Titans vs. 49ers: Preview, score prediction for Week 15
Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers
The Tennessee Titans will look to get back to winning ways and cement their grip on a postseason berth when they visit the surging San Francisco 49ers. At 8-5 the Titans are in the thick of the playoff hunt but, after slumping to a 12-7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last week, can ill-afford to lose this one with crunch matchups with the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars to finish the regular season.
The problem for the Titans is that this is far more than just a trap game. San Francisco has won three of its last four games and the 49ers’ offense has been excellent since Jimmy Garoppolo took the controls at quarterback, winning in both of his starts.
Garoppolo’s impact has been such that the 49ers, despite being 3-10, are favored to claim a win that, with the AFC playoff race tightening, could be a death knell to the Tennessee in terms of their postseason hopes.
Keys to the Game
The Titans have done an excellent job of pressuring the quarterback in recent weeks. They have recorded 20 sacks in the last three weeks and will be excited to face a 49ers offensive line that will again be without right tackle Trent Brown, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Tennessee will look to take advantage of Brown’s absence and keep Garoppolo off schedule with its pass rush. However, Garoppolo has proven himself adept at dealing with pressure largely because of his quick release when throwing the football.
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After facing very mediocre quarterbacks in Tom Savage and Blaine Gabbert in back-to-back weeks, Garoppolo is a significant upgrade in competition and has the tools to capitalise on a pass defense ranked 23rd in Football Outsiders DVOA and one that gave up 331 yards to Savage just two weeks ago.
If the defense cannot find a way to make Garoppolo uncomfortable then the pressure will fall on an offense that looked a long way below its best against Arizona.
Returning to offensive success may not be possible through the air with quarterback Marcus Mariota nursing a knee injury, and with San Francisco ranked fourth in the NFL at defending tight ends — per Football Outsiders — going into the game where the hosts will face Delanie Walker, the former Niner who is easily Mariota’s favorite target.
Just as key as shutting down Walker for the 49ers — who could be without two cornerbacks in Ahkello Witherspoon and Greg Mabin through injury — will be keeping the Titans’ running back duo of Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray under wraps. The 49ers have kept opposing ground attacks under 100 yards in each of their last three games and, should they do so again, then their hopes of a second home victory of the campaign will be significantly improved.
Odds
Point Spread: San Francisco -1.5
Moneyline: Tennessee +100 San Francisco -120
Over/Under: 45
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Prediction
Brown’s absence could impact the rhythm of San Francisco’s offense are unable to keep him clean. However Garoppolo was able to excel without Brown against the Texans and the Titans’ secondary has been porous enough that the 49ers should be able to outpace a Tennessee offense that has looked anaemic in recent weeks. The 49ers win and deal the Titans’ playoff ambitions a potentially fatal blow.
Final Score: Tennessee Titans: 17, San Francisco 49ers: 27