Turnovers too much to Overcome for 49ers in 1st Loss of the Season

Week 4 - Looking to keep their undefeated streak alive, the (3-0) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the (2-1) Jacksonville Jaguars. But before the two teams would even have a chance to step onto the gridiron to face one another, fireworks would fly in the days leading up to the matchup when Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh mentioned during his Thursday presser with the media that his players and staff would have to be extra careful with their signs and communication on gameday when explaining that Jags first-year head coach Liam Coen's staff has an elite system of legally stealing signs that dates back to his time in Los Angeles with the Rams where he spent four seasons on their coaching staff. While Coen kept things light and deflected to address Saleh's comments during the week, they were sure to be a hot topic when both teams met at midfield after the game which led to both Coen and Saleh having to be separated by players and staff following a war of words. 

With injuries plaguing the 49ers each and every week in the early part of the season thus far, second-year receiver Ricky Pearsall who has been a godsend through the first three weeks and practically the only healthy receiver remaining on the team, ironically appeared on the team's injury report as somewhat of a surprise on Wednesday with knee soreness. Like teammate and fellow wide-receiver Jauan Jennings who has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries of his own, the two wide-outs would be game-time decisions for Sunday. Meanwhile, quarterback Brody Purdy who had missed the last two games while dealing with toe and shoulder injuries, was given clearance to return to action for Sunday's game, albeit while having to wear extra toe protection. But by the time the game started, it was evident that the Niners signal-caller would have to shake off the cobwebs as many of his passes were off-target or often time had too much air on them which led to overthrows or worse -- interceptions. Purdy's problems weren't the only thing holding the Niners back on Sunday, but they certainly led the charge, especially in the first half. 

The 49ers would open the scoring on Sunday with a field goal on their opening-drive after making a trip inside the red zone but failed to strike pay dirt. After forcing Jacksonville to punt after what appeared to be a successful opening-drive by the Jags, the 49ers suffered their first of several miscues on the afternoon when tight-end and former-Jaguar Luke Farrell fumbled on the first play of the second quarter during a first down reception that would've set the Niners up near mid-field. Quick to turn the turnover into points, Jags running back Travis Etienne wasted no time by taking the handoff on the first play of the ensuing drive 48-yards to the house to give his team a 7-3 lead. Looking to answer, Purdy connected with Pearsall on a highlight-worthy reception for 31-yards just a few plays later, only to have his next pass intercepted on a ball that was just out of the reach of a streaking Christian McCaffrey, tipped into the air and into the hands of a Jaguars defender. With a 19-play, 107-yard drive that spanned more than 8-minutes, Jacksonville was able to take a 14-3 lead after quarterback Trevor Lawrence found tight-end Hunter Long in the end zone for the touchdown. 

Taking over with just under 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the second half, the 49ers who were in need of any points they could get before halftime, marched their way inside the red zone before stalling out at the 5-yard line. Able to add to another Eddy Pineiro field goal, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers appeared to be heading into the half trailing by only one score. Instead, San Francisco's special-teams which has been a nightmare for the past few seasons, reared its ugly head once again on the ensuing kickoff as Jacksonville returned the kick 66-yards to put his team within striking distance with 0:32 remaining. By adding a field goal of their own, the Jaguars were virtually able to steal back those three points and put a dent in any momentum San Francisco had planned on carrying with them into the half. Opening the second half trailing 17-6, the 49ers were finally able to find the elusive touchdown-scoring drive that eluded them in the first half. After forcing a three and out on the Jags' opening-drive to begin quarter No. 3, a big play to backup tight-end Jake Tonges helped setup an 8-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to McCaffrey on a shovel pass. With a successful two-point conversion to Jauan Jennings, the Niners would pull within a field goal, but they would suffer a price as Jennings took a shot to the ribs that would limit him for the remainder of the contest. 

