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Two teams solidly in the NFL playoff picture go head to head as the San Francisco 49ers visit the Tennessee Titans at 8:20 p.m. ET Thursday on NFL Network.
The 49ers (8-6) have won five of their past six games and six of eight. The Titans (9-5) have lost three of four, but they built a cushion by winning eight of nine before that. The Titans remain in top playoff contention, and with a win they could clinch a berth and/or the AFC South before the weekend is out.
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San Francisco 10, Tennessee Titans 0 -- HALF
TV: NFLN | Odds | Box score
(Photo: Christopher Hanewinc / USA Today)
It’s halftime with the 49ers ahead 10-0. Tennessee will get the ball to start the second half.
The Titans nearly had a big play on a 31-yard rush by D’Onta Foreman, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty. Three subsequent plays gained zero yards and Tennessee’s golden opportunity was lost. Niners take over from their 10.
Wow. Essentially 43 penalty yards for the Titans on one play. Negates a TD too
The pass rush chess game continues between these teams.
Nick Bosa took his first 13 snaps at RDE (against rookie Dillon Radunz). The last two have been at LDE.
This series was a disaster for San Francisco, as Garoppolo nearly threw his second interception of the night and took a sack on third down. Add that to a shanked 30-yard punt by Mitch Wishnowsky and the Titans have their best starting field position of the night at San Francisco’s 45.
Grand Ole Autry! 📺: Watch #SFvsTEN on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/bp4sA9Va8G
Injury note for the 49ers.
#49ers @DignityHealth injury update: DJ Jones is questionable to return with an ankle injury.
Jones is coming off of three straight strong games. Kentavius Street in at his spot. https://t.co/B3rJCQoSd7
Injury note for the 49ers.
#49ers @DignityHealth injury update: DJ Jones is questionable to return with an ankle injury.
The 49ers had a great drive going but an overthrown potential TD by Garoppolo and an odd penalty sequence that saw a facemask get called by an offsides not get called nets out to a 48-yard field goal by Robbie Gould to put the Niners up 10-0.
I know it's the correct application of the rule, but that's not a really fair penalty against Trent Williams. He grabbed the facemask of the player who had jumped offsides because he was at a disadvantage when it came to protecting his quarterback
The turnover kept things close on the scoreboard, but the first quarter was completely dominated by the 49ers.
Yards per play after first quarter... 49ers: 7.8 Titans: 1.2 Holding serve will get the job done for the 49ers tonight. That's usually easier said than done, and that might again be the case, but the assignment is certainly not an overly daunting one
Warner was shot out of a cannon on this play!
Fred Warner said NOT TODAY!@fred_warner | #FTTB 📺: #SFvsTEN on @NFLNetwork 📱: https://t.co/3mPIe4up1m pic.twitter.com/LN7CY2cgfS
Jenkins did not get the start tonight but he comes up big on an end zone throw to close out a 49ers scoring threat.
Again, Tennessee is missing three key offensive linemen. None of this approach is surprising
HUGE REDZONE PICK. The Jackrabbit! #Titans 📺: #SFvsTEN on @NFLNetwork 📱: https://t.co/3mPIe4up1m pic.twitter.com/uKZ2PKtPES
The 49ers defensive front versus the Titans offensive line had the looks of a mismatch in favor of San Francisco and so far it is trending in that direction. San Francisco starts its second drive from its 20-yard line following a touchback on the punt.
Don’t think the Titans will be trying too many more slow-developers on first down. It’s already clear their O-line is at a big disadvantage
Again, Tennessee is missing three key offensive linemen. None of this approach is surprising
San Francisco gets out to a fantastic start by going 75 yards on nine plays and scoring a 1-yard touchdown by Jeff Wilson. Passing was key, as Jimmy Garoppolo went 5 for 5 for 59 yards on the drive and completed passes to Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle. 49ers up 7-0.
Opening drive TD @jeffwilsonjr Checking off the list ✓#SFvsTEN on NFL Network/49ers App pic.twitter.com/Jg2Rsud7tX
Deebo to the goal line! #FTTB 📺: #SFvsTEN on @NFLNetwork 📱: https://t.co/3mPIe4up1m pic.twitter.com/gJHBJWorMT
San Francisco gets the ball first. It’s game time.
Also, a surprise personnel change to start the game for Tennessee.
Buster Skrine the start at corner over Janoris Jenkins.
A.J. Brown doesn’t looked slowed at all by the chest injury that kept him out since Week 11.
He's BACK! @1kalwaysopen_ #Titans 📺: #SFvsTEN on @NFLNetwork 📱: https://t.co/3mPIe4up1m pic.twitter.com/y5VeaS8X97
Jennings scored his second touchdown in four weeks on Sunday, so he could be hitting his stride just in time to impact his homecoming game.
This is a homecoming for 49ers WR Jauan Jennings, who played his HS ball in nearby Murfreesboro — just outside Nashville
Kevin Byard and Jeffery Simmons are in prime promo cutting mode for this matchup.
Let's turn it up 🔥 #SFvsTEN In the Huddle @Bose pic.twitter.com/uPdU3Kg5r7
These two teams would appear to be moving opposite directions on a line graph, but the eastward travel on a short week may be factoring into perceptions of the his matchup.
Among a panel of eight staffers from The Athletic, six are going with the Titans. The Athletic's model is going the other way, and actually favors the 49ers by a bigger number than BetMGM does, 3.7-3. The model gives San Francisco a 63.5% chance of winning.
Sheil Kapadia, meanwhile, thinks the 49ers are the better team but is taking the points with the Titans. Vic Tafur likes the 49ers' defensive front against the depleted Titans unit and is taking San Francisco.
2021 NFL expert predictions, odds and spreads: Picks for Week 16, including Patriots vs. Bills and Steelers vs. Chiefs
If you like Thursday night games, enjoy this one as much as you can, as it will be the last one for a while.
Last NFL game on Thursday night until September 2022 huh
Over the last four weeks, the 49ers have held the Vikings to 67 rushing yards, the Seahawks to 66 yards, the Bengals to 86 and the Falcons to 62. If they can limit the Titans to something similar — or anything under 100 yards, really — they ought to win. That's a big ask. No team runs the ball as much as Tennessee, which averages more than 142 yards per game on the ground and which, even without top runner Derrick Henry, finished with more than 200 rushing yards in Sunday's loss to the Steelers.
The 49ers, meanwhile, have some issues in the middle. One of their top three linebackers, Dre Greenlaw, has barely played this season while another, Azeez Al-Shaair, is dealing with an elbow injury. Still, the 49ers defensive line, especially D.J. Jones and Arik Armstead, has been excellent at clogging the middle in recent weeks while middle linebacker Fred Warner may have played his best game of the season on Sunday. That is, the run defense seems to be peaking at just the right time of the season and just when it is taking on a decidedly run-heavy opponent.
A quick reference guide to a few of the important personnel changes for the 49ers tonight.
Numbers game for 49ers: 30 - S Jarrod Wilson. With Talanoa Hufanga (knee) out, Wilson is the third safety 35 - RB Brian Hill. He's the No. 3 tailback with Elijah Mitchell out. 1. Jeff Wilson, 2. JaMycal Hasty 3. Hill 59 - LB Curtis Robinson. He'll be on special teams