The Tennessee Titans host the San Francisco 49ers this week in a primetime showdown on Thursday Night Football. Kickoff at Nissan Stadium (capacity 69,143) is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. CST on Dec. 23.
San Francisco makes its third all-time appearance at Nissan Stadium, which opened in 1999, and its first appearance at the venue since 2013. This marks the first Thursday primetime game for the Titans franchise against an NFC opponent.
THE BROADCAST
Thursday’s contest will be nationally televised on NFL Network, and the telecast also can be seen locally in Nashville on WZTV FOX 17. The broadcast team includes play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, analyst Greg Olsen and reporters Pam Oliver and Kristina Pink.
Fans can livestream the broadcast on their mobile devices from the Titans Mobile App (iOS and Android), as well as on desktop computers and mobile web at TennesseeTitans.com. Restrictions apply. For information and more streaming options visit TennesseeTitans.com or NFL.com/ways-to-watch.
The Titans Radio Network will carry the game across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, sideline reporter Amie Wells and gameday host Rhett Bryan. You can hear the game LIVE on Thunder Radio WMSR in Coffee County, beginning with Titans Countdown at 6 p.m. Listen at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM. Titans Football on Thunder Radio is listed by Charlie Gonzales with Weichert Realtors, Joe Orr & Associates.
Additionally, Westwood One Sports will broadcast the game to a national radio audience. Play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle and analyst Tony Boselli will have the call.
TITANS RETURN HOME FOR TWO OF FINAL THREE GAMES
With three games remaining on the schedule, the Titans are 9-5 and hold a one-game lead over the 8-6 Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. With any two combined Titans wins and/or Colts losses, the Titans will win their second consecutive division title. The Colts travel to face the Arizona Cardinals this week in a Saturday night matchup.
This is the first of two consecutive home games for the Titans. After Thursday night, they have a long rest before hosting the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 2. To close the regular season, the Titans play at the division rival Houston Texans on Jan. 9.
The Titans went to Pittsburgh last week and fell by a final score of 19-13. They led 13-3 in the third quarter, but the Steelers scored the game’s final 16 points, and a final drive by the Titans offense ended at Pittsburgh’s 10-yard line in the final minute of the fourth quarter.
The Titans defense surrendered only 168 total yards, the fewest by any Titans opponent since Sept. 19, 2010, when they yielded 127 yards in a game to the Steelers. Additionally, the Titans defense allowed only 35 rushing yards, 133 passing yards and 12 first downs.
Offensively, the Titans rushed for 201 yards at Pittsburgh, including 108 yards on a career-high 22 carries by D’Onta Foreman. Ryan Tannehill provided the Titans’ lone touchdown on a one-yard run to tie his career high with seven rushing touchdowns on the season.
THE 49ERS
The 49ers have won two consecutive games to improve to 8-6 on the season. They are looking to gain ground in the NFC West on the 10-4 Arizona Cardinals and the second-place Los Angeles Rams, whose record is 9-4 prior to their Dec. 21 game against Seattle.
Last week, the 49ers hosted the Falcons and rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-13 victory. It was their fifth win in their last six games after beginning the season 3-5 in their first eight contests.
Kyle Shanahan is in his fifth season since being named head coach of the 49ers in 2017. He is looking to guide the 49ers back to the playoffs after previously taking them to the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2019 campaign.
San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has started 12 of the team’s 13 games this season. The eighth-year quarterback arrived in San Francisco in a trade with New England in 2017, and in his fifth season with the club, he has passed for 3,172 yards and 18 touchdowns with eight interceptions and a 100.7 passer rating.
