Date: Sunday November 8th
Time: 04:15 PM ET
TV: CBS
Line: 49ers -4 ½
Total: 41
Titans ATS Record: 2-5
49ers ATS Record: 5-1-1
The new-look and maybe re-born Tennessee Titans travel over 2,000 miles to San Francisco this weekend to face Mike Singletary’s struggling San Francisco 49ers.
Last Sunday the Tennessee Titans re-installed Vince Young as the starting quarterback and sure enough the Titans gained their first victory of the season with a 30-13 win over visiting Jacksonville.
Strangely enough the 49ers know exactly what the Titans are going through, having recently re-installed former starter Alex Smith as their new starting quarterback.
For Young it was about getting another opportunity, completing 15 of 18 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.
“He looked all right out there,” owner Bud Adams said about the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft. “I think he’s coming around a lot. I think there’s some things that happened to him early in his career that didn’t let him concentrate on football. I think he realized he needed to work at it hard. And he has shown that.”
With the victory, Vince Young improved to 19-11 as a starter, and he’s 6-2 against NFC clubs.
Last Sunday’s win wasn’t all Vince Young, running back Chris Johnson had a career day, rushing for 228 yards on 24 carries.
Johnson leads the league in rushing with 824 yards after entering last week fifth. His five runs of over 40 yards also lead the NFL.
“It feels real good to look at some of the guys who have played before me, then come in and break a record,” Johnson said. “But records are made to be broken.”
The Titans look to earn a second straight victory when they try to hand the banged-up 49ers a fourth straight loss Sunday.
In contrast to Vince Young, Alex Smith is 11-20 after he lost his first start since 2007 last week, 18-14 at Indianapolis.
Many NFL experts and fans have rated Alex Smith - the top overall pick in 2005 as a bust! He’s played well recently in relief of Shaun Hill, on Oct. 25 in a 24-21 loss at Houston, throwing three touchdowns to tight end Vernon Davis to lead the 49ers (3-4) from a 21-point deficit.
Smith completed 19 of 32 passes for 198 yards against the Colts with one touchdown to Davis and one interception, falling to 3-6 in starts against AFC teams.
“I thought Alex did very well,” Coach Mike Singletary told the 49ers’ official Web site. “I was very pleased to see him make some throws. I was very excited and anticipated this game for him because I knew the rush was going to be coming at him.”
The 49ers took an injury hit Monday, when they learned CB Nate Clements and left tackle Joe Staley will miss Sunday’s contest.
Clements, who has missed only one game in his career, has a broken right shoulder blade and is out for up to eight weeks. Staley has a sprained right knee and will miss a game for the first time in his three-year career.
“Obviously we’re going to miss Joe Staley,” Singletary said. “In terms of how it’s going to affect our offensive line, which in essence is how it’s going to affect our offense, you find a way to win. You find a way to work around it.
“Obviously he will be missed. We think a lot of Joe Staley. I’m hoping he’s back real quick because he helps us tremendously. At the same time I know our offense will continue to get better.”
Singletary has said he will shake up the line up to win games and will play the best players to insure a victory for his team. Singletary has said” this 49ers team will make the playoffs.”
“This team right now is going through some changes,” Singletary said. “You’re seeing guys step up, young guys stepping up, and some other guys stepping back. It’s going to continue to be that way. I believe in the best 11 guys on the field. Whoever that is, that’s who’s going to be out there.”
BETTING TRENDS:
Titans are 1-5 ATS in their last six games
49ers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games
49ers are 5-1-2 ATS in their last eight games
