Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh of the niners celebrated a seventh win but a familiar reddish purple face of Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden unloaded a profanity laced tirade at refs and officials on Sunday because of a second straight loss. The final scores ended up 51-13 loss for the Carolina Panthers against the 49ers and 27-24 win for the Houston Texans who hosted the Raiders. Niners running back Devon Coleman got the scoring to an early start by scoring a blast off touchdown right through the heart of the defense. It was to the niners second touchdown of the first quarter which gave them a 14-0 lead.
Coleman blasted his second touchdown of the game downfield early in the second quarter. Around this same time Raiders starting center Rodney Hudson was carted off the field with an apparent right leg or ankle injury.
Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow caught a short dig on an inside out tight cut out route pass towards the weak side of the field and broke two arm tackles by Texan defenders Jahleel Addae and Lonnie Johnson Jr. to score initially for the Raiders.
The 49ers, around the midway point of the first half, had speedster running back Matt Breida show off why he is one of the fastest guys in the league when he finished a midfield run all the way to the house for another niners score.
Niners defensive end Nick Bosa had a career game with interceptions and sacks galore and he put the dagger in the Panthers hearts when he intercepted a pass at the line of scrimmage. But failed to score another touchdown with that play.
Bosa looks to be the real deal and even so may have more raw talent than his All-pro, pro-bowl brother defensive end Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins fumbled the ball after Raiders defensive end “Mad” Maxx Crosby with about 3:04 left in the fourth quarter.
Former NFL official and the current rules analyst for the CBS NFL Football broadcast Gene Steratore, often comes on-air during the broadcast of games and shares on NFL.com what his ruling would be.
“It was very, very close, what I saw was DeAndre Hopkins elbow just makes contact with the ground as the football starts to move before he’s ruled down,” he said.
“I can’t tell you definitively that he’s lost control of it at that time, when DeAndre (Hopkins) right elbow first hits the turf, so the football starts to move but isn’t clearly out yet, so I don’t think they would’ve changed it.”
This opened the door wide open for Texans quarterback DeShawn Watson, who finished out the game with his eye swollen shut after being kicked through the facemask by Raiders defensive end Arden Key, miraculously threw a go-ahead touchdown. The play eventually propelled the Texans to victory and Watson continues to make highlight reel plays each given Sunday.
