Game story
In Week 16 of the 2021 NFL season on 2021-12-23, the Tennessee Titans took care of business against the San Francisco 49ers, pulling away with a 20–17 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) paced the passing game, with +1.27 total EPA, and +3.1% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, A. Brown (Tennessee Titans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +10.70 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+20.6% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Tennessee Titans changed the game: (:09) 14-R.Bullock 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 A. Brown · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +10.70 total EPA · 16 snaps · +0.67 EPA/play
- 2 R. Tannehill · Tennessee Titans · Passing · +8.72 total EPA · 36 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 3 N. Westbrook-Ikhine · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +5.57 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.86 EPA/play
- 4 D. Samuel · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +4.38 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.40 EPA/play
- 5 K. Juszczyk · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +2.94 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.59 EPA/play
- 6 A. Firkser · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +2.02 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.02 EPA/play
- 7 D. Samuel · San Francisco 49ers · Rushing · +1.98 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.40 EPA/play
- 8 B. Aiyuk · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +1.52 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.30 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
A. Brown — TEN · Receiving
A. Brown posted the highest total EPA (+10.70) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tennessee Titans's efficiency. Across 16 counted snaps, they averaged +0.67 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.87 EPA) came from San Francisco 49ers: (8:45) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle intended for 19-D.Samuel INTERCEPTED by 37-A.Hooker at SF 39. 37-A.Hooker to SF 18 for 21 yards (19-D.Samuel).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- San Francisco 49ers — J. Wilson
- Tennessee Titans — D. Foreman
- Tennessee Titans — A. Brown (R. Tannehill pass)
- San Francisco 49ers — B. Aiyuk (J. Garoppolo pass)
Field goals
- San Francisco 49ers — R. Gould
- Tennessee Titans — R. Bullock
- Tennessee Titans — R. Bullock
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 7–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the TEN 1 (Q1 55:01) — (10:01) 22-J.Wilson right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q1 54:57) — 9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky..
The second quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 3–0. San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the TEN 30 (Q2 38:35) — (8:35) 9-R.Gould 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky..
The third quarter: Tennessee Titans won the period 10–0. Tennessee Titans connected on a field goal from the SF 20 (Q3 23:49) — (8:49) 14-R.Bullock 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the SF 3 (Q3 22:17) — (7:17) 7-D.Foreman up the middle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q3 22:13) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern..
The fourth quarter: Tennessee Titans won the period 10–7. Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the SF 18 (Q4 13:06) — (13:06) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep left to 11-A.Brown for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN [97-N.Bosa].; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q4 13:02) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.; San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the TEN 2 (Q4 2:24) — (2:24) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q4 2:20) — 9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.; Tennessee Titans connected on a field goal from the SF 26 (Q4 0:09) — (:09) 14-R.Bullock 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 0:09) — (:09) 14-R.Bullock 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q4 3:42) — (3:42) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle to 19-D.Samuel to TEN 6 for 56 yards (37-A.Hooker). SF-19-D.Samuel was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.
- Tennessee Titans (Q3 15:04) — (:04) (No Huddle) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep right to 11-A.Brown to SF 30 for 42 yards (20-A.Thomas). Penalty on SF-98-A.Key, Defensive Offside, declined.
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 13:06) — (13:06) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep left to 11-A.Brown for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN [97-N.Bosa].
- San Francisco 49ers (Q3 23:45) — (8:45) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle intended for 19-D.Samuel INTERCEPTED by 37-A.Hooker at SF 39. 37-A.Hooker to SF 18 for 21 yards (19-D.Samuel).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q3 23:45) — (8:45) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle intended for 19-D.Samuel INTERCEPTED by 37-A.Hooker at SF 39. 37-A.Hooker to SF 18 for 21 yards (19-D.Samuel).
- San Francisco 49ers (Q1 46:36) — (1:36) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short right intended for 85-G.Kittle INTERCEPTED by 20-J.Jenkins at TEN -2. Touchback.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q4 3:42) — (3:42) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle to 19-D.Samuel to TEN 6 for 56 yards (37-A.Hooker). SF-19-D.Samuel was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.
