NFL Preseason Week 1: Takeaways from Sunday's Action

There are times during the NFL preseason when you have to remind yourself that, yes, it's the preseason. But for one night, anyone who watched the San Francisco 49ers' version of offense in 2015 is allowed to be uncontrollably giddy.

And if what we saw Sunday turns out to be a complete mirage then, well, at least you'll always have that one night.

The 49ers offense was excruciating to watch in 2015. It was a unit that inserted Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, and then actually managed to get marginally better. Which isn't meant as a statement of confidence in Gabbert.

No, that shows just how far Colin Kaepernick has spiraled. San Francisco averaged only 303.8 total yards per game (31st), and scored just 24 touchdowns (32nd).

Then new head coach Chip Kelly put a key into the ignition of his new offense for the first time, and there was a glimmer of hope as incompetence mostly lifted.

The 49ers piled up 302 first-half yards when the first- and second-team offenses were on the field Sunday night against the Houston Texans. Kelly's trademark brand of warp-speed football also led to 18 first downs during an opening half when the 49ers held the ball for 16:37 of game clock.

Yes, all the standard caveats apply here. 

The preseason means a field filled with vanilla, and approaches on both sides of the ball that are kept simple. The Texans' third-ranked defense in 2015 was playing without defensive ends J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, and linebacker Brian Cushing.

But forget all of that, 49ers fans, because savoring every positive in what's likely to be another aggravating season is wise. And hey, there was legitimate promise shown by both the defensive front and a stable of running backs.

Let's dive in with some more thoughts and takeaways from the final Week 1 preseason game.

Blaine Gabbert Will Likely Be the 49ers' Starting QB, But Only by Default

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Blaine Gabbert received a golden opportunity when Colin Kaepernick sat out Sunday night with soreness in his shoulder. He had a chance to end the 49ers' quarterback competition once and for all.

His response? Wobbly inaccuracy during his three series, even when the difficulty level was alarmingly low.

The standard preseason disclaimer about small sample sizes doesn't apply to Gabbert because he's not some fresh-faced rookie or developing young quarterback. He's a first-round bust entering his sixth NFL season, and his fatal flaw is an inability to respond correctly to pressure. Gabbert flees the pocket at the slightest hint of pass-rushers bearing down on him, which leads to poor mechanics and ineffective passing.

On Sunday, he offered something new to be startled about.

Screens and checkdown options are staples in Kelly's fast-paced offense. Gabbert, however, misfired badly on multiple attempts that would have been caught either behind the line of scrimmage or only a few yards beyond.

His only completion of considerable length came on the 43-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vance McDonald. And while that was accurate and tightly thrown, any Pop Warner quarterback could have connected after Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney fell down on the play. Remove that touchdown from Gabbert's night and he completed only three of his other nine throws while averaging 2.2 yards per attempt.

The 49ers' quarterback of the future isn't on the roster. His name is probably Deshaun Watson.

Brock Osweiler's Texans Debut Was Underwhelming

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The concern after quarterback Brock Osweiler signed his Titanic-sized contract with the Houston Texans was always a fundamental one: sample size.

No one could say for certain whether Osweiler is a franchise quarterback. Glimpses of talent emerged in his game film, and his arm strength and impressive mobility for such a tall passer were awe-inspiring. Just like that, you can create a quarterback who's made seven career regular-season starts and is worth $72 million—the same quarterback who the rapidly aging Peyton Manning replaced last year during the Denver Broncos' championship run.

Osweiler could mature just fine under the guidance of Texans head coach Bill O'Brien. But the early and limited returns Sunday during his preseason debut were, well, much of the same.

Osweiler was wild at the worst possible times over the three series he played against San Francisco. On the first one, he threw high and wide deep down the sideline to open receiver DeAndre Hopkins. On third down, wideout Braxton Miller had gained a step up the middle, but Osweiler sprayed the ball and led him too far.

