Titans’ Brightest and Darkest Moments in Preseason Opener

The Tennessee Titans opened some eyes after its preseason game against the 49ers.

The Tennessee Titans offensive line celebrates after San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (98) jumped offsides during their first preseason game of the 2024-25 season at Nissan Stadium Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Titans defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17-13 in Saturday’s Preseason opener at Nissan Stadium. 

It was the first chance for first-year head coach Brian Callahan and the revamped Titans roster to showcase the changes made and there were a lot of takeaways. 

Tennessee may have lost star running back Derrick Henry but the running game did not miss a beat. Tony Pollard, who the Titans signed this offseason, finished with a whopping 8.8 yards per carry after totaling 36 yards on just four attempts. 

Will Levis showed improvement in moving the ball efficiently down the field. He ended the night with an 80% completion percentage, sneaking in a score from the one-yard line, and had a 95.8 quarterback rating. 

The Titans' defense was hitting on all cylinders as well, with key stops seemingly all game, allowing just 14 points, and forcing a turnover to win the game. 

The Titans did not put much on film to cause concern. The starters played well, the defense did their job, and there were no special team blunders. CBS football writer Garret Podell shares the same sentiment with the Titans not showing massive problems. 

“Not much to critique with the Titans not allowing a passing touchdown and picking off quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Tennessee shut San Francisco out in the second and third quarters, not allowing the 49ers to get in rhythm all day long,” Podell wrote.

The Preseason isn't a foolproof way to see how good a team is. The coaches don't use their full playbook and the backup players play the majority of the game. The Titans had a lot to prove after adding a lot of new players and coaching staff. By getting the feeling of success early, a winning culture could be established. 

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