I love the job that I do, but some games just leave you scratching for things to say that are of relevance. The 49ers' capitulation to the Houston Texans this past Sunday was one of those games. If you are a regular reader of this column, you will know that I’m something of an optimist. I’ve enjoyed watching this team grow, I’ve lived and breathed every down with them, and we’ve all shared in some epic victories, particularly over the Falcons and the Rams. In spite of everything that’s gone against the 49ers this season, they’ve been able to do one thing, make us proud. This is a team that was (and maybe is) still in the playoff reckoning, ground out road wins, and showed progression with its younger players. They were forming a heart, an identity, and had some grit about them.

So, what went wrong?

It’s Not Just The Rush

Beware of predictable narratives. In my 20 years watching the NFL, I’ve heard it proclaimed (among other things), that:

• The tight end position is dead. This was shortly before Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez joined the Patriots to reinvigorate Bill Belichick’s dynasty.

• The running back position is dead. This was shortly before Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs made their respective teams Super Bowl winners and cashed in on bigger contracts ... and not long after one of our own in Christian McCaffrey had become one of the NFL’s standout offensive players.

• It’s a passing league. The most tired and untrue trope of them all, as the game evolves and improves. Those that find success are the ones who find niches in the conventionally chosen thinking. The most successful teams–and the teams that will be successful tomorrow, next week, and into the next decade–are still the teams with the strongest trenches.

I mention all this because there’s some very lazy and easy tropes coming into 49ers analysis following Sunday’s defeat. It’s been predictable all season: every loss is down to Nick Bosa and/or Fred Warner not being available, everything the defensive scheme can’t do is because they’re missing, and so on, and so on. This narrative is many things, mostly words I can’t write in this column, but it intensified on Sunday as the 49ers failed to pressure CJ Stroud. With Bosa, Bryce Huff, and other defensive ends out, this led to the usual "the 49ers have no pass rush, therefore they can’t be expected to stop CJ Stroud" opinions bursting forth.

There’s some truth in that, of course. But examining some of the bigger plays from Sunday shows other issues that have dogged the 49ers all season. Tatum Bethune and Dee Winters both continually bit on play action, leading to big plays down the field, including in one case a 50-yard play that flipped the field.

These aren’t symptoms of a pass-rush issue, nor are the touchdown tosses later in the drive from CJ Stroud. In both of these cases, players were wide open long before any pass-rush, even ones containing Bosa, Charles Haley, Reggie White, and whoever else you want to name, would’ve got to the quarterback. Coverage was a continual issue, and in many cases, Texans receivers ran wide open.

It’s the same thing that’s dogged the Niners in all of their losses this season. Fundamental mistakes, like being in the wrong spot or missing a tackle, are killers to defenses. There were and are multiple players who are consistent starters, particularly in the secondary, still playing, despite the loss of senior talent. It simply isn’t good enough from them.

To be fair to Shanahan (and I suspect Robert Saleh too), they’re unlikely to hide behind these lazy narratives. Yes, losing great players is an issue. Creating your own issues on top of that by failing to do the basics right is on you, as a player, and on the coaching staff. My bet is that we’ll see less of that moving forward, but it’ll need to come with an improvement from certain players.

Trade market talk

Some would have the 49ers solve these problems by pulling off a blockbuster trade, a la Christian McCaffrey in previous years, that looked set to fizzle out. I don’t have a huge issue with this line of thinking–adding someone both talented and experienced to the defensive unit, for instance, could elevate it back up a few levels, as well as give the team an emotional shot in the arm it may need following the loss of a couple of defensive leaders.

Where, though? Most fans seem to be getting excited over the idea of adding a pass-rusher like the Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson, but I think the bigger issue may be in the middle of the defensive line. Since the departures of the likes of DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, the team has lacked a solid presence in the middle of the line. Rookies Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins are both adding something to the team, but a solid, consistent, disruptive veteran presence would really help the team go up a level, both against the run and pass.

To be honest, however, with the rash of injuries going through the 49ers defensive line, perhaps John Lynch should make two moves, and find both an edge and an inside guy. As it stands, the team will be suiting up third-stringers on the defensive line this Sunday, so if something’s going to happen, hopefully its soon.

What Next?

The schedule supposedly gets easier for the 49ers from here:

But it’ll begin this week against the New York Giants. Cam Skattebo’s absence will help the reeling 49ers defense, but given our historical failures against mobile quarterbacks, facing Jaxson Dart–who, in spite of the Giants’ record, has been making some plays–could be interesting. You should also look out for the Giants pass-rush facing off against the 49ers offensive line, although if Ben Bartch does return as rumoured, we will at least be slightly improved. This feels, much like the Rams game a few weeks ago, as the season’s first "hinge point" game.

Win, and the team could go to the playoffs this season (and may get its players back in time for the late-season run). Lose? It might be time to think about the draft pick.

Which is it going to be? We’ll find out soon …