49ers -Titans Live Blog

Posted By on December 23, 2021

This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers (8-6) week 16 matchup with the Tennessee Titans (9-5) from Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

8:09 Randy Buller hits from 44-yards out. Tennessee is going to win 20-17. That first quarter interception in the red zone by Jimmy Garoppolo cost the 49ers this one.

7:59 Huge drive by the 49ers offense, going 95 yards for the touchdown. Deebo Samuel with the play of the drive, Garoppolo hits him in stride over the middle and Samuel splits the defense to take it 56 yards and set the offense up at the Tennessee 6. Garoppolo then finds Brandon Aiyuk from the 2 and the game is tied. 49ers 17 Titans 17

7:47 The defense comes up big. Azeez Al-Shaair sacks Tannehill on 3rd down to force a punt. This will probably be the 49ers final offensive possession. They’ll start at their own 4.

7:44 After going for it on 4th and 6 from the 40, Shanahan decides to punt on 4th and 9 from the 43. Makes no sense.

7:31 Tennessee makes Kyle Shanahan pay for his decision to go for it.  The Titans convert 3rd and 23 when A.J. Brown beat Ambry Thomas for a gain of 42. Tennessee then moves the ball down the field and Ryan Tannehill hits A.J. Brown on a slant for an 18-yard touchdown. Brown beat Josh Norman on the touchdown.

Titans 17 49ers 10

7:20 San Francisco offense puts together a drive, but a false start on 4th and 1 pushes it to 4th and 6. Kyle Shanahan decides to go for it and Garoppolo is inaccurate to Brandon Aiyuk. 

Think it’s smarter to punt there after the false start and give your defense an extra 20 yards to work with.

7:06 Tennessee makes the 49ers pay. After a couple of Jeremy McNichols runs gets the ball down to the 3, D’Onta Foreman takes it into the endzone to tie the game at 10.

7:04 Jimmy Garoppolo with a terrible throw over the middle on first down and it’s intercepted by Titans safety Amani Hooker. Garoppolo had Deebo Samuel open and just sailed it over his head. 

7:01 Tennessee opens the second half with its best possession of the game.  Ryan Tannehill hits a number of third down throws before the 49ers defense steps up and holds at the 20. Randy Bullock hits a 38-yard field goal to get the Titans onto the scoreboard.

49ers 10 Titans 3

6:49 Jimmy Garoppolo was 14-18 for 144 yards, but his interception in the end zone and overthrow of Kyle Juszczyk cost the 49ers offense 11 points. 

The 49ers defense on the other hand has been lights out, allowing only 2.6 yards per play so far. Only concern on that side of the ball is the amount of time Ryan Tannehill has been given. 

6:36 49ers offense picks up a couple first downs, but Kyle Shanahan chooses to let the clock run out on the first half. 49ers go in up 10-0 but should be frustrated not being up by more. 

6:29 49ers defense is having a terrific first half. Tennessee picks up a first down, then a holding penalty sets them back and they are forced to punt. Key play on the possession was rookie Ambry Thomas with a pass break up on a deep throw from Tannehill to Brown. 

San Francisco should be concerned by their inability to take get to the quarterback.

6:16 First bad offensive possession for San Franisco. Garoppolo is almost intercepted on first down, Jeff Wilson Jr is dropped for no gain, and then on third down George Kittle gets beat by Denico Autry for a sack. 

Then, the 49ers special teams with ANOTHER bad play as Mitch Wishnowsky shanks the punt. Tennessee will get the ball on the 49ers 45.

6:12 After allowing Tennessee to pick up a first down, Kentavius Street comes up with a big tackle for loss to set up third and 2. K’Waun Williams blitzes, Tannehill tries to hit the receiver Williams had left free, but Jimmie Ward is there to break up the throw. Terrific play by the 49ers defense. 

D.J. Jones has gone to the locker room with an ankle injury and Tennessee was able to get their run game going a little bit on that last possession. 

6:03 Jimmy Garoppolo had Kyle Juszczyk wide open for a touchdown but missed him badly with an inaccurate throw, then Trent Williams is called for a facemask on 3rd and 11 to push the offense back to the 36. A screen pass for 6 to Deebo Samuel sets up a 48-yard field goal attempt and Robbie Gould hits it.

49ers mistakes have cost them points these last two possessions, but they are still up 10-0.

5:50 Fred Warner with a terrific play on 3rd and 3, dropping A.J. Brown for a loss of 3 on a jet sweep around the right side. The defense does its job, and picks up the offense after Garoppolo’s mistake.

5:46 Jimmy Garoppolo with the first big 49ers mistake of the game. After driving it down to the Tennessee 8, Garoppolo tries to hit George Kittle in the end zone but Janoris Jenkins has him blanketed and comes up with an interception.

