On a day when the Titans’ much-maligned offense showed at least some signs of life, it was the team’s defense — which had been on the rise — that ultimately proved more culpable in Tennessee’s 37-24 loss to San Francisco on Sunday.
The Titans simply could not get off the field defensively, allowing the 49ers to score on each of their first five possessions — en route to a 31-10 lead — and on seven-of-eight possessions overall.
The only time Tennessee stopped the 49ers was when Jeffery Simmons recorded a strip sack of San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy early in the fourth quarter, resulting in a recovery by Titans defensive back Kaiir Elam.
The 49ers piled up 430 yards against the Titans’ injury-depleted defense, as Brock Purdy completed 23-of-30 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. San Francisco added 138 yards on the ground, including a 26-yard scramble by Purdy.
“We let him get out of the pocket too much,” Titans interim coach Mike McCoy told reporters. “But that’s what he does, and they make some explosive plays that way … We got to keep him in the pocket. Too many plays he made outside the pocket, running and throwing.”
Over the last month, the Titans’ ability to get off the field on third down had been a strength. Tennessee had allowed a combined 15 third-down conversions on 47 attempts (31.9 percent) against Houston, Seattle, Jacksonville and Cleveland.
But San Francisco converted 9-of-15 third-down attempts (60 percent), including each of the 49ers’ first seven tries. San Francisco was also 1-for-1 on its only fourth-down try.
Seven of the 49ers’ nine third-down conversions came from five yards or closer, but San Francisco also converted on a third-and-13 and a third-and-11.
“You’ve got to be able to get off the field,” McCoy told reporters. “When [they] convert at that high rate and that percentage, it’s tough. That’s when you’re going to give up all the points. You got to be able to get off the field on third down.”
We’ve already touched on three big missed opportunities by the Titans in Sunday’s game in a separate article, but here are nine other takeaways from the game:
Ward’s ups, downs: As usual, there was some good and some bad to be found in Ward’s performance.
On the plus side, he threw a pair of touchdown passes for the second straight game, something he hadn’t done at all through the first 12 games of his rookie season.
Ward also completed 62.1 percent of his pass attempts, meaning he’s hit that mark or better in four of his last five games. His 101.2 quarterback rating was Ward’s highest of the season.
In addition, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft steered the Titans to 24 points, marking the first time all season Tennessee had scored more than 20 points in back-to-back contests.
But there were some less than impressive numbers as well.
Ward threw for just 170 yards, marking the eighth time in 14 contests he’s been held under 200 yards through the air. It’s also worth pointing out that 62 of those passing yards came in the fourth quarter, which began with San Francisco ahead 31-10.
Ward’s biggest mistake was missing a wide open Van Jefferson on what should have been a 47-yard touchdown pass just before halftime.
But he also threw a pair of passes that should have been intercepted.
In a game where the Titans needed to continually answer San Francisco’s scores, the Titans went three-and-out on three possessions, gaining a combined total of just three net yards on those series.
“It was good besides the three and outs, those were the biggest things,” Ward said of the offense’s performance. “That’s what hurt us the whole game, not starting fast first half or second half. Then just the real mishaps on my end … It’s just the little things that we got to continue to clean up. But I think we’re playing very good, especially up front.”
Status quo on draft front: The Titans’ loss dropped the team to 2-12 and kept them in the No. 3 draft spot for 2026, per Tankathon, which bases its slotting on games played so far as well as projected strength of schedule for the rest of the season.
The Giants (2-12) hold the No. 1 spot, followed by the Raiders (2-12). Those teams will meet Dec. 28 in Las Vegas, which means one will add a win—or, theoretically, that each will add a tie.
Arizona, Cleveland and the New York Jets each sit at 3-11.
New Orleans won its fourth game on Sunday, which means the Titans have a two-game “lead” on the Saints (4-10) — who will travel to Nissan Stadium for a Dec. 28 contest.
Simmons sets career bests: Despite the Titans’ struggles, Simmons continues on pace toward what may be his first All-Pro season.
The three-time Pro Bowler on Sunday produced a stat line rarely seen: He posted seven tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one touchdown reception.
It was just the sixth game in NFL history — per the Associated Press — in which a player recorded a sack, forced fumble and touchdown catch since sacks became official in 1982.
Simmons’ sack against the 49ers was his ninth of the season, topping his previous career best of 8.5 in 2021.
He also recorded his 13th tackle for loss, besting the 12 he’d recorded in 2021.