With as good as San Francisco's defense has been through the first three weeks of the season, Robert Saleh's unit has been unable to force an interception up to this point. Even worse, the Niners' interception drought spans to their last ten games. Meanwhile, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence had thrown at least one interception in six straight games entering Sunday, both of which are the longest active streaks in the NFL. The 49ers thought they had their first pick on the year during Jacksonville's ensuing possession when rookie cornerback Upton Stout jumped in front of a pass intended for Jags rookie receiver Travis Hunter, but a dubious pass interference call wiped away any hopes of a turnover. With the drive eventually ending in a punt, the 49ers would get the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but Brock Purdy had his pass tipped and intercepted on the first play of the drive. By adding a field goal, the Jaguars were able to score their 17th point off of San Francisco turnovers. 

The 49ers nearly got off the schneid by forcing their first turnover of the afternoon when All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball loose while making a tackle for his 17th career forced fumble, but the Niners were unable to recover the football. Nonetheless, Warner's forced fumble would put him in sole possession for the most in franchise history, breaking a tie with newly inducted Hall of Famer Patrick Willis. With the 49er defense playing much better in the second half, allowing only 3-points, perhaps the biggest back-breaker of them all would come on an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jacksonville's Parker Washington. With a turnover on downs on the other end to open the fourth quarter, things were not looking good for the 49ers who were now trailing 26-14. But even then, San Francisco would fight back and put themselves in a position to potentially steal another win. With another big reception from Christian McCaffrey, Jake Tonges was able to score just a few plays later, taking a screen pass 21-yards for the touchdown. Narrowing the gap to make it a 26-21 ballgame, the 49ers appeared to be in business when Jags kicker Cam Little missed a field goal attempt from 47 yards out. But just when the Niners began to march following a quick 13-yard gain on first down, Purdy was stripped of the ball from none other than former 49er Arik Armstead, sealing the win and spoiling things for the team that drafted him 17th overall where he spent the first nine years of his career. 

Having lost 15 of their last 19 games on the west coast entering Sunday, the Jags were able to improve to 3-1 on the year for the first time since 2018, thanks in large part to their ability to force takeaways. By winning the turnover battle 4-0 against San Francisco, the Jacksonville defense logged 3+ takeaways in four straight games for the first time in franchise history. With only nine takeaways all of last season, the fewest in the NFL, the Jags have already surpassed that mark in only four games with 13, the most in the league. On the other hand, San Francisco committed four turnovers for the first time since December 25, 2023 versus the Baltimore Ravens. Playing in their first game without defensive star Nick Bosa, the effect of not having their best pass rusher was blatantly clear after Sunday as the 49ers failed to log a single sack or single QB hit in a game for the first time since September 20, 2015 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. San Francisco's defensive-line saw their QB pressure totals take a major dip on Sunday, dropping from 22 each of the last two weeks to just 5. Their previous season-low was 10 in Week 1 against Seattle. 

As bad as San Francisco's special-teams has been over the last few years, Sunday saw a low even for them as they allowed their first punt return for a touchdown since Dec. 3, 2017 versus the Chicago Bears. 49ers QB Brock Purdy threw for 309 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the loss, compared to only 174 yards passing and 1 touchdown from Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. Jags running back Travis Etienne rushed for a game-high 124 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Christian McCaffrey hauled in six receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers and added another 49 yards on the ground to give him 141 yards of total offense. Unfortunately, Sunday would mark the first time in 47-years the 49ers would fail to log a single rushing touchdown thru the first four weeks of a season and the last remaining team in the league to find the end zone on the ground this season. 

Week 5 Preview: Sitting in a 3-way tie for 1st place in the NFC West following their Week 4 loss, the (3-1) 49ers will have a chance to improve to 3-0 in the division when they get set to face the last remaining rival and their longest standing rival in the (3-1) Los Angeles Rams. With a banged up roster and a short week ahead of the Thursday Night meeting at LoFi Stadium aka Levi's South, the 49ers will have their hands full and will likely summon Mac Jones back into the starting quarterback role once again to make his third start of the season with Brock Purdy experiencing more toe soreness following Sunday's game. Purdy joins receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall as well as linebacker Dee Winters who were all dinged up on Sunday and are all listed as questionable for the quick turnaround of Thursday's game. Regardless of health, the 49ers will need to do a much better job in the turnover department as the four turnovers suffered in the loss to the Jags were far too many for any team to overcome, especially one with a myriad of injuries. With Jennings and Pearsall out, former Ram Demarcus Robinson will likely see a heavy workload in his first game against the team he spent the last two seasons with. A revenge game for Robinson would do wonders for a receiving corps that has been descimated by injuries. Robinson is also looking to make his first stamp with his new team after having served a 3-game suspension to start the season stemming from a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. 

