49ers on road for draft clash

Today's loser will contend in the race for the NFL's top draft pick.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Fans are calling this one the Bush-Leinart Bowl, with the loser keeping close in the draft sweepstakes for either USC running back Reggie Bush or quarterback Matt Leinart.
Not so fast.
"People are always going to talk and have things to talk about," Tennessee Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "Nobody in here is talking about the draft or the implications of this game. We just need a win. We're hungry for a win, and this is another opportunity for us to get a win."
The San Francisco 49ers agree.
"Somebody is coming out 3-8 baby," 49ers kicker Joe Nedney said. "We don't see ourselves as a 2-8 team, and I'm sure Tennessee doesn't ... It is a cliche to say, and I'm sure everyone is saying that I'm reaching for something. I think this team is really close to being a good team."
Victories have been rare
Victories have been in very short supply for these teams, and perhaps the best thing about Sunday is that either the 49ers will snap a three-game skid or the Titans will end their own five-game slide.
First-year coach Mike Nolan thinks this could be a trap for his 49ers after playing such divisional leaders as the New York Giants and Chicago Bears before losing 27-25 to Seattle, the NFC West leader, last week.
"I'm looking at it as though we're going to go face a good team. We might match up against them a little bit better because they're younger. But outside of that it's a road game for us ... We've had our issues on the road," Nolan said.
The 49ers are 0-4 away from San Francisco this season, and this will be their first visit to Tennessee, where the Titans are 20-4 against teams in their first trip here.
But like the 49ers, the Titans are busy rebuilding and are only 1-4 at home in 2005. This is the first time they've played consecutive games in Nashville this season, coming off another close loss, 31-28 to Jacksonville.
Fisher challenged
Titans coach Jeff Fisher easily admits this salary-cap induced project has been a challenging experience.
Still, he's having fun with the NFL's youngest team because he sees them enjoying football, playing with confidence and expecting to win.
"There may not be a lot of interest around the country to see what happens in this game, but I'm certainly interested in it," Fisher said.
The Titans may have the advantage because Steve McNair should have all of his receivers available for the first time in more than a month. Drew Bennett had six catches in his return last week from a dislocated thumb, and tight end Ben Troupe is off the injury report after healing a sprained ankle.
Tennessee averages 213.9 yards passing per game, 13th in the NFL, and the 49ers currently rank last in the league, giving up 274.9 yards. They also won't have defensive tackle Bryant Young and his eight sacks -- Young is out with a torn right knee ligament.
The 49ers have won six of the last seven in this series and are coming off a game in which Ken Dorsey's incompletion on a 2-point conversion kept them from forcing overtime.
That performance, which included the 49ers' first touchdown in 48 straight possessions and a career-high 249 yards passing, earned Dorsey a second consecutive start -- only the third of his career. That might provide some stability for an offense averaging 213.1 yards, last in the NFL.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to keep improving and stay out on the field. I think you get into a little bit of a groove and you start to have a little bit of an idea of what to expect," Dorsey said.
The Titans had hoped for a chance at Alex Smith, the top draft pick last April. Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, the Titans' top pick, expects Dorsey to be more careful with the ball. He hasn't been picked off in 47 attempts.
That will make it tougher for the Titans to get what they so desperately want.
"Everybody in here wants a win," Jones said. "We need a win."
Same for the 49ers.
"It's a very winnable game for us ..." Nedney said. "We'll be ready for them, as I'm sure they're ready for us."
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