by Sports Xchange

Hill took over for Bruce as the 49ers' No. 3 receiver near the end of the first half. He caught four passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Hill simply had gotten few chances to show his stuff before getting called upon against the Titans.

"My focus hasn't changed, but it's been hard on my patience," Hill said Tuesday. "It's about being a professional and knowing it's bigger than just here. It's about other teams and what they're going to look at when I'm on film."

--Quarterback Alex Smith threw three interceptions, two of which came on passes that were deflected. Only one of the picks came as a result of holding the ball too long, he said.

"The one on the boundary could have gone up," Smith said of a first-half pass intended for Michael Crabtree. "That half-second maybe allowed that safety to come over and make a play that allowed that ball to stay inbounds. The other two didn't feel like I was late at all. But the first one I could say, critically looking at it, I could have gone up quicker."

--Cornerback Tarell Brown is expected to be a fixture in the 49ers' starting lineup for years after his promotion corresponded with the demotion of veteran cornerback Nate Clements against the Colts on Nov. 1.

Brown had just signed a contract extension that awarded him a $2.5 million signing bonus and locked him up through the 2013 season.

"I feel it's my job," Brown said. "Coaches gave me the nod. I want to go out there and produce. Everything else will take care of itself. I've got good players around me. I just have to stay consistent. Any time you get an opportunity to step on the field, you have to make the most of it. For me, this is my opportunity, and I have to seize the moment."

--When rookie defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois misread his itinerary coming back from the bye week and missed the 49ers' first scheduled practice, he knew he was going to have to pay for it. Coach Mike Singletary made Jean-Francois run and run and run and run.

Now, Jean-Francois said he is in tip-top condition, with the help of the discipline.

"I did some running," Jean-Francois said. "Let's just say I'm in shape for a long game. If we have a long game, I'll be good to go."

--The 49ers allowed just one 100-yard rusher this season, as Titans running back Chris Johnson eclipsed that mark Sunday. The 49ers rank fourth in the league against the run.

The opposition has averaged just 3.4 yards per carry through the first seven games of the season.

The key to the 49ers' success has been outstanding play from defensive linemen Aubrayo Franklin, Justin Smith and Isaac Sopoaga, which has helped linebacker Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes remain unblocked and make tackles.

"We pride ourselves on stopping the run first and making teams have to pass," Willis said. "That's our goal, to make them one-dimensional."

BY THE NUMBERS: 94.1 -- The 49ers are just 27th in the league in total offense, but they own a league-best percentage of scoring points when they get inside the red zone.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Obviously this is not the most exciting time in the world right now. I would say the biggest thing is we just have to continue working, we just have to continue going forward." -- Coach Mike Singletary, on the 49ers' four-game losing streak.