Two quarterbacks at the opposite end of the draft spectrum go head-to-head for the first time when Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans visit Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon in Santa Clara, Calif.
The game matches teams coming off wins in Cleveland a week apart, with the Titans having ended a seven-game losing streak with a 31-29 win last Sunday, while the 49ers, who had a bye last week, were last seen extending their run of consecutive wins to three with a 26-8 victory in Week 13.
The first overall pick in the April draft, Ward threw two touchdown passes for the first time despite unfavorable weather conditions last week in Cleveland. He also had an interception, giving him nearly as many (seven) this season as TD passes (nine).
The win was just the Titans’ second of the season, which drew different reactions from their players. Shortly before veteran defensive lineman Arden Key was getting on the airplay intercom and encouraging his teammates to enjoy the success, Ward was telling reporters he thought playing just three good quarters — the Titans were outscored 12-0 in the final 4:27 — shouldn’t be celebrated.
Titans interim coach Mike McCoy found himself looking for common ground as he began preparations for a tougher opponent, the 9-4 49ers.
“You want to enjoy every win in this business,” he told the media. “But he’s a competitor and Cam wants to be great. He wants to play great every week. And there’s times where if you don’t play (well), he’s not going to sugarcoat what he says.”
Ward threw for just 117 yards in the win, completing only half his 28 passes. His passing yardage was trumped by running back Tony Pollard’s 161-yard effort on 25 carries.
This week, the Titans will see a Niners team that has allowed just four of 13 opponents to rush for a total of more than 100 yards. Only Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne (124) has gone over 100 yards individually against San Francisco this season.
The 49ers have held the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Browns to an average of 13.0 points during their winning streak that coincides with Purdy’s return from a toe injury.
The final pick of the 2022 draft, Purdy engineered five wins his rookie season despite not having started a game until December that year. He’s gone 27-14 as a starter.
As the now fourth-year quarterback has been regaining his footing, Christian McCaffrey has been relied upon heavily of late, getting an average of 19.0 carries and 5.3 receptions, which he has turned into 337 total yards in the last three games.
The nine-year veteran hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down, and if he needed it, the 49ers figure to benefit from a late-season bye.
San Francisco has won each of its first games following a bye the last three seasons, beating the Los Angeles Chargers, Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a combined 79-39.
San Francisco coach Mike Shanahan was asked this week to disclose the secret to his post-bye success.
“I think most of that’s just a coincidence,” he insisted. “It’s always good when we get to rest; you always come in feeling better. The key is how to keep that freshness and feeling better, but yet still get at least two hard days of practice in so you can knock off all that rust.”
The teams haven’t met in California since December 2017, when Ward and Purdy were both in high school.
For the Titans, defensive end C.J. Ravenell (toe) and linebacker James Williams Sr. (illness) did not practice Wednesday. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (Achilles) and center Lloyd Cushenberry III (foot) returned to practice on a limited basis.
Niners linebackers Tatum Bethune (ankle) and Nick Martin (concussion) and defensive linemen Kevin Givens (personal) and defensive Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. Fullback Kyle Kyle Juszczyk (ribs) was limited.