The Rams enjoyed success against the Niners last season with wins in both meetings including a late-game comeback in L.A. in Week 3 which kickstarted a series of games in which the 49ers struggled to hold leads late. Ironically enough, special-teams also proved to be a major factor and a key reason the 49ers were able to allow L.A. to sneak back in and win that game, just like it did on Sunday against the Jags. The only loss suffered by the Rams so far this season came at the hands of the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles who blocked and returned a go-ahead field goal in the final seconds of their Week 3 meeting.  

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Pull off Walk-off Win over Cardinals, But Lose Bosa for the Season

Week 3 - After starting the season with back-to-back road games, the (2-0) San Francisco 49ers would return to Levi's Stadium to host the (2-0) Arizona Cardinals in front of the Faithful in their home-opener. Sitting atop the NFC Western Division standings at 2-0 in a three-way tie with the Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers would have a chance to separate themselves a bit with what would be their second win against a division opponent in as many tries and the only team entering Sunday with a win within the division. With only one win against the vaunted NFC West a year ago, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would be able to eclipse that mark on Sunday with a victory, while also looking to bounce back from dropping both games against the Cardinals in 2024-25. What would begin as an offensive struggle highlighted by stellar defensive play by both sides thru the first three quarters, quickly turned into a classic finish that would be won in large part thanks to the contributions of several of the 49ers' newest members. 

But not before both teams were struck hard by the injury bug, claiming team captains from both sides with season-ending leg injuries. Having suffered several key injuries in the early going of the season through the first two weeks, the Niners got more bad news on Sunday when defensive-end and former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa went down in the first quarter with a knee injury. While Bosa was able to walk off the field gingerly under his own power, he would hit the deck on the sideline while being examined by the team's medical staff before giving a thumbs down to family members watching from the stands. Meanwhile, Arizona running back James Conner suffered an ankle injury that would require him to be carted off the field early in the second half. The injuries to both players would be a gut-punch to their respective teams and will undoubtedly leave a void on the field and in the clubhouse. But as always, the show must go on. 

While neither team was able to do much of anything in the opening quarter, the limited success on offense came from Arizona on the Cardinals' opening-drive which spanned 14-plays before eventually stalling on a missed field goal attempt from kicker Chad Ryland who missed from 57-yards out. San Francisco on the other hand saw two possessions in the first quarter, both of which ending with a three and out punt. After Arizona struck first with a field goal on their next drive, San Francisco answered with a field goal of their own as the offense finally began to move the chains before kicker Eddy Pineiro tied the game at 3. Running the two-minute offense would become a thing of beauty for San Francisco on Sunday, as quarterback Mac Jones was able to stay cool, calm and collective in marching his team down the field to close out both halves against the Cardinals. After forcing an Arizona punt just before the two-minute warning, Jones was able to get his kicker in position to kick a go-ahead field goal just before halftime as Pineiro split the uprights from 51-yards out to give his team a 6-3 lead heading into the locker room. 

Without one of their team captains on defense for 3+ quarters, guys like linebackers Fred Warner and Dee Winters as well as rookie defensive-end Mykel Williams would all have to step up in Bosa's absence. Behind the tutelage of defensive-coordinator Robert Saleh, the defense would answer the call and keep the Arizona offense at bay virtually all game long. With the Cardinals tying the game after a field goal on their first possession of the second half, the 49ers began a 12-play, 73-yard drive that spanned 6 minutes and 22 seconds of game time, their longest of the afternoon. Unfortunately, that drive would go up in flames near the goal line as San Francisco came up short on third and fourth downs from only a yard out. San Francisco's next possession, however, would have a much better outcome to open the fourth quarter. 