5:37 49ers defense bails out the special teams. Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam come up with big plays. Bosa dropping Hilliard for a loss of 8 on a screen play to open the game. After Tennessee was able to pick up a first down, Ebukam sacks Ryan Tannehill on 1st and 10 for a loss of 8 and the defense gets off the field. 

5:32 The 49ers special teams are not good. Tennessee returns the kickoff all the way out to the 39.

5:29 Opening offensive possession could not have gone any better for San Francisco. Kyle Shanahan moved Jimmy Garoppolo in the pocket to negate the Titans pass rush and then Garoppolo threw a dart to Deebo Samuel over the middle for a gain of 23. Jeff Wilson Jr finished it off with a run up the middle for the touchdown.

49ers 7 Titans 0

4:46 The Tennessee defense is strong up the middle, and this could cause the 49ers offense problems. Jimmy Garoppolo is at his best working over the middle of the field and the Titans have allowed the 4th lowest passer rating on throws into this area at 70.5. 

Will be interesting to see how Garoppolo and the San Franscisco offense manage their way around this tonight.

4:06 Dillon Radunz protected Trey Lance’s blind side while the two were at North Dakota State. Why does that matter? We might see the rookie at LT tonight for Tennessee. Radunz was selected by Tennessee in the second round and has played 53 total offensive snaps this season.

4:02 Inactive for the 49ers tonight: RB Elijah Mitchell, S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, OL Colton McKivitz, and DL Maurice Hurst

Inactive for Tennessee: Chris Jones, Joe Jones, Derick Roberson, David Long Jr, Taylor Lewan, Larrell Murchison

Wide receiver A.J. Brown is active. 

 

This article has 71 Comments

  3. And of course our KR coverage team gives up a big return. Our special teams giveth and Bosa taketh away. SACK

  4. Such a good start, that was bad Jimmy at his worst. All night in the pocket and to throw into that coverage. 😱

  7. Geez. Bad pass Jimmy to wide open Juice The 49er film aficionados will have a field day with that one.

      1. I wasn’t too upset by the interception that Jimmy threw. It happens. But it’s hard to forgive missing the TD throw to a wide open Juice.

      1. An interception and a half. Missing one of the easiest touchdowns of his career with an awful throw. Yup great play.

  13. wtf was that – why QB sneak if you just going to end the half?

    2 more passes with 2 timeout could at least get you 3 points

    1. Because you have a quarterback that had just 4 incompletions which resulted in this:

      1. INT in the End Zone
      2. Missed easy TD
      3. Dropped easy INT
      4. Almost an INT

      I don’t blame Kyle for losing confidence given the above. You can’t have 4 plays like that in a single half and expect to win.

      By the way he got away with throwing an out to Kittle in the first quarter that was a dangerous throw and could have been picked (for 6) had Byard made a read on it. Byard had a pick 6 on that in a game prior but probably respected the game breaking ability of Kittle too much there to jump it.

  14. Defense looks great. Only given up 55 yards and 3 first downs at half time. I’m a little surprised our offense has moved as well as it has against this defense.

    1. Lots of mixed tackles on those third downs. But many on here don’t think that’s an issue.

  17. They need to take it straight down the field for a TD not a FG. If they turn it over or punt this possession they are going to lose this game. imho

  18. He needs to get benched immediately. Just can’t afford these types of reads and throws.

    1. I think Felix will probably double down and expect two first round picks for Garoppolo now.

  21. Well, no time to screw around. It may really be time for Trey Lance. If he really has been dicing up the D in practice as Warner said, the it is very obviously time. Jimmy is a disaster, and now the defense has been disenheartened.

  24. I was hoping JG would finish the season like he has played the last 5 games. I thought if he could they could get an early 2nd or a 1st pick in this years draft. I think he is playing himself back into 4th round territory.

    1. He’s playing himself into the 5th round. I always felt he would garner a fourth. Third if everything went right. He simply doesn’t possess some of the basic skills required of a QB. The Titans are finally clogging the middle of the field and he has no idea what to do or the inability to do what he needs to do.

  26. 2 false starts killed this drive. Can’t get out of ur own way. Why would Trent get one? Ridiculous.

  28. kshan is a moron – now you want to go for it – u freaking had time before the half to own this game

  30. Now the defense can’t get off the field. Third down failure is now regular.

    I think that’s the game. Jimmy seems lost, and he took the team down with him.

  31. John Chapman – @JL_Chapman
    The Titans are 8-13 on 3rd downs!
    The distance on those successful conversions
    23 yards
    15 yards
    7 yards
    10 yards
    10 yards
    10 yards
    3 yards
    11 yards

    Almost all to AJ Brown as well.
    49ers are letting one person beat them.