Simmons’ 1-yard touchdown reception came early in the fourth quarter and cut the 49ers’ lead to 31-17. It was the second TD catch of his career, and it came after Simmons was well covered on his initial route out of the backfield. But he meandered across the back of the end zone and came open for Ward.
“I saw Cam scrambling,” Simmons said. “He probably throws the ball across his body more than any quarterback in the league. I’m like, `I’m going to go the opposite way [of Ward].’ I know Cam can make that throw. I saw him release that and I’m like, `Don’t drop this ball, whatever you do.’ That’s all that was going through my mind.”
Running wild once again: In the Titans’ first 12 games this season, the team had only topped 100 yards on the ground once — and that had happened in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams.
But Tony Pollard and the Titans’ offense have turned up the run game’s productivity over the past two weeks.
Pollard, who hadn’t topped 90 yards on the ground in the first 12 games, ran 14 times for 104 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers. That marked the second straight week he’d gone over 100 yards, after Pollard racked up a career-best 161 rushing yards — as well as two touchdowns — on 25 carries against the Browns a week earlier.
The Titans, who began the day ranked 31st in the NFL with an average of just 84.9 rushing yards per contest, carried 20 times for 136 yards (6.8-yard average) against San Francisco. Tennessee had run 35 times for 184 yards in the team’s win over Cleveland.
“I think we’re shifting towards [a running game identity],” Ward said. “Each and every week, we get better at something in the run game … The last two weeks have been good because everyone is emphasizing [the run game]. The running backs are seeing it real well. Tony and Tyjae had a good day on the ground.”
Speaking of the O-line: Even without starting left tackle Dan Moore (neck) in the starting lineup — and with Kevin Zeitler leaving the game in the fourth quarter due to a groin injury — the Titans’ offensive line didn’t surrender a single sack for the first time this season.
The clean sheet came a week after the Titans surrendered just one sack to Cleveland, which featured the NFL’s best pass rusher in Myles Garrett.
The Titans had led the league in sacks allowed throughout most of the season.
But the O-line’s efforts over the last couple of weeks have moved Tennessee out of first place in that dubious statistic. The Titans have surrendered 49 sacks, which ranks behind Las Vegas (54), the Los Angeles Chargers (51) and the New York Jets (50).
Injury parade: The Titans suffered several injuries against San Francisco, but were especially hard hit at the safety position.
Three of the team’s safeties, including a pair of starters — veteran Xavier Woods (hamstring), rookie Kevin Winston (hamstring) and Mike Brown (ankle) — left the game for good in the first half.
The Titans were left with undrafted free agent Kendell Brooks, who’d played one defensive snap over the past two seasons, next to veteran Amani Hooker.
“You’re limited to a certain [defensive] package [by the safety injuries],” McCoy said. “So everything you thought in your gameplan you were doing, you can’t do different packages with different safeties in the game. You’re limited. But that’s part of the game. You got to adjust on the fly.”
Other Titans who left the game and did not return included Jefferson (back), Zeitler (groin) and inside linebacker Cedric Gray (concussion). Before leaving, Gray recorded a team-high 16 tackles, one short of tying the career high he hit earlier this season.
Tight end Gunnar Helm suffered a toe injury late in the first half, but returned in the second half.
Helm sets franchise record: Helm continued his steady play this season, catching four passes for 49 yards and making his second touchdown catch of the season — on a 34-yard rope thrown down the right sideline from Ward.
A fourth-round draft pick in April, Helm now has 41 catches this season, a franchise record for rookie tight ends. Coming into the contest, Helm had 37 receptions, which was tied with former Titans tight end Bo Scaife — who originally set the mark in 2005.
Mullings shows muscle: Injured for most of this season, rookie running back Kalel Mullings had only taken four offensive snaps — and had not recorded a carry — prior to Sunday’s contest.
But with the Titans facing 3rd-and-1 from the San Francisco 49-yard line early in the second quarter, Tennessee turned to the sixth-round draft pick. The 6-2, 226-pound Mullings powered his way into the line and picked up three yards, giving the Titans a first down.
That drive would eventually result in a touchdown, one that cut San Francisco’s lead to 14-10.
Jennings shows out: There were bound to be a few middle Tennessee viewers who were happy with San Francisco’s win, as Murfreesboro native Jauan Jennings produced his first two-touchdown game of the season.
Jennings caught Purdy scoring throws of four and 13 yards, the second of which gave the 49ers a 24-10 lead.
Overall, Jennings caught three passes for 37 yards.
A five-year NFL vet, Jennings attended Blackman High School and went on to play for UT, where he caught 59 passes for 969 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior in 2019.