5 Players to Watch in the 49ers' TNF matchup at Tennessee
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The San Francisco 49ers (8-6) look to keep the momentum going into a short week as they head to Tennessee to take on the Titans (9-5) at 5:20 p.m. (PT) on Thursday Night Football.
Here are Five Players to Watch in the prime-time matchup:
David Quessenberry, Right Tackle, #72 — Tennessee Titans
This column promised in last week’s article that every 49ers’ opponent’s right tackle would be the offensive player to watch.
Why is that? Because defensive end Nick Bosa is on tear with 43 tackles, 15.0 sacks, 18 tackles-for-loss, 29 QB hits, four forced fumbles, 16 hurries, 14 knockdowns, and 45 pressures in 14 games.
Bosa’s excellent form should continue. Despite a 79.1 PFF grade, Tennessee right tackle David Quessenberry has allowed a staggering 11 sacks.
As the schedule currently stands, this is the 49ers’ last prime-time affair. The eyes of the NFL are on this game. A great performance could thrust Bosa from Defensive Player of the Year contender to favorite.
Bosa’s comeback season was not slowed by Atlanta right tackle Kaleb McGary last week. He recorded two pressures, a sack and a forced fumble. Over his last six games, Bosa has been particularly lethal, with 8.0 sacks, 12 QB hits and two forced fumbles.
Zach Cunningham, Linebacker, #41 — Tennessee Titans
San Francisco tight end George Kittle is having one of the best stretches of his career. He has 28 catches on 33 targets for 425 yards and three touchdowns over the past three games.
Kittle has a tough matchup this week as the Titans have played tight ends quite well. Per The Football Database, they’ve allowed the eighth fewest catches (57), the 11th fewest targets (96), three touchdowns and are tied for the fourth fewest yards (496) to tight ends.
Tennessee is down linebacker David Long Jr. (hamstring), leaving former Houston linebacker Zach Cunningham as Rashaan Evans’ partner in the middle.
In his first game with Tennessee last week, Cunningham allowed just one completion on three targets for zero yards (Pro Football Reference), which was an improvement over his numbers in Houston: 31 receptions on 37 targets for 268 yards, a touchdown and a 105.9 pass rating.
One thing to note is that Cunningham has missed 13-of-73 tackles this season (15.1%). Despite the poor tackling thus far, Cunningham was 6-for-6 on attempts last week.
The Titans will need continued sure-tackling with Kittle and Deebo Samuel coming to town.
Arden Key, Defensive End, #98 — San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are beat up at cornerback. But as learned in 2019, the best way to combat cornerback deficiencies is to get after the quarterback.
Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill is the second most-sacked quarterback in the NFL this season (41), trailing only Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (44). San Francisco was able to get to Burrow five times two weeks ago.
As stated above, the Titans are at a disadvantage on the right side. Yet that might end up being their better side as left tackle Taylor Lewan (back) and left guard Rodger Saffold III (shoulder/illness) were ruled out on Wednesday.
Yes, it’s a shame that Lewan and San Francisco corner Josh Norman won’t rehash some history, but it increases the likelihood that the 49ers will create pressure.
Bosa, Arik Armstead and D.J. Jones have been very good, but with a short week and the increased possibility of fatigue, the 49ers need their depth to show up.
Reserve defensive end Arden Key had one sack with another negated by a questionable roughing the passer call last week. Overall, Key has 5.0 sacks, nine QB hits and 11 pressures.
In addition to pressuring Tannehill, Key will have to contain scrambles and plug gaps when the Titans establish their play action with running backs D’Onta Foreman (ankle) and Dontrell Hilliard.
Ambry Thomas, Cornerback, #20 — San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of the secondary, the 49ers must dedicate some help toward rookie corner Ambry Thomas.
If Russell Gage can repeatedly get the best of Thomas, imagine what Pro Bowler A.J. Brown can do?
Brown (chest) has battled injuries throughout the season, but if he is activated for Thursday’s game, he has an outside shot at posting his third-consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.
Thomas, who sat out the 2020 Covid season at the University of Michigan before going in the third round to San Francisco this past draft, still has a lot of potential to become an NFL starter. He just isn’t ready, yet.
If Tennessee has success on the ground, and forces San Francisco to play the run, it could leave Thomas in unfavorable one-on-one matchups vs Brown or wild card Julio Jones.
Alex Mack, Center, #50 — San Francisco 49ers
Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. ran hard and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did a great job getting rid of the ball quickly to neutralize Atlanta’s defensive line last week.
This week is a different beast. Led by the somehow-still-underrated Jeffery Simmons, the Titans have a much better line than the Falcons.
Tennessee has the second-best run defense in the NFL, allowing 1,217 yards in 14 games.
In Week 15, the Titans shut down rookie running back Najee Harris (18 yards on 12 carries). In Week 12, they held one of the better ground games in the NFL, New England, to their fifth-lowest total (105 rushing yards).
Veteran center Alex Mack must partner with left guard Laken Tomlinson or right guard Daniel Brunskill to block Simmons. Simmons is too good to block one on one.
The 49ers need to establish the run early with Wilson if they’re to control the game and edge the physical Titans. That means Mack and the guards must get the best of Simmons.
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