The San Francisco 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night, a 19-13 loss, provided encouraging performances from several unproven players, particularly rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. Stribling, who was selected 29 picks after the fourth overall pick Carnell Tate, led all players with 63 receiving yards on seven catches, significantly outperforming Tate, who had no receptions on three targets during his playing time.
Stribling's performance came against the Titans' starting secondary. "My journey is my journey," Stribling stated after the game. "I'm not gonna look at someone else's journey, because once I do that, I'm not going to be grateful and happy about where I'm at. It's my journey, so just making the most of my opportunities and what's good for the team."
The 49ers, who opted to rest most of their veteran starters, saw multiple rookies and reserves perform well against Tennessee's first-team offense and defense. This depth is crucial as the team faces ongoing injury issues. Key players such as Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Nick Bosa are central to the team's success, and recent years have underscored the importance of roster depth.
Defensively, the 49ers showed signs of improvement. Rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton recorded a sack of Titans quarterback Cam Ward that was nullified by a penalty. Other players like Tatum Bethune also generated pressure. The team's defensive efforts were a positive for new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
Offensively, third-string quarterback Kurtis Rourke completed 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards in his NFL debut before leaving with a rib injury. However, the team's rushing attack struggled, gaining only 84 yards on 25 carries, partly due to the absence of their top four running backs and the noted "tightness" experienced by McCaffrey.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged Stribling's effort, noting he "struggled a little bit on that first drive, but he got three drives after that and executed all the stuff that went to him." Stribling's ability to make plays, including a 32-yard reception over a veteran cornerback, provides a bright spot for a receiving corps currently dealing with injuries to other key players like Kittle, Christian Kirk, Mike Evans, and Ricky Pearsall, who was lost for the season.