    1. Remember, the defense is likely tiring from playing 4 days ago.

      Also, I would say Jimmy has single handedly lost this game. He just sucked the life out of the whole team.

  32. THat should have been a penalty on Brown. We are in trouble. Jimmy better pull is head out …

  33. JG may be the leader but if they lose this one it will be a team loss. Panalties on O and some of the worst 3rd down D I have ever seen.

  34. If Shanny gets Deebo killed this year he should be shown the door.

    And I’m still trying to figure out why Jimmy is unable to throw it away when he can’t find anyone in 5 seconds.

    1. Jimmy has never, to my memory, shown the ability to just throw the damn ball away to the sideline. One of those basic skills completely lacking from his game.

    1. When you dominate for so long and should be blowing the other team out, then it doesn’t happen- you can expect that guys will lose a lot of spirit/momentum.

      This game is on Jimmy. It was set up to be 21-0 or better and he just laid an egg. Took the wind completely out of their sails, offense and defense.

      1. Don’t forget it’s also a Thursday game coming off a Sunday game. Guys went all in with their emotions and adrenaline. Probably tired as hell now.

        1. Pretty much everyone but the guy that would be responsible for the loss today. How are you still defending an abysmal performance by him tonight? They should’ve blown this team out in the first quarter.

  42. Kshan u had all that time before the half

    JimmyG – 8 secs left you are loosing him up your hand ? wtf is going on here

  43. Very disappointing. We should have won that game. Mistakes. But it not the end off world. We only lost by 3 points to a very good team on their home field on a short week.

    1. You’re right. This has been just an awesome season thus far. Jimmy is looking like the league MVP. And Kyle won’t make it back to .500

      Everything is swell. Love it! 😁

  44. What do you guys think …. should they try to run it back with Jimmy G just one more time in 2022?

    LOL

    How does the saying go? Fool me once, shame on you … fool me twice, shame on me? Garoppolo is FOOL’s gold!

    1. Not a word from you when the 49ers were winning. I knew you would be the 1st to post after a loss.

      1. Don’t blame me for this debacle, David, I’ve been telling you guys that it was just a matter of time until Jimmy let you down …. AGAIN! Remember how you felt after the Super Bowl loss in 2019, David? Or have you conveniently forgotten about all of the times that Jimmy G ended up dashing your hopes?

        How many times does this guy need to burst your bubble, David, before you get mad at somebody else besides me? Or are you still making excuses for Kyle and Jimmy?

        1. I’m not making excuses for anyone. I am disappointed with any loss but it doesn’t ruin my life like it seems to do to a few of you. After 57 years of 49er fandom I have been disappointed many, many times. The sun will come up tomorrow and my life will go on. how about you??

          I’m not mad at you at you, I don’t even know you. I just find it strange that you only post after a loss.

          1. what am I going to do David, come on here when the 49ers are winning, and rain in everyone’s parade? That would be pathetic.

            All I knew is that, sooner or later, bad Jimmy was going to show up and single handedly cost the 49ers a big game down the stretch, because that’s WHAT HE DOES! A sure enough, it happened again, for what feels like the 50th time Jimmy has let me down, in the last 5 years!

            How many times is it going to take, David, before you see what is so dang obvious? Jimmy isn’t that guy. There’s a reason why people always doubt the 49ers, despite them being one of the most talented teams in the entire NFL.

            IT’S A QUARTERBACK DRIVEN LEAGUE! That’s why the 49ers were essentially wasting this season, and now maybe even next season, even though their Super Bowl window should be WIDE OPEN!

            But ultimately, this is on KYLE, and his lack of leadership, IMO! I can’t blame Jimmy for being who he is. I blame Kyle for running it back this year with a QB everyone knows he doesn’t even trust, especially after spending all of that to draft Lance.

            And if you don’t believe me, maybe you will listen to Steve Young?

            How can a team consider itself a contender when their QB can’t be trusted?

  45. Hate to say it but this game is on Jimmy G and DeMeco Ryans. Felt like the 49ers were better on Offense and defense. Jimmy’s mistakes and DeMeco’s D calls cost the 49ers this game.

    And WHAT IN THE HELL does it take for the 49ers D Line to get a holding call? Does Bosa need to be dismembered to actually have a Ref see the holding against him?

  46. For anyone still around, here’s Jimmy’s postgame:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p5atka_U3Qk

    I managed to get through a minute-nineteen before I felt the need to go puke.

    He’s at the point now where he can’t even man up and shoulder the blame for his bad decisions.

    Someone watch this past the first 1:20 and please tell me it gets better??!!?

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