#turnovers

#turnovers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Although there weren't expectations for rookie Cam Ward to lead the Tennessee Titans to a Super Bowl in his first season, there was a degree of belief that the No. 1 pick would offer a promising look into the future. There have been flashes, such as Ward's first NFL touchdown pass -- when he threw the ball across his body while scrambling to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2.

That specific play won't haunt the 49ers (6-4) as much as this defeat will overall in the NFC West standings. But the 49ers' glaring incompetence at forcing turnovers is complicating life without Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Mykel Williams, etc. Remember when the 49ers beat the Rams a month ago with the help of Alfred Collins' forced fumble at the 1-yard line? Winning the turnover battle definitely ups your chances to winning games, Green said in an exclusive interview at his locker.

I think what separates a lot of players from this level to the NBA level is, can you do it consistently? Everyone knows what your identity is. It's the players that can do it every single night, who are the ones that get opportunities. I'm excited for our group. I still think we haven't scratched the surface for how well we can be defensively. But this was another awesome step for us.

Washington forced NFL MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes into two early interceptions. This was a massive positive that kept the Commanders firmly in the hunt, and potentially even in the early ascendancy if these chances were seized. Unfortunately, the offense failed to score a single point off these turnovers. And they eventually paid a heavy price. That did not go unnoticed by head coach Dan Quinn during his postgame assessment.

For me, we were complicating the game at times tonight. We got burned on it. We forced pucks when we didn't need to and turned them over. They came at us, and as we've talked about, they're a talented and good rush team. They capitalized on their opportunities. More than anything, that is what it boils down to. I felt like we were disconnected at times getting through the neutral zone. It cost us.

Then again, there was truly nowhere for the Niners to go but up after the first 29 minutes of the contest. For a few, fleeting moments, the Niners' H-Town showdown with the Texans was a contest. For the rest of the game, it was a lopsided beatdown reminiscent of an early-season college football game between a blue-blood program and a directional school that was bused in for a blowout game and a nice check.

PORTLAND Steph Curry nailed improbable shot after improbable shot on Friday night, but his expected excellence was not enough to overcome an inspired Blazers team that had spent the past 48 hours mired in controversy. The Blazers were led by acting head coach Tiago Splitter, who stepped into the role after Chauncey Billups was arrested on illegal gambling charges by the FBI on Thursday. The Blazers scorched the nets at the Moda Center, shooting 53.8% from the field. Curry scored a scintillating 35 points after scoring 42 the day before, but the rest of a mix-and-match Warriors lineup looked flat by comparison.

Four takeaways. That's where the bar has been set for Chicago's defense after pushing past an 0-2 start, which included one of the worst defensive performances in franchise history in a 52-21 loss at Detroit in Week 2. It's become a rallying cry for the Bears, who took the ball away four times against Dallas in Week 4 and four more times in Las Vegas one week later.

The eighth overall pick in June's draft checked in with 10:40 left in the second quarter, Brooklyn trailing by 14, and was immediately met by Toronto's swarming defense. The moment tested his composure, but Demin looked comfortable from the start - handling the ball with confidence, helping organize the offense and flashing his defensive instincts with an early block and a pair of sharp deflections.

In fact, Weaver, whose run defense is last in the NFL at 174.2 yards per game, said the run defense was so bad that there were times he wanted to "throw up" while watching the game tape of Panthers running back Rico Dowdle rushing for 206 yards in the Panthers' 27-24 win. "This guy was running, he was like a runaway freight train, just running downhill," Weaver said.

I should've picked it, first off,

Watching the 49ers celebrate after stopping the Rams on a game-deciding fourth-and-1 run Thursday night, I simply couldn't form an explanation for how the Rams had managed to blow what should have been an easy victory over their injury-riddled division rivals. It felt like the Rams could have done whatever they wanted on offense, and a limping Mac Jones' only reliable target was Kendrick Bourne on the 49ers' side.