2021 Week 16: Tennessee Titans 20, San Francisco 49ers 17
Thursday, December 23rd, 2021 | 7:20pm CT • Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN – In Week 16 of the 2021 season, the Tennessee Titans hosted the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football and won by a score of 20-17. WR A.J. Brown returned to the lineup and led the team with a career-best 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown, while the defense recorded two takeaways on interceptions.
San Francisco jumped out to an early 10-0 lead in the first half. On their opening possession, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo led his team on a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive that featured first-down receptions by 49ers WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. The drive culminated in a one-yard rushing score by 49ers RB Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 7-0 advantage.
In the second quarter San Francisco added an 11-play scoring drive that included 22 total yards by Wilson. However, the Tennessee defense forced the 49ers to settle for a 48-yard field goal to make it 10-0, San Francisco.
The Titans opened up the second half with a 13-play scoring drive to get on the board. 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 that totaled 31 yards. Ultimately K Randy Bullock converted a 38-yard field goal to make it 10-3.
On the first play of the ensuing San Francisco possession, S Amani Hooker picked off Garoppolo and returned the ball 21 yards to the 49ers 18-yard line. RB Jeremy McNichols then moved the ball 15 yards on two carries before RB D’Onta Foreman rushed in a three-yard touchdown to tie the game, 10-10.
After forcing San Francisco to turn the ball over on downs at Tennessee’s 41-yard line, the Titans strung together another scoring drive that included a 42-yard bomb from Tannehill to Brown on third-and-23. The possession culminated in an 18-yard touchdown by Brown, as the Titans pulled ahead 17-10.
Later in the fourth quarter, the 49ers tied the game on a scoring drive that featured a field-flipping 56-yard pass from Garoppolo to Samuel. With just under three minutes remaining in regulation, Garoppolo connected with Aiyuk for a two-yard score that tied the game, 17-17.
Tennessee’s offense took possession of the ball, beginning the drive at their own 25-yard line and in need of a score. Tannehill contributed a 23-yard rush to help drive the Titans into 49ers territory. With four seconds remaining in regulation, Bullock successfully kicked a 44-yard game-winner as the Titans sealed a 20-17 home primetime victory.
