Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and Ravens has significant playoff implications for both teams, so there’s little need for other storylines involving past relationships between pivotal members of the two teams.
The game has one, though. Ravens running back Derrick Henry spent six years playing for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel when both men were with the Titans and he ran for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns over their time together. That experience leaves Vrabel feeling prepared for what his team has in store for themselves this week.
“It is a huge challenge,” Vrabel said in a press conference this week, via a transcript from the team. “He’s a very unique player. Great speed, great power, strength. He’s just a different body type than what anybody would go against, and so it’s unique in that regard. They do a very nice job with their scheme, different personnel groups, different run plan and styles of run, and different run actions. So again, we know what he’s about. Build speed and stiff arm and all that other stuff.”
Vrabel called Henry “somebody that I really valued” while with the Titans and credited him with being a valuable part of the team’s success while they were there. Henry had similar praise for someone he called “a great coach” during his Thursday press conference, but those warm feelings will be set aside once Sunday’s game is underway.
Titans Clips
Titans quarterback Cam Ward’s first NFL head coach was fired early in his rookie season and he wants to have a role in the process of finding the next one.
Ward said on Wednesday that he has spoken to president of football operations Chad Brinker and General Manager Mike Borgonzi “about wanting to be involved” from the first steps of the process of finding Brian Callahan’s permanent replacement. Ward said his interest is not in discussing scheme or finding a coach devoted to the offensive side of the ball, but to help find someone who can build a successful foundation for the franchise.
“I want to meet all of them,” Ward said, via the team’s website. “Every coach who’s going to get the opportunity to come here, I want to meet them, have conversations throughout the whole process with them because that’s someone that I’m going to be here with for that time. So, we got to just continue to — me being around and being open to it no matter whoever we try to hire because I know at the end of the day who we do hire is going to be the right fit for us. Whether it’s a defensive person or an offensive person, they’re going to make sure that every person is in the right place, and make sure every person is set up for success.”
2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams saw his head coach get fired during a disappointing first NFL campaign, but the Bears have rebounded to much better results under Ben Johnson this season. The Titans will be hoping for the same kind of results in 2026.
Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice remained in last Sunday’s loss to the Chargers after being checked out in the sideline medical tent in the wake of a big hit from Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, but his status for this week’s game against the Titans is in question.
Head coach Andy Reid said at a Wednesday press conference that Rice is in the concussion protocol. Reid said that Rice reported concussion symptoms to the team’s medical staff on Monday.
Tyquan Thornton is also in the protocol after being on the receiving end of a helmet-to-helmet hit that led to Jefferson being ejected from last Sunday’s game.
Linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), and right tackle Jawaan Taylor (triceps) will also miss practice on Wednesday.
The Titans added a pair of safeties to their 53-man roster on Tuesday.
They announced that they have signed Erick Hallett off of the Lions’ practice squad and Sanoussi Kane off of the Ravens’ practice squad. They will help replace a trio of safeties that landed on injured reserve. Xavier Woods, Mike Brown, and rookie Kevin Winston will not play again this season as a result of the move.
Hallett played in three games and started twice for Detroit this season. He had 18 tackles in those appearances.
Kane appeared in seven games for the Ravens and saw almost all of his playing time on special teams. He had one tackle this year and also had nine tackles in 15 games last year.
Woods signed a two-year deal with Tennessee this offseason and Winston was a third-round pick. Brown is in his third season in Tennessee and made nine appearances this year.
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons returned from Sunday’s game against the 49ers to find that his home had been burglarized while he was away.
Simmons posted about the break-in on social media after posting seven tackles, a sack and his second career touchdown catch in the Titans’ 37-24 loss. Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed that “multiple items were taken” when a group of six people broke into the house.
“Team security is actively working with Metro Nashville Police Department to recover items stolen from Jeff Simmons’ house,” the Titans said in a statement, via ESPN.com. “No residents were home during the burglary.”
Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ home was burglarized during a game earlier this season and a number of other athletes have dealt with similar break-ins in recent years.
The 49ers scored on their first five possessions and seven of eight in the game, with only a fumble marring their streak.
They won 37-24 for their fourth consecutive victory.
The 49ers improved to 10-4, while the Titans fell to 2-12.
San Francisco outgained Tennessee 430 to 306, going 9-of-15 on third down. Brock Purdy was 23-of-30 for 295 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a 4-yard score to Jauan Jennings, a 1-yarder to George Kittle and a 13-yarder to Jennings.
Purdy also lost a fumble.
Ricky Pearsall caught six passes for 96 yards but left late in the game with an undisclosed injury. Kittle caught eight passes for 88 yards and Jennings three for 37.
Christian McCaffrey had 22 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown.
The Titans hung tough, with Cam Ward completing 18 of 29 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Ward, and Gunnar Helm had a 34-yard score.
Tony Pollard rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
The Titans are down three safeties heading into the second half of Sunday’s game against the 49ers.
They have ruled out Mike Brown (ankle), Kevin Winston Jr. (hamstring) and Xavier Woods (hamstring).
Tight end Gunnar Helm (toe) was questionable, but he has returned to the game.
The 49ers opened the second half with a four-play, 67-yard touchdown drive to take a 24-10 lead. They have scored on their first four possessions for the first time since Sept. 10, 2023.
Jauan Jennings scored his second touchdown on a 13-yard reception. He has only two catches.
Ricky Pearsall had the big play in the drive with a 38-yard reception.
The 49ers are didn’t overwhelm the Titans in the first half, but they do lead 17-10 at halftime.
San Francisco outgained Tennessee 179 to 173.
Brock Purdy has completed 10 of 15 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. He threw a 4-yard score to Jauan Jennings. George Kittle has four catches for 63.
Christian McCaffrey, who was questionable to play scored on a 1-yard run and has eight carries for 23 yards.
The 49ers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. But they settled for a red-zone field goal late in the first half, stalling at the Tennessee 15. Eddy Pineiro’s 33-yard field goal with 56 seconds left in the half gave the 49ers their final points of the half.
The Titans have made it a game by scoring on two of their final three possessions of the half before Joey Slye missed a 50-yard field goal try on the final play of the half.
Cam Ward is 10-of-15 for 106 yards and a touchdown, a 34-yard pass to Gunnar Helm. Tony Pollard had eight carries for 57 yards.
The 49ers are dominating the Titans, as they should, with a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.
Christian McCaffrey scored the team’s latest touchdown on a 1-yard run to complete a seven-play, 70-yard drive.
Jauan Jennings scored the 49ers’ first touchdown on a 4-yard reception from Brock Purdy.
The 49ers have outgained the Titans 138 to 86 thus far.
Purdy is 7-of-9 for 104 yards with a touchdown, and McCaffrey has seven carries for 24 yards and a touchdown. George Kittle has three catches for 56 yards.
The 49ers added a questionable designation for running back Christian McCaffrey to their injury report on Saturday, but it doesn’t look like they will have to go without him against the Titans.
McCaffrey was added to the report with a back issue and multiple reports say that he will be in the lineup at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon. McCaffrey also dealt with an illness during the week, but he was a full participant in practice on Friday.
McCaffrey has not missed a game this season. He has 237 carries for 849 yards and eight touchdowns to go with 85 receptions for 806 yards with five touchdowns. He is third in the league in yards from scrimmage behind Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor.
The 49ers are coming off their bye week in third place in the NFC West with a 9-4 record.