Facing a 4th and 2 at the Arizona 40-yard line, head coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a gutsy pass play that saw quarterback Mac Jones heave a deep ball down the sideline and into the bucket for 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall who has had quite the start to his sophomore campaign. Coming down with the 34-yard gain to keep the drive alive, Jones hit fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the end zone for the go-ahead score and the game's first touchdown with 10:50 remaining in regulation. With Arizona QB Kyler Murray held in check virtually all game long through the air with only short passes and minimal gains to show for, the aerial attack suddenly began to click as the Cardinals found gains of 32 and 33 yards thanks to a big reception from second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and a huge defensive pass interference call in the end zone from San Francisco's second-year cornerback Renardo Green. Murray would cash in on the crucial penalty two plays later with a 1-yard pass to standout tight-end Trey McBride for the game-tying touchdown. 

Looking to answer right back, the 49ers began to march after a big rush from second-string running back Brian Robinson who got his team in field goal range. But just a few plays later, Jones would be intercepted when attempting to squeeze a pass thru a tight window intended for Ricky Pearsall. The Cardinals would fail to cash in with the turnover and were held to a quick three and out punt to pin the 49ers deep inside their own 10. The poor field position would prove to be costly as the 49ers were called for a safety in their own end zone after a holding penalty on guard Dominick Puni. Ironically, the 49ers defense nearly forced a safety a few possessions earlier on an intentional grounding penalty by Murray who was pinned back inside his own territory, but officials claimed the Arizona quarterback was not fully in the end zone at the time he released the ball. With Arizona now leading 15-13 and in possession of the ball following the safety, Murray and company had a chance to close out the game with a few first downs. They would manage to get just one before a pivotal pass breakup by 49ers rookie cornerback Upton Stout on a third and long, knocking the ball loose from receiver Zay Jones as both players went to the ground. Resulting a fourth and long, the Cardinals would be forced to punt, giving Mac Jones and the 49er offense one last chance to march their way to victory. 

Taking over with 1:46 remaining in regulation, Jones began to chip away at the field, hitting a variety of receivers for gains of 11, 10, 7 and 11 yards before a big 20-yard completion to McCaffrey on a screen play, setting up kicker Eddy Pineiro for a game-winning field goal attempt. With six game-winning kicks under his belt entering Sunday, Pineiro added game-winner No. 7 by splitting the uprights from 35-yards out to give his team the 16-15 win in their home-opener and send the Levi's Stadium crowd into a frenzy as time expired. The come-from-behind win in the final moments would mark a series of firsts for the 49ers, including their first win when trailing in the final 10-seconds of regulation since their epic battle against Drew Brees and the Saints in 2019 that ended on a walk-off field goal by former kicker Robbie Gould. It would also mark the first time in franchise history that the 49ers would win three straight games to open a season all by seven points or less. After leaning on the defense to close out wins in each of the first two weeks, Sunday's resilient win was the team's first this season at the hands of the offense. The 49ers were able to claw their way to victory on Sunday despite losing the time of possession battle by 9-minutes and 18-seconds, their biggest deficit in a win since October 31, 2021 against the Chicago Bears. 

Helping lead the team to a win for a second straight week, quarterback Mac Jones threw for 284 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on Sunday, connecting on 8 passes to receiver Ricky Pearsall who totaled 117 yards receiving to become the first 49er since Antonio Bryant in 2006 with 100+ receiving yards in two of the team's first three games. Running back Christian McCaffrey tallied 140 total yards after 52 yards rushing and 88 yards receiving, with a game-high 10 receptions. It would be McCaffrey's 12th career game with 10+ receptions, extending his own NFL-record for the most among running backs. Arizona's Kyler Murray threw for 159 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 37 yards in the loss. 

Week 4 Preview: Improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2023 which ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, the 49ers are 1 of 6 remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL and will look to keep things rolling as they get set to welcome in the (2-1) Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers will get their first look at last year's Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. The two-way college star has seen action playing both sides of the ball as a receiver and cornerback, having played 43 snaps on defense in Week 3 compared to 37 snaps on offense. 

Serving as the backup to Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence a season ago where he made seven starts and amassed a record of 2-5, Mac Jones may get a crack at his former team if coach Kyle Shanahan decides to give first-string QB Brock Purdy an extra week of rest while recovering from shoulder and toe injuries suffered in Week 1. Labeled as a game-time decision in Week 3, time will tell if Purdy is ready as he's expected to return to practice this week. Then again, Jones himself was forced to finish Sunday's game with a knee brace after re-aggravated a PCL sprain he suffered during training camp. Whether it's Purdy or Jones that suit up under-center for the Niners in Week 4, San Francisco will look to improve their winning streak to four and hopefully go a week without suffering a key injury which they've been unable to avoid thru the first three weeks of the season with Kittle, Purdy, Jennings and now Bosa all missing time in the early going. If the Niners can continue to find ways to win without some of their best players, coach Shanahan will certainly be one of the top Coach of the Year candidates in the league. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest

Niners Back on Track with Dominant Win over Jags

Week 10 - Coming out of the bye week and hitting the road for Jacksonville, the (5-3) San Francisco 49ers would face the red-hot (6-2) Jaguars in a battle between two teams that have gone in completely different directions from one another after totally different starts to the season. While the 49ers got off to arguably the best start in all of football with a blazing 5-0 start, the Jags on the other hand began the season 1-2 through their first three games. Since those starts, the Niners have dropped three straight, and the Jags have won an NFL-best five in a row entering Sunday. In desperate need of a win to stop the bleeding and end their three-game skid, the 49ers received some much needed help on defense from defensive-end Chase Young who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Commanders. 

Coming out of college as the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, Niners defensive-end Nick Bosa was touted as being one of the best pass rushers of this generation. And coming out of college a year later was his Ohio State teammate Chase Young who many believed was even more talented after also being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick. Now the two former Defensive Rookies of the Year have reunited at the professional level in San Francisco and will attempt to duplicate the success they had together at the collegiate level when they wreaked havoc and combined for a total of 33 sacks in two seasons with the Buckeyes. Facing a stout defense of their own, Jacksonville entered Sunday tied with the Saints for the most takeaways in all of football with 18, while also ranking 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards per game allowed (79). Like San Francisco, the Jags were also coming off the bye week, making it three straight weeks the 49ers would face a team coming off the bye and given an extra week to prepare for them. The extra week of preparation wouldn't matter for Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence, however, as the San Francisco defense had his number virtually all afternoon long. But it wasn't all about the defense in this one for the 49ers, as quarterback Brock Purdy helped get the offense back on track in a big way.

With Jacksonville receiving the opening-kickoff, the 49er defense would come out swinging by getting to the quarterback for a sack and forcing a three and out punt. Equally as impressive would be the 49er offense which needed only four plays to march 57-yards before finding the end zone on a 13-yard pass from Purdy who hit receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the touchdown. Escaping the pocket and running left, Purdy would throw across the field to find his target for the early score, and although it would be a success, his coach was not a fan. In his postgame press conference, coach Kyle Shanahan recalled the play as, "one of his worst decisions I think he's made since he's been here." While the daring play didn't win his coach over, it did help give his team an early 7-0 lead. The opening-drive score for the 49ers would be their sixth opening-drive touchdown on the season, the most in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Jags defense had given up zero opening-drive touchdowns on the year up to that point, allowing only 3-points on opening-drives which ranked as the fewest in the league. The theme of those first drives would be commonplace throughout the afternoon for both teams. 

Getting back to back stops on defense by forcing another Jacksonville three and out as the 49ers got to Lawrence for the second time in as many drives, the 49ers added to their lead with a Jake Moody field goal to take a 10-0 lead. The Jaguars would finally get the ball across midfield in the second quarter on their fourth possession, but two plays after their biggest play yet, a 16-yard run, the 49ers would force the first of many turnovers on the day as Bosa and Young combined for the sack just like old times, forcing a turnover recovered by the defense. Exchanging field goals before the half, the Niners took a 13-3 lead into halftime. Turning things up a notch on both sides of the ball to start the second half, Brock Purdy recorded the longest touchdown pass of his career on a deep ball to his tight-end George Kittle, launching a 66-yard strike just two plays into the half as Kittle was able to walk into the end zone untouched. The 49er defense would then string together three straight drives with forced turnovers as two interceptions and a fumble ignited a busy day for defensive-coordinator Steve Wilkes who was on the hot seat after the Niners' recent skid and was asked by coach Shanahan to ditch the press box in favor of calling the game from the field. Safe to say it worked. 

Jacksonville's one and only trip to the red zone in the second half would end in disaster when receiver Christian Kirk fumbled inside the 10-yard line after being tackled by San Francisco's Ambry Thomas. The turnover was initially returned 92-yards for a touchdown by Thomas, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by the 49er sideline nullified the big play as players were called for stepping onto the field before the play was over. Although the touchdown on defense would be called back, the offense would make up for it just a few plays later as utilityman Deebo Samuel returned to the lineup in a big way with a 23-yard rushing touchdown. After missing the last two games with a shoulder injury and all but one possession of the game prior to that, Deebo helped the 49er offense get back to their old ways alongside left-tackle Trent Williams who also returned after sustaining an injury to the Browns in Week 6, the same game Deebo was injured in. 

The 49er defense would intercept Trevor Lawrence a second time on Jacksonville's following possession to open the fourth quarter thanks to a pick from linebacker Fred Warner, as Javon Hargrave applied pressure that led to the errant pass. Putting the final nail in the coffin would be 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk  who hauled in a 22-yard grab, making it a 34-3 lead and putting the game well out of reach. Brock Purdy was able to sit the rest of the way, allowing Sam Darnold to finish the game under center. With star running back Christian McCaffrey sitting at 17 consecutive games with a touchdown, tied with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the all-time record, coach Shanahan dialed up multiple plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter for McCaffrey who had his eyes set on history. However, everyone in the building knew the ball was going to McCaffrey, including the Jags who sniffed out a pass attempt near the goal line, denying McCaffrey and forcing the turnover on downs.

Putting up a career-high passer rating of 148.9 and completing 73% of his passes, 49ers QB Brock Purdy did manage to make history of his own as Sunday's win marked the 3rd time in Purdy's professional career that he recorded at least three touchdowns and a passer rating of 140 or more, joining Kurt Warner as the only other QB in NFL history to accomplish that feat during their first two seasons in the league. Completing 19 of 26 passes for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns, Purdy helped the Niners score 30+ points for the sixth time this season, the most in the NFL. Even more impressive, all 3 of Purdy's TD's against the Jags traveled over 10 yards in the air with a time to throw off at least 2.5 seconds. Only five QB's have recorded a game with three such TD's this season, and Purdy is the only one to accomplish it multiple times. Elsewhere, the league's leading-rusher McCaffrey logged his 6th game this season with 100+ scrimmage yards (95 rushing, 47 receiving), the most in the NFL. Tight-end George Kittle led all receivers with 116 yards receiving and a touchdown on only three receptions. For Jacksonville, QB Trevor Lawrence was held to just 185 yards passing and 0 touchdowns, while throwing 2 interceptions and was sacked five times on the afternoon. 

Week 11 Preview: The (6-3) 49ers will look to build upon their most recent win in dominant fashion when they return home to Levi's Stadium to face Baker Mayfield and the (4-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’ll be the first time Brock Purdy faces Tampa Bay since making his first career start against them in Week 14 a season ago, helping defeat the Tom Brady-led Bucs by a final score of 35-7 and putting the league on notice that he was more than just the latest Mr. Irrelevant. 

Coming off a 20-6 win at home over the Tennessee Titans, the former 1st overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018, has enjoyed a resurgent year under-center in his first season with the Bucs, having thrown 14 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions and has his team playing respectable football in what has been a poor division up to this point. One player that will look to contain Mayfield is Nick Bosa who had some fun the last time he faced Mayfield, planting the flag in his famous sack celebration that was in reference to Mayfield planting the Oklahoma Sooners flag at midfield in a win over Ohio State when the two faced off in college. Coming off his best game of the season with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, Bosa will try to exact more revenge against Mayfield and apply pressure on the quarterback for a San Francisco defense that now leads the league in interceptions with 13 on the year. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Rout Jags in 30-10 Beatdown

Week 11 - Coming off a statement win at home against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) took a trip to the southeast to face the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) with a chance to get to .500. Though the Niners have looked much better overall on the road this season than they have at home, the atmosphere on Sunday would feel rather homely come kickoff as Jimmy Garoppolo and company were welcomed by a sea of red in the stands at Jacksonville's TIAA Bank Field. And much like the way they kicked things off on offense a week ago on Monday Night against the Rams, tiring the opposition with an 18-play, 93-yard opening-drive that spanned 11-minutes and 3-seconds, head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense picked up right where they left off in this one. Setting the tone with another run-heavy 20-play, 77-yard drive that chewed up 13-minutes and 5-seconds, San Francisco again found themselves in the drivers seat early on, imposing their will, but only managed to walk away with a field goal this time around.

Leading 3-0, the 49er defense forced a three and out on Jacksonville's first possession, allowing for San Francisco's offense to wear the Jags down some more. Needing less plays and time to travel further on their next possession, the 49ers were able to punch it into the end zone with ease on their second drive, thanks to a bit of running from receiver Deebo Samuel. Coming off NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his two-touchdown performance against the Rams a week ago, Deebo again proved to be a problem for the opposition in the running game, taking a handoff 25-yards to the house for a touchdown. Creeping up on 49ers all-time great and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (9) as the only 49ers receiver since 1950 with more rushing touchdowns than Samuel who now has six, Deebo joined Rice as the only wide-receivers in 49ers franchise history to take home NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors multiple times in a single season (Rice did it on three occasions in 1990, 1992, 1994). As if Jacksonville wasn't gassed enough on defense, their offense didn't do them any favors as receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. was stripped of the ball just one play into the Jags' ensuing possession by San Francisco's Josh Norman who added to his total with an NFL-leading fifth forced fumble on the year, recovered by Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner. 

Getting under the skin of Jacksonville's exhausted defense, first-year head coach Urban Meyer would be without his starting safety less than midway through the second quarter as Rayshawn Jenkins was ejected from the game for throwing a punch at San Francisco's Jauan Jennings after a play, resulting in a penalty. It would be one of three penalties against Jacksonville that benefited the Niners on third down in the first half alone. A few plays later, the 49ers would strike pay dirt for a second consecutive drive as Garoppolo found Brandon Aiyuk in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Jaguars quarterback and 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence would get Jacksonville on the board on their next possession with a field goal just after the 2-minute warning, but San Francisco answered with a field goal of their own as Robbie Gould's 48-yarder completed the first half with the Niners on top, 20-3. Putting their first half dominance into perspective, the 49ers ran 39 plays on offense to Jacksonville's 15. 

Opening the second half the same way they did the first, the 49er defense forced a three and out punt on the Jags' first possession following three straight incomplete passes, while also having success on offense. Marching down the field with the ball, Deebo Samuel would again be at the forefront, as the 49ers made it inside the 5-yardline before deciding to go for it on 4th and goal. A gusty gamble by coach Shanahan would pay dividends as Garoppolo connected with tight-end George Kittle in the end zone from a yard out for the easy score. For Kittle it would be his third straight game with a touchdown, the longest streak of his career and the longest such streak by a 49ers tight-end since Vernon Davis' five consecutive games with a touchdown back in 2013. Things would begin to slow down as both teams exchanged a pair of punts, but San Francisco would receive a gift on special-teams as Tavon Austin muffed a fair-catch attempt that was recovered by the 49ers' Trent Sherfield. Taking advantage of the stellar field position, the Niners would add to their lead with a field goal to make it, 30-3. Jacksonville's best possession of the day would come on their final drive of the ballgame as the Jags marched 63-yards on 11-plays, capped off by a 1-yard run by running back James Robinson. With just over three minutes remaining, coach Shanahan would call on rookie QB Trey Lance to run out the clock as he rushed for the game-sealing first down with a 7-yard carry on 3rd and 5. 

