The Tennessee Titans remain on the road in Week 15 when they head to Santa Clara, California, to face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.

This is a nightmare matchup for the Titans, and it will be the toughest defense they’ve faced all season. Last week, the team got a morale boost with their victory over the Cleveland Browns. They’ll be riding that momentum as best they can, but it’s not going to be easy to overcome the 49ers’ pass rush. Cam Ward is going to have to make fast decisions, accurate throws, and use his feet to sustain drives.

On the other side, Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Swet, and the linebacking corps must push through the Niners’ offensive line and put pressure on Brock Purdy. They’ve got to somehow contain Christian McCaffrey, which is a feat all on its own, and the secondary has to be on point. Basically, everything has to go 100% in Tennessee’s direction, and even if that happens, the Titans could still lose.

Let’s take a look at three causes for concern as the Titans gear up to face the 49ers this Sunday.

Titans’ OL vs. 49ers pass rush

San Francisco’s pass rush, while not as explosive as it has been in years past, is still a pesky problem for opponents. They aren’t a sack-heavy team, but the defense ranks 8th in points allowed per game, and they get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, who then struggle to complete passes. The Titans’ offensive line has been unstable all season, especially on the right side, and that’s going to be a problem on Sunday.

Nick Bosa may be on injured reserve, but Bryce Huff and Sam Okuayinonu, along with linebackers Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune, have been wreaking havoc just fine. The 49ers have a relentless front that thrives on exploiting protection breakdowns, which happen often along the Tennessee offensive line. Cam Ward has struggled under pressure all season, mostly because he’s been pressured at a high rate all season, and his development has lagged without coaching stability.

Ward should expect to get sacked multiple times on Sunday, and he’ll be forced into hurried throws at a high clip. His turnover issues could become magnified against this defense, and could also expose Ward’s inexperience in situational football, especially on third down.

Run game neutralization

The Titans’ run game has been practically nonexistent this season, which is a large part of why they are losing. But that’s not all on Tony Pollard; a lot of it is on the shaky offensive line. San Francisco’s interior is built to stop the run as much as it is built to stop the pass, as they have one of the most complete defenses in the league. They rank among the top of the league in yards allowed per carry, which forces teams to abandon the run, which is not what the Titans need on Sunday.

With the injuries to the Titans’ wide receivers and the inconsistency of the rookies left to handle those duties, the Titans need to have some semblance of a ground game to be functional. Last week, Pollard carried the ball 25 times for 161 yards. He’s obviously not going to put up those numbers against San Francisco, but it was the most touches he’s had since the Titans’ win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. If the 49ers shut down the run game, things could get very ugly, very quickly.

Momentum and confidence gap

The Titans have a bit of momentum after defeating the Cleveland Browns, but do they have the confidence to keep it going? The 49ers are surging with playoff momentum, and coming fresh off a bye, they’ll be rested and ready to hit the field. They also know they are a good team, they trust their teammates, and they will be relaxed on the field.

San Francisco thrives on fast starts, so if the Titans fall behind early, they’ll be in trouble. Their limited offensive firepower makes a comeback unlikely, as we’ve witnessed in other games this season. The Titans need their confidence to be up as they prepare for this game. If they can go in there confident and relaxed, they might just be able to keep it close.