49ers schedule: 5 games that could determine playoff push

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Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Thursday Night Football could see 49ers battling for playoff positioning against the Titans

Historically, the Thursday Night Football schedule doesn’t excite many people. However, this Week 16 game between the Tennessee Titans and 49ers could be the best Thursday game all season. We could be watching a battle between division leaders jostling for NFC and AFC playoff spots.

The Titans boast one of the best running backs in NFL history with Derrick Henry. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the definition of “just do your job well and the rest will take care of itself.” Plus Tennessee has a winning record in each of the last five seasons.

This will be the third straight non-NFC or NFC West game the 49ers will have played during this stretch to end the 2021 season. Niner Noise’s Robert Morrison predicted the Niners will take a loss this week, which could prove costly to San Francisco if it’s battling with LA and Seattle for the division.

The 49ers won the last meeting between these two teams, and if they want to win the NFC, they’ll need to do it again on Thursday Night Football.