- Tennessee Titans (Q3 15:04) — (:04) (No Huddle) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep right to 11-A.Brown to SF 30 for 42 yards (20-A.Thomas). Penalty on SF-98-A.Key, Defensive Offside, declined.
Quarterback report card
J.Garoppolo led all passers in efficiency for San Francisco 49ers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) · 39 dropbacks · 66.7% completion · +3.1% CPOE · +0.03 EPA/play · +1.27 total EPA
- R.Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) · 36 dropbacks · 61.1% completion · +11.9% CPOE · +0.24 EPA/play · +8.72 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | San Francisco 49ers | Tennessee Titans |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.005 | +0.022 |
| Offensive success rate | 41.7% | 37.2% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.033 | +0.216 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.052 | -0.298 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.022 | -0.005 |
| Defensive success rate | 62.8% | 58.3% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (San Francisco 49ers +0.01, Tennessee Titans +0.02) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- San Francisco 49ers: 10 drives, +0.37 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Tennessee Titans: 9 drives, +1.72 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tennessee Titans leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- A. Brown (Tennessee Titans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Garoppolo (SF) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- R. Tannehill (TEN) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q1 55:01 · TEN 1 · Score 6-0
(10:01) 22-J.Wilson right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q1 54:57 · TEN 15 · Score 7-0
9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky. - San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q2 38:35 · TEN 30 · Score 10-0
(8:35) 9-R.Gould 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky. - Tennessee Titans FG (+3) — Q3 23:49 · SF 20 · Score 10-3
(8:49) 14-R.Bullock 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q3 22:17 · SF 3 · Score 10-9
(7:17) 7-D.Foreman up the middle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q3 22:13 · SF 15 · Score 10-10
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q4 13:06 · SF 18 · Score 10-16
(13:06) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep left to 11-A.Brown for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN [97-N.Bosa]. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q4 13:02 · SF 15 · Score 10-17
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q4 2:24 · TEN 2 · Score 16-17
(2:24) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q4 2:20 · TEN 15 · Score 17-17
9-R.Gould extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky. - Tennessee Titans FG (+3) — Q4 0:09 · SF 26 · Score 17-20
(:09) 14-R.Bullock 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
Frequently asked questions
Who won San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
The Tennessee Titans beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in Week 16, 2021 on 2021-12-23.
What was the final score of San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
The final score was San Francisco 49ers 17, Tennessee Titans 20 (SF 17-20 TEN) in Week 16, 2021 on 2021-12-23.
What was the score by quarter in San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
Q1: San Francisco 49ers 7, Tennessee Titans 0; Q2: San Francisco 49ers 3, Tennessee Titans 0; Q3: San Francisco 49ers 0, Tennessee Titans 10; Q4: San Francisco 49ers 7, Tennessee Titans 10; Final: San Francisco 49ers 17, Tennessee Titans 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
San Francisco 49ers touchdown — J. Wilson (Q1 55:01) Tennessee Titans touchdown — D. Foreman (Q3 22:17) Tennessee Titans touchdown — A. Brown (R. Tannehill pass) (Q4 13:06) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — B. Aiyuk (J. Garoppolo pass) (Q4 2:24) San Francisco 49ers field goal — R. Gould (Q2 38:35, 3 pts) Tennessee Titans field goal — R. Bullock (Q3 23:49, 3 pts) Tennessee Titans field goal — R. Bullock (Q4 0:09, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
J. Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers), 66.7% completion, +3.1% CPOE, +0.03 EPA per dropback, +1.27 total passing EPA. R. Tannehill (Tennessee Titans), 61.1% completion, +11.9% CPOE, +0.24 EPA per dropback, +8.72 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans?
A. Brown (Tennessee Titans) led the game in total EPA with +10.70 on receiving plays. across 16 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.87 EPA): (8:45) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short middle intended for 19-D.Samuel INTERCEPTED by 37-A.Hooker at SF 39. 37-A.Hooker to SF 18 for 21 yards (19-D.Samuel).. The biggest win-probability swing was +20.6%.
Was San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Tennessee Titans won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
San Francisco 49ers
Entered 8-6 Now 8-7 L
Tennessee Titans
Entered 9-5 Now 10-5 W
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