Jim Wyatt
SANTA CLARA, Calif. In pregame, and during the early stages of Sunday's Titans-49ers game, a heavy fog hovered over Levi's Stadium.
In time, the fog subsided, and there were sunny skies.
But on this day, things never really brightened up until it was too late for the Titans, who lost 37-24 to the 49ers.
The team showed some bright spots in a competitive first half, but that evaporated in the final 30 minutes of the game, when the offense sputtered, and the defense couldn't get stops.
The team did have a few shining moments in the second half: Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, and running back Tony Pollard capped a long drive off with a touchdown run.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns in the contest.
Pollard finished the day with 104 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
With the loss, the Titans fell to 2-12 on the season.
It wasn't a great start for the Titans, and they ended up playing catch-up all day.
After a three-and-out on offense, the Titans allowed the 49ers to drive 70 yards on their first possession, with quarterback Brock Purdy connecting with Jauan Jennings for a four-yard touchdown to make it 7-0.
After the Titans cut the lead to 7-3 on a 25-yard field goal by kicker Joey Slye, the 49ers put together another 70-yard scoring drive and capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run by Christian McCaffrey to make it 14-3.
The Titans showed some spunk early. Midway through the second quarter, Ward connected with tight end Gunnar Helm for a 34-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-10. Helm's catch capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive that included a pair of first down completions to tight end Chig Okonkwo.
A 33-yard field goal by 49ers kicker Eddy Piniero made it 17-10.
Titans kicker Joey Slye misfired on a 50-yarder on the final play of the first half, and things took a bad turn at the start of the second half.
The 49ers then scored on their first possession of the second half, this time on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Jennings to make it 24-10.
The 49ers stretched the lead to 31-10 late in the third quarter on a one-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Kittle.
In the fourth quarter, Simmons made a big play of offense and defense.
It was Simmons who knocked the ball out of Purdy's right hand for a forced fumble that was recovered by cornerback Kaiir Elam.
After a 47-yard pass from Ward to receiver Van Jefferson put the Titans at the San Francisco one-yard line, Simmons had a moment to shine on offense.
Simmons got behind the defense after Ward scrambled, and he caught a one-yard touchdown pass to make the score 31-17 with 14:16 left in the contest.
Another Piniero field goal, this one from 37 yards, made it 34-17 with 9:28 left.
Pollard's touchdown with just over five minutes left made it 34-24 before another Piniero field goal accounted for the final margin.
The Titans return to action next Sunday at Nissan Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.
