The Titans grabbed a win Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers 33-22 moving the Titans to 3-8 on the season. One day later we take a look to see what the San Francisco sportswriters have to say about the 49ers falling to the Titans.

''Unless you're the spoiled type of 49ers fan who insists on some kind of playoff carrot dangling from that stick, there's still plenty of excitement left in the season.

There's the on-going, week-to-week suspense and controversy over whom coach Mike Nolan will select as the key guy in the 49ers offense. Who will get the nod for next Sunday? Joe Nedney or Jose Cortez?

And after the 49ers' gut-punch 33-22 loss to the non-titanic Titans Sunday, the Reggie Bush specter looms larger. Be honest, admit your excitement. ...

The 49ers were almost as entertaining. They even took a 14-9 lead at halftime on a gift touchdown, a 61-yard interception return by Shawntae Spencer when Titans receiver Brandon Jones' leg gave out and he fell.

But as the pessimists are murmuring, this is starting to look like not the 49ers' season. It's unrolling like a bad country-western song, although as yet nobody's girl has stolen his pickup truck and run over his dog.

Almost as poetically, the wind has ruined the 49ers' last two road games, causing a 108-yard field-goal return in Chicago and Sunday shortening a Titans punt into a hot bounder that return man Otis Amey misplayed, opening the door for the Titans' 21-0 third quarter.

You have to give the 49ers' credit for not folding their tents as they hit the 2-9 mark, although if they did, they'd probably fold them into lumpy bundles with stakes falling out.

Nolan continues to take the optimistic view that these are growing pains.

After the game, which didn't call out for profound comment anyway, Nolan lapsed into his deepest cliches of the season.

''We didn't do the things necessary to win the game,'' he said.

Nolan also commented, ''When you get to third downs, you've gotta make first downs.''

Nolan said he considered a QB change in the fourth quarter, replacing Ken Dorsey with Alex Smith, but decided -- nah. Nolan said he will announce next week's starter Tuesday. It will be Smith. Oops, did I give something away?''
Scott Ostler
San Francisco Chronicle

''It was all going so well. The 49ers had rediscovered their offense and had been competitive in their last four games. A feeling of optimism hovered over the 49ers' complex. There was even a feeling that the nascent team was on the verge of a breakout.

And then it all fell apart. After leading the Titans 14-9 at halftime, the 49ers made a myriad of the same type of mistakes that have haunted them all season: ill-timed penalties, offensive futility and a frustrating series of big plays allowed on defense.

The 49ers were outscored 21-0 in an epic third-quarter collapse and, despite mounting a spirited but too-little-too-late comeback in the fourth quarter, fell to Tennessee 33-22. ...

Dorsey was lucky he survived after getting pummeled throughout the day. Any questions about the offensive woes, Dorsey heaped blame upon himself.

''I think we just missed some opportunities for some big plays,'' he said. ''When you get opportunities like that, you want to take advantage of them, especially when a receiver does such a good job of getting open and the line protects.''

In the end, the 49ers were left to ponder whether their horrible second half amounted to a setback. ''No,'' wide receiver Brandon Lloyd said flatly behind mirrored shades. ''You can't look at a game as a setback if you want to be successful. That's not a good attitude.''
Kevin Lynch
San Francisco Chronicle

Steve McNair slipped away from a 49ers linebacker, spotted Chris Brown near the left sideline and threw the ball as he was being slammed to the ground.

Brown ran 41 yards for the touchdown. For a quarter, it was vintage McNair.

The Tennessee quarterback took advantage of the NFL’s worst defense by throwing for 343 yards and three touchdowns in the third quarter, including two within 80 seconds, and the Titans snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the 49ers 33-22 on Sunday.

''That is reminiscent of the old Steve,'' Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. ''It was good to see.''

It was the fifth time this season that the 49ers (2-9) had allowed a team to throw for more than 300 yards. The Titans finished with a season-high 461 yards total offense in a performance that disappointed San Francisco coach Mike Nolan.

''We gave up some explosive passes in the second half that hurt us, and an example, I guess, of what an experienced quarterback can do to an inexperienced secondary,'' Nolan said.

Brown, who hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in a game this season, caught three passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Rob Bironas also kicked a career-high four field goals. Kyle Vanden Bosch had two sacks, and the Titans (3-8) forced four turnovers in winning for the first time since Oct. 16.''
Teresa M. Walker
San Francisco Examiner