ClutchPoints
The Jacksonville Jaguars will travel to Santa Clara, California, to face the San Francisco 49ers this weekend at Levi Stadium. Ultimately, this will be a great battle between two strong teams. This Jaguars-49ers Week 4 clash could also feature the return of Brock Purdy. That makes these Jaguars-49ers bold predictions even more interesting, considering the Niners will get one of their starters back. Unfortunately, the Niners lost Nick Bosa for the season, which means other defenders will have to pick up the slack.
San Francisco is currently favored by odds of 3.5 to beat Jacksonville this weekend, according to FanDuel. Overall, oddsmakers expect this game to be close. That is a huge testament to the feelings of change around the Jaguars and how they have potentially improved. Also, the injuries to the 49ers, including the absences of George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and now, Bosa, give the Jags a possible edge.
The Jags are 2-1, while the Niners are 3-0. So, who takes this clash at Levi Stadium? It’s time to analyze three Jaguars-49ers bold predictions for their Week 4 battle in Santa Clara.
Christian McCaffrey has not been able to carry the 49ers’ offense this season like many Niners fans hoped. So far, he has rushed for 176 yards while averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. McCaffrey still has not scored a rushing touchdown, either. Unfortunately, McCaffrey has not been able to find running room behind an offensive line that has struggled to be effective.
The Jaguars’ run defense has quietly become one of the best in the NFL, ranking fifth in rushing yards allowed per game. After allowing 89 total rushing yards to the Carolina Panthers, they held the Cincinnati Bengals to 71 and the Houston Texans to 88. Although they have not faced an elite running back like McCaffrey yet, they have still done the job, limiting their opponents and forcing them to pass.
McCaffrey has not been able to generate much on the ground. Now, with this tough Jacksonville run defense coming to town, he might have even more trouble running the football. In their last matchup in 2023, McCaffrey rushed 16 times for 95 yards. This time around, he might not find the same success.
On the flip side, it might open up more room for him on the outside to catch passes from Purdy. So far, McCaffrey has been solid at catching passes from Purdy and Mac Jones, generating 25 receptions for 213 yards and one score. The Niners still don’t have Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings did not play against the Arizona Cardinals and might not play this weekend, either.
This might add more pressure on McCaffrey to do more. Plus, with the offensive line being inconsistent, it might force Purdy to check down to McCaffrey when the pocket collapses and there isn’t enough time. McCaffrey has done a good job of moving the chains while catching passes...