He missed on all three of his third-down pass attempts and threw short of the sticks twice. Overall, Osweiler finished with just 27 passing yards on his four completions.

There was a general lack of comfort from the new Texans quarterback, which is expected this early in the preseason. There's still time to adapt, learn and tweak after studying mistakes.

But if the Osweiler we saw Sunday still shows up in September, the Texans will already start regretting their investment.

Chip Kelly's Offense Is Still Churning out Long Gains on the Ground

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Philadelphia Eagles had a top-10 rushing offense during two of Kelly's three seasons there as the head coach. In 2013, his first year with the franchise, the Eagles averaged a league-leading 160.4 rushing yards per game.

So when all else fails and his passing game is crumbling—as it often did during his final year with the Eagles, and likely will again during his maiden voyage in San Francisco—a Kelly offense can still push forward on the ground and give defenders a cushy dirt seat.

That repeatedly happened Sunday. It didn't matter who had the ball, or which area of the depth chart was doing the ground-thrashing. The 49ers readily displayed their rushing depth, running for 161 yards in the first half alone.

Carlos Hyde is already well-known as a ball of running fury, but the most encouraging surprise was lower on the 49ers' running back depth chart. Mike Davis, who missed most of his rookie campaign in 2015 while on injured reserve and recovering from a broken hand, came out swinging in the fight for a roster spot. 

Davis looked agile while slashing and cutting to find open space. The former fourth-round pick exploited cutback lanes with ease, recording 89 yards on only seven touches. That included a 44-yard run and three total plays that went for 10-plus yards.

His primary competition for a roster spot is DuJuan Harris. And although Harris had a fine showing as well with 29 yards on six carries, Davis won this round.

The Texans' Rushing Offense Will Be Just Fine, Too

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Texans' most significant offseason addition might end up being running back Lamar Miller. After the Miami Dolphins criminally underused him over the past four seasons, he rightfully bolted as a free agent.

Now he's in an offense that produced a 1,200-plus-yard rusher during Bill O'Brien's first season as head coach (Arian Foster). Miller will have ample opportunity to bounce, weave and navigate his way to open space. That quick-twitch ability is what led him to average 4.5 yards per carry for the Dolphins in 2015 and 5.1 in 2014.

In his Texans debut, Miller showed that his still-fresh 25-year-old legs can make a major impact. He needed only four carries to finish with 30 rushing yards, including a 14-yard gain on his first handoff with the Texans.

Between Osweiler and Miller, Houston should have a solid young core at two critical offensive positions. The former just needs to start doing his part.

The 49ers Defense Flexed Its Muscle Early

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

This is when reading deeply into the preseason gets dangerous.

We can't make excited statements about the 49ers defense Sunday night without noting the obvious once again: Osweiler was making his first start in a new offense, and he played only three series.

But the preseason often isn't about loud, table-pounding statements. Instead, you should find yourself nodding in silence, knowing that what you saw hints at the potential for something even better.

That's the feeling you should have left Sunday night with after watching the 49ers' defense.

Osweiler struggled in part because getting open was a Herculean feat for his top targets. That seemed especially true for anyone matched up against Chris Davis, who's hoping to become San Francisco's slot cornerback. Davis closely trailed Miller on Osweiler's errant third-down throw, giving the quarterback only a small throwing window. He also had a defensive stop on third down and another on fourth down.

Life was easy, or at least easier, for 49ers cornerbacks because of the constant pressure that the defensive front applies. That unit will likely be the 49ers' greatest strength in 2016, especially with the addition of versatile defensive tackle and first-round pick DeForest Buckner.

The 49ers sacked Texans quarterbacks three times. Much of the pressure came from outside linebacker Aaron Lynch, who will be suspended for four games after violating the NFL policy on substance abuse.

San Francisco will sorely miss him during his suspension, as he finished 2015 with 61 pressures, which ranked fifth among all 3-4 outside linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus.