Brandon Jacobs dodges major knee injury

It might have been a 49ers preseason game, but that didn’t make Brandon Jacobs‘ knee injury Saturday any less nail-bite-worthy.

A 20-9 loss to the Houston Texans?

Sure, no red-and-gold-bleeding fan wants to see the Niners lose any game ever.

But since it was an exhibition game, we can be content knowing Señor Harbaugh and company will work out the kinks during practice. (And hopefully beef up the o-line so Alex Smith isn’t getting flattened quite so often when the games start counting.)

Every bit as worrisome on Saturday, though, as it would be during a regular season battle was when Harbaugh had to help Jacobs off the field after Houston’s Kareem Jackson rammed helmet-first into Jacobs’ knee.

Good news: An MRI Sunday showed the injuries sustained by Jacobs left knee were not major or season-threatening.

Better news: Harbaugh told SFGate Monday that he’s hoping to have Jacobs ready to play in the Niners’ season opener against the NFC rival Green Bay Packers:

“Brandon for the opener is possible. Again, we just have to see how the treatment goes, how the body responds.”

Jacobs might’ve arrived in Santa Clara Monday on crutches, but when asked how he was handling the injury, he responded with:

“I’m doing all right. … Can’t complain.”

The eight-year vet logged 152 attempts for 571 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last season for the New York Football Giants. The 49ers hope Jacobs and his short-yard prowess will take some of the pressure of sustaining the run off the shoulders of Frank Gore.

The 49ers continue their preseason Sunday in Denver against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.