by Wade Payne - AP

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1. Run the ball. We have to see if Chris Johnson can get anything against this great 49ers defense that allows only 85 yards per game on the ground.  If anyone can do it, the leading rusher in the NFL can. Running the ball will also keep the pressure off Vince Young in his second start in two years.  The Titans will be much better off relying on Chris Johnson and Lendale White than Vince Young and his receivers. The key is a mixture of the two backs throughout the game to get the defense thinking.
2. Pass with confidence. The 49ers have the NFL's fourth worst pass defense, and it will be even worse with their starting cornerback, Nate Clements out. Against a bad pass defense and a good run defense, this is the perfect opportunity for Vince Young to have a good passing performance. Vince had a stellar completion percentage against the Jaguars, but let's see if he can continue against this defense. 
3. Prevent turnovers. Turnovers are the worst thing a team can do, because it allows the other team an opportunity to score with momentum on their side. The Titans did a good job last week of causing turnovers by the Jaguars after not being able to for the previous 6 games. If the Titans win the turnover battle, they will be in a very good position to win.
4. Ride the momentum. The Titans had their first win of the season on Sunday, and they are riding high. Nate Washington and Chris Johnson say that they can go 10-0, and they have won 9 straight against the NFC. It seems the team is on a high, but they need to build on it.
5. Keep the receivers in check. The Titans had their best pass defense of the season last week, and a good part of it was probably due to Cortland Finnegan and Vincent Fuller both being back. Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree are the two most threatening targets for Alex Smith, and the secondary needs to limit them especially. If Jason Jones gets to the quarterback fast like he did last week, it could be a very long day for Alex Smith.

We have talked about how the offensive line looked better last week against the Jaguars which begs the question of whether the line got better or just looked good against a weaker Jacksonville defense.  They will get the chance to answer that question on Sunday.  The 49ers defense leads the league in yards per carry on defense and are second in the league in yards per game allowed.  Those numbers are even more impressive when you take into account that they have faced Adrian Peterson, Stephen Jackson and Michael Turner already this season.

This game will also be a good test for Vince Young.  He was very proficient against the Jags, but the 49ers will prove a much tougher test.  It is a pretty safe bet they will stack the box early in an effort to stop Chris Johnson.  VY will get his chance to throw them out of that.  The 49ers are ranked 28th in the NFL in passing yards allowed.  Hopefully Vince will be able to take advantage of some opportunities early in the game to loosen up the defense for CJ.

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More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

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Mgrex03 from Stampede Blue was nice enough to share some of his observations about the San Francisco 49ers with us.

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Not a lot of history between these two seeing that they are in different conferences.  The 49ers lead the all-time series 7-4.  The Titans won the last meeting 33-22 in the forgettable 2005 season.  (As a side note; Steve McNair had 343 passing yards and 3 TDs in that game.) 

The last time the Titans played in San Francisco was 1999 in a game won by the 9ers 24-22.  (The Titans failed on a 2-point conversion late) Click on that link and look at the Titans offensive numbers from that day.  Pretty funny stuff.

We will be treated to the broadcast duo of Ian Eagle and Rich Gannon for this late start on CBS.

More photos » by David Richard - AP

Cheer up, it's a new beginning!

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1. Forget about the past. This bye week is giving the Titans a clean slate to work with. Forget about the first six games before the bye. It's a new ten game season to work with. It's safe to say we aren't making the playoffs, so might as well give it your all and try to get some wins anyway. Play with all your heart, and don't give up. If we lose, it's no surprise. If we win, it will be a confidence booster. I hope the players got their rest out of the way during the bye week, because it's time for ten straight weeks of tough battles.
2. Win the turnover battle.  Four interceptions and four fumble recoveries is all the Titans have obtained this season. They have lost nine interceptions and nine fumbles, which combines for the most turnovers in the league. Coach Fisher emphasized ball security numerous times during the bye week, but it's impossible to coach how to prevent fumbles because it's usually a good defensive play rather than a careless play by the fumbler. If we give them the ball with good field position, we don't deserve to win.
3. Run the ball. As always. It's necessary to run the ball early and often. This also controls the clock, which we couldn't seem to do last time around considering the Jags had the ball for ten more minutes than we did. Pound, pound, pound with Lendale White, Chris Johnson, and even Vince Young to tire the defense and get back to smash-mouth Titans football.
4. Slow down David Garrard. Last time we played these Jaguars, Garrard threw for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns. A struggling team can not win by letting a mediocre passing game have a game like that. Vincent Fuller and Cortland Finnegan should be back playing, and Michael Griffin says his problems have been taken care of during the bye week.
5. Let Vince Young get comfortable early. Obviously Vince's biggest threat is not his throwing ability, it's his ability to scramble out of the pocket. If he starts playing poorly to begin, expect another long day. Throw some short, easy throws to prevent turnovers early. Let VY get a feel for the game that he has been out of for 22 games.

A few observations after the jump.

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You might remember the last time these two teams met as the day the wheels came off our season.

The Titans are 17-13 all-time against the Jags.  The record is 16-12 in the regular season and 1-0 in postseason.  The last time the Jaguars visited LP Field was the Vince Young game in week 1 last season (a 17-10 Titans victory).  It is really neat-o that his last start and his next start both come at home against the Jags.

The Titans are 7-7 all-time at home against Jacksonville.  Jeff Fisher is 7-5 against Jack Del Rio.

In case you didn't know how far we have fallen from grace, we get Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker as the announcers for this game.

*Site note: We will not be calling them the Bedazzlers this week because we have lost the right to make fun of any team for any reason.

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

Belichick thinks even he could throw for 300 against this defensive backfield. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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The good news about this game is that Tom Brady doesn't appear to be 100% recovered from the knee injury he suffered in week 1 last season.  The bad news is that it doesn't really matter.  Cortland Finnegan isn't going to play tomorrow which means the Titans secondary will once again be running out two rookies and a practice squad player.  Michael Griffin and Chris Hope have been pretty much invisible this season.  If the Titans are going to have any shot at winning this game those two are going to need to have the game of their lives.

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