2 winners (and 5 losers) from 49ers' injury-plagued collapse vs. Texans
The San Francisco 49ers were resoundingly beat by the Houston Texans in Week 8, falling 26-15 at NRG Stadium in a bout head coach Kyle Shanahan subsequently described as the Texans having "kicked our ass."
He's not wrong.
The Niners failed to record a first down until just before halftime, while Houston ran long possession after long possession to fully dominate the time with the ball.
Adding injury to insult, San Francisco's deep injury woes continued with linebacker Dee Winters, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott and defensive end Sam Okuayinonu all suffering injuries that forced them out of the game.
The Fox Sports broadcast crew couldn't help themselves but admit how, at some point soon, the 49ers are simply going to run out of healthy players, and it wasn't hyperbole.
Let's look at the game's winners and losers.
Winners
49ers tight ends
It's only fitting for the Niners' two best pass-catching tight ends, George Kittle and Jake Tonges, scored their team's only touchdowns on National Tight Ends Day.
For Kittle, it was only the second time he found the end zone this season after doing so way back in Week 1 before landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, giving way to Tonges becoming something of a household name among San Francisco fans.
But, good for Tonges, too, seeing as his prominence took a massive hit upon Kittle's return.
Sadly, this might have been the only positive for the 49ers.
Rest of NFC West
The Niners were the only NFC West team to play in Week 8, as the balance of the division had a bye.
And the other three teams -- the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals -- all gained ground on San Francisco without having to do a single thing.
The 49ers entered the week in first place with victories in hand over all three division rivals. While the Cardinals remain in last place with a 2-5 record, both the Rams and Hawks leapfrogged the Niners in the standings with just two losses apiece, meaning San Francisco is now looking up at both teams from third place.
Losers
WR Jauan Jennings
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings might have led his offense with four catches for 45 yards, but his Week 8 efforts will be remembered by that brutal drop in the second half on a deep pass from quarterback Mac Jones that bounced off his hands.
Jennings hasn't been anywhere near as reliable as he was a year ago, and despite playing with injuries for much of 2025, it appears the 49ers were wise not to cave to his recent contractual demands.
DB Upton Stout
At least rookie cornerback Upton Stout has the benefit of going through growing pains, and that maturation process continued in Week 8 with Houston having no issues targeting him -- eight times, and he gave up seven catches for 46 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
That might not have been too bad, but Stout's pass-interference penalty on a 3rd-and-3 play that would have been an incomplete served to highlight the Niners' woes defending third down, thereby putting him into the losers list.
LB Dee Winters
Before exiting with injury, the Texans also made it a habit of targeting Winters in pass coverage to great effect -- eight times for eight catches allowed, including a touchdown.
With All-Pro Fred Warner out for the year, San Francisco's linebacker corps is wholly shorthanded and lacks any kind of serious thump, meaning underwhelming performances from Winters and Tatum Bethune are going to be magnified.
OL Connor Colby
Earlier this season, rookie guard Connor Colby was a nice little story, as the seventh-round draftee earned a roster spot and then got the nod to start on the left side of the offensive line when veteran Ben Bartch landed on injured reserve.
Colby has since shown why he wasn't drafted higher, and his Week 8 efforts highlighted this. Not only was the rookie responsible for a late-game false start, but he also ended up being benched for veteran backup Nick Zakelj for the final 19 snaps.
49ers pass rush
You know things are bad when the best pass-rusher on the roster is Okuayinonu, and even he wasn't able to play a full game.
With veteran edge Bryce Huff sidelined for at least another week, and All-Pro Nick Bosa out for the year, the 49ers have wholly struggled to generate any sort of consistent pressure from their front-four defenders, forcing coordinator Robert Saleh to rely more on manufactured pressure and blitzes.
It's not Saleh's calling card, but the sheer rash of injuries led to the Niners registering precisely zero sacks and two quarterback hits during the game.
Ex-Lions coordinator gets long-awaited first win as a head coach
It took longer than New York Jets and Detroit Lions fans had anticipated, but Lions' former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has finally won his first game as a head coach in the NFL.
Emotions were already high going into Sunday's game after it was announced before kickoff that legendary Jets center Nick Mangold, 41, had passed away from complications of a chronic kidney disease first diagnosed in 2006. Mangold played ten seasons in the NFL from 2006 to 2016, all with the Jets, amassing seven Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro nods. Mangold was enshrined in the Jets' Ring of Honor in 2022.
Glenn did not play with Mangold, but did spend eight seasons with the Jets as a cornerback from 1994 to 2001. He knew how much a win today would mean for New York, but wins have been tough to come by. Glenn's 0-7 start was reminiscent of the Lions' 0-10-1 start under Dan Campbell in 2021. Numerous close losses and questionable decisions led to concerns about whether he had what it took to turn around a struggling franchise. Just like Campbell leading the team he once played for, Glenn was able to get his first win in dramatic fashion.
For much of Sunday's game, 0-8 seemed inevitable. The Cincinnati Bengals held numerous double-digit leads and answered nearly every Jets score with a score of their own. With about nine and a half minutes left in the game, ESPN's win probability chart had the Jets at a 2.5% chance of winning, but it wasn't 0%.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields and running back Breece Hall led a five-play, 60-yard drive capped off by a 27-yard touchdown rush by Hall. Down 38-30, the Jets converted a two-point conversion attempt with a Fields pass to RB Isaiah Davis. With momentum on their side, the Jets' defense made a key three-and-out stop of Bengals' QB Joe Flacco, giving their offense a chance to take the lead.
The Jets' following drive got off to a fast start as Fields' pass to Davis quickly brought the Jets to the Bengals' 35-yard line, and a subsequent Hall rush brought them ten yards closer. The Jets were then faced with two different third-down situations, converting both of them. Sitting on first and goal, Glenn took a page from Campbell's book as Hall tossed a TD pass to tight end Mason Taylor. It was a very similar play to the one the Lions ran last year on National Tight Ends Day, where David Montgomery tossed a TD pass to Sam LaPorta.
Jets kicker Nick Folk kicked the extra point to give the Jets a 39-38 lead, after a 23-point fourth quarter. With little time remaining, the Bengals would make it to their own 45-yard line before the Jets' defense stopped them on down, securing the victory. For the first time, Jets fans were treated to the fiery locker room speech about grit that Lions fans have grown so accustomed to.
The other former Lions coordinator sees his win streak end
While the Glenn branch of the Campbell coaching tree just got its first win, another branch on that tree has seen some early successes. Entering Sunday, former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and his Chicago Bears were vying for their fifth consecutive win.
The Bears faced off against a struggling Baltimore Ravens team, who will have to wait another week for the return of their two-time MVP QB Lamar Jackson. After a few weeks of Cooper Rush behind center, the Ravens brought back former Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley, and the move paid off.
Huntley was efficient, completing 77.27% of passes for 186 yards and one passing TD. Huntley also added 53 rushing yards. RB Derrick Henry added 71 yards on 21 carries for two rushing TDs to lead the Ravens to a dominant 30-16 victory, dropping the Bears to 4-3.
For many Lions fans, both results were ideal. The former coordinator who went to a division rival lost, while the one who went to the AFC won. The season is still young, and the story of Glenn and Johnson's head coaching career is a long way from being done. For Glenn, that story now includes a win. Hopefully, the first of many wins in Glenn's career. So as long as none of those wins are against the Lions, most of Detroit will be rooting for him along the way.
