Mike Adams 40 yard interception return ( Joe Nedney kick) | 17-17 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| OT | ||
| 49ers | Joe Nedney 33 yard field goal | 17-20 |
Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass and the 49ers beat the Houston Texans 20-17 at Reliant Stadium in the season finale. Smith finished 16-of-29 for 159 yards. Frank Gore ran for 108 yards on 25 carries in his return from injury. Joe Nedney made the kicks. The defense intercepted Tony Banks twice. The 49ers finished 4-12 with the season-ending road win. The Texans' loss gave them the first overall pick in the 2006 draft.[1][2][3]
Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass and Frank Gore ran for 108 yards Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. The 49ers beat the Houston Texans 20-17 in the kind of season-finale road win where, with the Texans needing the loss to keep the first overall pick, the year's identity tape produced the kind of upset that directly affected the offseason draft order. The Texans' loss gave them the first overall pick in the 2006 draft (which they would use on Mario Williams, the kind of decision that became one of the league's most-debated draft choices of the era).
Smith was 16-of-29 for 159 with a touchdown to Arnaz Battle (his first NFL touchdown pass). Frank Gore, back from injury, ran for 108 yards on 25 carries. Joe Nedney made the kicks. The defense intercepted Tony Banks twice. Vernand Morency ran for 83 yards. Andre Johnson was held quiet.
4-12. The kind of finale that closed the year with three December wins and the kind of upset that, in the offseason draft order conversation, was the year's lone story line. The Mike Nolan staff's first year ends with two-game improvement on 2004's 2-14. The offseason will be about Norv Turner's hire as OC, Frank Gore's emergence as the lead back, Vernon Davis as the rookie 6th-overall pick, and the kind of Alex Smith development question that 2006 will produce.
49ers 20, Texans 17. Margin: +3. Sixteen-game record: 4-12, -189 differential.
* Alex Smith: 16-of-29 for 159, 1 TD (Battle; first NFL TD pass), 1 INT.
* Frank Gore: 25 carries for 108 (return from injury).
* Arnaz Battle: 3 catches for 52, 1 TD.
* Tony Banks: 14-of-25 for 173, 1 TD, 2 INTs.
* Vernand Morency: 21 carries for 83, 1 TD.
* Andre Johnson: limited receiving.
* 49ers D: 2 INTs of Banks.
* Texans' loss gave them 1st overall pick (Reggie Bush became the target).
* 49ers 4-12 (final); Texans 2-14.
A 20-17 season-finale road win over the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Frank Gore returns from injury and runs for 108 yards. Alex Smith throws his first NFL touchdown pass. The 49ers finish 4-12.
How it unfolded
The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Joe Nedney field goal. The Texans answered with a touchdown to make it 7-3. Smith hit Arnaz Battle on a touchdown pass to make it 10-7 (Smith's first NFL touchdown pass). The Texans added a field goal to tie at 10-10. The 49ers added another Nedney field goal in the third quarter to make it 13-10. The fourth quarter was a Frank Gore touchdown to push the lead to 20-10. The Texans added a late touchdown to make it 20-17. The 49ers' defense closed it out with a final-drive interception of Tony Banks.
The turning point
Alex Smith's first NFL touchdown pass, to Arnaz Battle in the second quarter. With the rookie's struggle through five games of bench duty and two return starts producing zero touchdown passes, the score gave the 49ers the lead they used to manage the rest of the game.
By the numbers
Smith 159 passing on 29 attempts with a TD and an INT. Gore 108 rushing on 25 carries (his most productive game). Battle 52 receiving on 3 catches with the TD. Brandon Lloyd 5 catches for 35. Banks 173 on 25 attempts with a TD and two INTs. Vernand Morency 83 rushing with a TD.
Personnel watch
Alex Smith's first NFL touchdown pass. Frank Gore's return from injury and most productive game of the year (108 rushing). Arnaz Battle's touchdown reception. The defense's two interceptions of Tony Banks. The kind of season-finale road win where everything the year's identity tape was hoping for actually happened.
What it means
4-12 with the offseason beginning. The kind of finale that closed Mike Nolan's first year with two-game improvement on 2004's 2-14. The Texans' loss gave them the first overall pick in the 2006 draft (Reggie Bush became the target, though Houston ultimately drafted Mario Williams). The 49ers finished with the 6th overall pick (would become Vernon Davis). Norv Turner will be hired as the new offensive coordinator. Frank Gore's emergence as the lead back is the year's lone consistent offensive bright spot.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Alex Smith | 16/29 | 159 | 1 | 1 | |
| HOU | |||||
| Tony Banks | 14/25 | 173 | 1 | 2 | |
| David Carr | 4/11 | 23 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 25 | 108 | 0 | 28 |
| Maurice Hicks | 18 | 64 | 0 | 13 |
| Alex Smith | 4 | 10 | 0 | 5 |
| HOU | ||||
| Vernand Morency | 21 | 83 | 1 | 11 |
| David Carr | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Tony Banks | 2 | -2 | 0 | -1 |
| Corey Bradford | 1 | -2 | 0 | -2 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Arnaz Battle | 3 | 52 | 0 | 39 |
| Brandon Lloyd | 4 | 48 | 1 | 14 |
| Maurice Hicks | 3 | 17 | 0 | 7 |
| Frank Gore | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 |
| Chris Hetherington | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Terry Jones | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Terry Jackson | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| HOU | ||||
| Corey Bradford | 2 | 56 | 1 | 31 |
| Vernand Morency | 4 | 46 | 0 | 16 |
| Marcellus Rivers | 5 | 34 | 0 | 20 |
| Donovan Morgan | 3 | 33 | 0 | 14 |
| Jerome Mathis | 2 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Jabar Gaffney | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Andre Johnson | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2005 W17 - 49ers vs Houston Texans - Game Thread
