SANTA CLARA - The 49ers opened their preseason against the Titans with a lineup that was missing a long list of familiar names, including Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams and others.
Among the players not in uniform were QB Brock Purdy, QB Mac Jones, RB Christian McCaffrey, RB Jordan James, RB Kaelon Black, WR Mike Evans, WR Deebo Samuel, WR Christian Kirk, WR Demarcus Robinson, TE Jake Tonges, TE Luke Farrell, LT Trent Williams, G Dom Puni, C Jake Brendel and RT Colton McKivitz.
San Francisco’s first offensive possession showed some life from Kurtis Rourke, who found Jordan Watkins for a first down on a third-and-11 throw over the middle from the Titans 39. That play was wiped out by a holding call on left guard Robert Jones, and the drive eventually ended in a punt two plays later.
Rourke mixed in two scrambles and a couple of solid throws on the series. De'Zhaun Stribling also got involved, catching one pass for six yards and dropping another throw that was behind him, turning into a loss on a glorified jet sweep.
Most of his work came out of the slot, as the 49ers leaned heavily on three-wide sets.
The Titans answered by going straight at San Francisco’s defensive front. On a third-and-3 from the 49ers 5, Tony Pollard powered between the tackles and into the end zone for a touchdown.
Tennessee rushed seven times for 56 yards on the drive, repeatedly moving the ball through gaps the 49ers couldn’t close. Alfred Collins was pushed out of his spot on the scoring run, and the 49ers had missed tackles from Collins, Nick Martin and Marques Sigle, all of whom are projected to start.
The one bright spot on that series came from rookie cornerback Ephysians Prysock, who broke up a potential touchdown pass to Carnell Tate on second-and-3 from the 5.
Rourke and Stribling connected again on the next 49ers possession, but the offense still couldn’t get out of its own way. On third-and-6 from the Titans 46, Rourke delivered a pass at Stribling’s knees for a five-yard gain.
Then, on fourth-and-1, right tackle Brandon Parker was flagged for a false start, forcing another punt. Stribling finished that drive with two catches for 15 yards, including one heavily contested grab.
He hasn’t shown much separation so far, and most of his targets have been close to the line of scrimmage.
After the punt, Tennessee took over at its 8. The next question for San Francisco: can it get a stop against the run?
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49ers Get Their First Real Look At De'Zhaun Stribling's Upside
The 49ers are about to get their first real preseason look at rookie wide receiver DeZhaun Stribling, and the opener against the Titans should tell them plenty about where he fits. San Francisco wants to see more than just basic camp flashes here, with an eye on how he handles different routes, shifts around the formation and brings value after the catch.
For a team always searching for receiver depth and playmaking help, Striblings debut is less about the box score than the details that show up in August. If he can separate in more than one spot and create something once the ball is in his hands, it will give the 49ers a better read on how quickly he can contribute to the offense. [Read more 🡒]