49ers 5 toughest quarterback matchups for Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Week 16 — 49ers vs. Ryan Tannehill, Titans
Generally speaking, fans don’t toss in Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill when they’re thinking about the league’s elite.
Perhaps it’s not necessary. Especially when running back Derrick Henry is leading the league in rushing and touchdowns on the ground.
Either way, this Week 16 bout between San Francisco and Tennessee is going to be a tough one for multiple reasons. Aside from a possible mismatch between Henry and the 49ers’ interior defense, which the wide-9 alignment could open up extra chances for breakouts, the fact Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners have to travel east on a short week for a Thursday Night Football contest doesn’t bode well for preparation and rest.
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The Titans defense in 2020 was anything but stout, finishing 24th in scoring and 28th in yards allowed. But considering Tannehill helped make up for that by tossing 3,819 yards and a career-best 33 touchdowns suggests he’ll be able to do more of the same as long as his cast of offensive weapons remains healthy in the late portions of the season.
Defense is typically the most vulnerable on short weeks, especially for the road team. So if San Francisco wants to pull off a crucial prime-time win over the Titans, Garoppolo will need to deliver a quality road performance against a likely playoff-bound Tennessee squad.