49ers schedule release: Ranking 5 most challenging games in 2021

No. 1: Week 16 — 49ers at Titans (Thursday Night Football)

Titans record in 2020: 11-5, first place in AFC South

East Coast trips always raise a good deal of concern for any team traveling from the West Coast. And while the Niners only need to travel two time zones to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, having to do so on a short week after hosting the Atlanta Falcons still makes for an incredibly tough challenge for Kyle Shanahan’s squad.

San Francisco 49ers

Remember, a shorthanded San Francisco team was walloped at home by the Packers on Thursday Night Football last year, and now the added travel makes things that much more difficult.

And TNF games are often weird anyway.

Teams typically like to have their Thursday night games early in the season when their rosters are mostly fresh and the injuries haven’t piled up yet. And while it’s not a crucial conference standing-determining game, one can assume both the 49ers and Titans will be vying for a key playoff berth in this bout.

Of course, the biggest projected challenge for the Niners will be facing off against Titans All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, who led the league last season with 2,027 rush yards and 17 touchdowns. Henry is one of those players who seemingly gets stronger as a year moves along, and more than a handful of other NFL squads know too well he can put up yards in bunches.

Even if it was a regularly scheduled game, Henry would be a massive threat. The fact the defense will have to prepare for him on such a short week in a time zone two hours ahead doesn’t make for an easy challenge at all.

In fact, it ranks out as the toughest one San Francisco has this season.