Even after their Week 16 loss, the 49ers should still make the playoffs. However, they’ll have to beat a pretty abysmal Texans team in Week 17 to keep their hopes alive.
A.J. Brown put up a dominant performance Thursday night against the 49ers in San Francisco's 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. To no surprise, though, a whole lot of 49ers fans felt the Titans' star receiver was getting away with a whole lot of offensive pass interferences.
One big example was when he tossed 49ers safety Jimmie Ward to the ground before catching one of his 11 receptions.
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No penalty was called, and Brown explained why he believes that was the right decision.
"Jimmie Ward, he's a great player, he's a physical player," Brown said to reporters. "As soon as I straightened up, he grabbed me. I just got him up off me. I had to play through him. I can't let him stop me from where I'm trying to go.
"I'm pretty sure 49ers fans thought that was a PI, but he grabbed me first and I do have a right to get him up off me. That's what I did and he just fell down."
Brown finished with a game-high 11 receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown. His eight receptions on third down are the most by any player in the last 40 years, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
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RELATED: Grading 49ers' offense, defense in deflating loss to Titans
Ward didn't play too bad himself. He had three tackles and two passes defensed, and Pro Football Focus gave him a 68.1 grade for the game.
But Brown and the Titans got the better of Ward and the 49ers in a frustrating loss for San Francisco.
