Dec 13, 2025
3 min read
Kyle Shanhanhan has received their best job of the week.
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As key injuries began to pile up and star players were lost for the season, the 49ers' Elder Statesmen began to grumble about the team's belated bye week.
But after 13 weeks and entering their three-game streak, Coach Kyle Shanahan and his players were proud of themselves.Now, the process of expanding the game has arrived, and it starts the most competitive game in the schedule, to meet the main timans.
The 49ers welcome the Titans to Levi's office on Sunday and have a chance to reach double digits for the fifth day in Shanahan's nine-year horse.Tennessee won its last game, a victory on the rock, but it is difficult to improve in the meeting with the beautiful MCCOY.
What? What's in store for the rest of the 49ers?Here are our predictions.
Offensive star of the game
Kawakami: Christian McCaffrey.With much tougher matchups ahead, McCaffrey's chance at an unprecedented second 1000-1000 season could hinge on a few explosive plays and gaining 150 or more yards this season.Hey, guess what: The Titans defense isn't built to prevent that from happening.
Lombardy: Ricky Pearsall.He has just five catches for 20 yards in three games since returning from a knee injury.Before that absence, Pearsall was among the league leaders in yards per route run—providing the space presence the 49ers needed for receivers to take their offense to the next level.Tennessee's 27th-ranked defense is ripe for Pearsall's selection.
Defensive star of the match
Kawakami: The Alfred Collection.Tins rookie quokie quarterberck didn't throw many touchdowns, but he did get a run.And scratched and flushed (an NFL-most 49 times this season).After all the praise you get from George Konelori and the Stattts team, this may be the weekly collection receiving the first curse.
LOMBARDI: Clelyn Ferrell.pick participated in the 499 defensive parkard.Get PASS-Rush opportunities against the perimeter.
49 potential X-factors
Kawakami: Shanahan teams come off lower week.Some of the best 49ers performances this season have come the week after goodbye-remember the 34-3 against Jacksonville in 2023 and the 31-3 against Cleveland in 2019?There should be little difference against the YPSET opponent this week, but it makes sense that a physical team like the 49ers will be particularly strong left to have some rest at the end of the season.
Lombardi: Get plenty of rest.The 49ers had their last 15 turnovers in their most recent game in Cleveland.Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said fatigue was directly related to the missed tackles, and he expects them to have more after 49 last week.
The most important metric to monitor
Kawakami: Brian Robinson Jr. enters the fourth quarter.Even if I say McCaffrey needs to total over 100 yards, he can do that in the first three quarters and then rest a bit instead of letting Robinson finish it off.If McCaffrey is needed down the stretch, that would be a sign that this game was a little more competitive than it should have been.
Lombardi: McCaffrey yardage.He needs 151 rushing yards and 194 receiving yards to reach 1,000 yards in both categories.McCaffrey won't knock out both in one game, but he could surpass a big in each category.And then he would be on the brink of history.
Kawakami: 49er 30, Titans 13. Rested, they have a lot of offensive stars, facing another 49er team without a 49er pick.I don't think it's a stop.
Lopardi: 49ers 31, Titans 13. A loss here would be Shanahan's loss for the 49ers. I don't think they'll lose.This should be the next victory imposed by the gesua-flow-new team to close out the regular season - with everything remaining before the 49th hour.
