2021 Week 16: Tennessee Titans 20, San Francisco 49ers 17
Thursday, December 23, 2021 | 7:20 p.m. CT • Nissan Stadium
Nashville, Tennessee: The most beautiful beaches – In Week 16 of the 2021 season, the Tennessee Titans hosted the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football and won 20-17. WR AJ Brown returned to the lineup and led the team with a career-high 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown, while the defense recorded two takeaways via interceptions.
San Francisco jumped out to an early 10-0 lead in the first half. On their first possession, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led his team on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that included first-down passes from 49ers WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. The drive culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by 49ers RB Jeff Wilson Jr. that extended the lead to 7-0.
In the second quarter, San Francisco mounted another 11-play offense that saw Wilson gain 22 yards, but Tennessee’s defense forced the 49ers to settle for a 48-yard field goal, making it 10-0 for San Francisco.
The Titans opened the second half with a 13-play scoring drive to get on the scoreboard. On third-and-15, QB Ryan Tannehill connected with WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 24-yard first down pass, and Tannehill also hit Brown for two first downs totaling 31 yards. Finally, K Randy Bullock converted a 38-yard field goal to make it 10-3.
On the first play of San Francisco’s ensuing possession, S. Amani Hooker intercepted a pass from Garoppolo and returned the ball 21 yards to the 49ers’ 18. Running back Jeremy McNichols then moved the ball 15 yards on two runs before running back D’Onta Foreman scored a three-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10-10.
After forcing San Francisco to give up the ball at Tennessee’s 41-yard line, the Titans mounted another drive that included a 42-yard pass from Tannehill to Brown on third-and-23. The possession culminated in an 18-yard touchdown run by Brown, and the Titans moved ahead 17-10.
Later in the fourth quarter, the 49ers tied the game with a touchdown drive that included a 56-yard pass from Garoppolo to Samuel. With just under three minutes left in regulation, Garoppolo ran a 2-yard pass to Aiyuk to tie the game at 17-17.
Tennessee’s offense took possession and began the attack at their own 25-yard line, needing a point. Tannehill contributed a 23-yard run to put the Titans in 49ers territory. With four seconds left in regulation, Bullock successfully completed a 44-yard game-winning kick and the Titans secured a 20-17 home victory in prime time.