Entering Sunday's matchup, Jimmy G would boast a QB Rating of 109.8 over his last three games, the best in the NFL over that span, and certainly looked the part again in the 30-10 victory over Jacksonville. Other than a missed touchdown pass to a wide-open Jeff Wilson Jr. in the end zone on the team's opening-drive, it was another spotless performance by Garoppolo who again didn't try to do too much and got the job done by taking what the opposing defense gave him on his way to completing 16 of 22 passes for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. Opposite of Garoppolo, Trevor Lawrence threw for 158 yards on 16 of 25 passes, while being sacked three times in total, twice by the Niners' Nick Bosa who now has a career-high 10 sacks on the year. San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk led all receivers with 7 receptions for 85-yards and a score, while Deebo Samuel outgained Jeff Wilson Jr. and Trey Sermon in rushing yards with a game-high 79 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. 

Week 12 Preview: One of the more entertaining games on Sunday in Week 11 was the divisional showdown between the rival Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. In a wild, back and forth melee between the two bitter rivals, the Vikes walked it off with a last-second, game-winning field goal to improve to 5-5 on the year. Like the 49ers who also improved to 5-5 with their win on Sunday, Minnesota is hoping to at least vie for a Wild Card spot if they're unable to catch the division-leading Packers. Setting up for a big game in Week 12, a win over the other team will do wonders as both squads look to keep pace in the NFC's Wild Card race. Playing some of the best ball of his career, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will try to take it to his former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan dating back to their time spent in Washington, who was very high on trying to acquire Cousins prior to the trade with the Patriots that sent Jimmy Garoppolo to the Bay Area. With a number of weapons on offense in receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and running back Dalvin Cook, the 49ers will need another stout performance on defense like they've gotten in each of their last two games. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers Run away from Rams in Dominant Monday Night Win

Week 10 - With the San Francisco 49ers (3-5) playing host in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football and seeking their first home win of the season, a meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (7-2) would be a welcome sight for Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan who has prevailed in four straight meetings against his friend and former colleague Sean McVay. Looking to shake off an embarrassing loss at home to a short-handed Cardinals team, what better way to bounce back than to take it to another division foe in what would be the 144th all-time meeting between the Rams and 49ers. The match-up would also feature two of the brightest young stars at the receiver position as Los Angeles' Cooper Kupp and San Francisco's Deebo Samuel entered the meeting as the league's No.'s 1 and 2 leading receivers, marking the 18th time in NFL history that the league's top two receivers in receiving yards faced off in a season in Week 10 or later since 1970. 

All the buzz leading into the marquee matchup between the two long standing rivals would revolve around a pair of reinforcements acquired by the Rams just days prior to gameday. After trading for outside-linebacker and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller from the Denver Broncos, the Rams made a splash by signing 3-time Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to add to their star-studded roster. But come kickoff, neither player would put their stamp on the game as both guys were virtually nonfactors in a game dominated by the home team. Though Odell would get his feet wet on the Rams' first play from scrimmage, hauling in a 5-yard reception from quarterback Matthew Stafford, he would go relatively quiet the rest of the night (2 receptions, 18 yards). Stafford would attempt a home run pass to his newest weapon just four plays into the game, but overthrew his target on a deep ball that was air-mailed and intercepted by San Francisco's Jimmie Ward. Pinned deep near their own end zone at the 7-yardline, the 49er offense would embark on an 18-play, 93-yard drive that lasted 11-minutes and 3-seconds before ultimately resulting in a touchdown pass from QB Jimmie Garoppolo to tight-end George Kittle. Utilizing a heavy diet of run plays, San Francisco had their way with the Rams, tiring them down before capitalizing with an early trip to the end zone.  

Possession number two wouldn't be much better for Stafford and the Rams as the former No. 1 overall pick was intercepted for a second time in as many drives, again by Jimmie Ward who took this one to the house for a 27-yard pick-six touchdown. With the ball bouncing off of Rams tight-end Tyler Higbee and into the Niners' lap, Jimmie Ward who hadn't recorded an interception since Week 14 of 2016, suddenly found himself with two interceptions in the game's opening quarter. As for the San Francisco defense who entered Monday's game with only two interceptions on the year, the team had doubled their output in a matter of minutes. The third time would be a charm, however, for Stafford and company, as the Rams responded with a touchdown-scoring drive of their own. Redeeming himself for the bobble that resulted in the pick-six, it was Higbee who came down with the 10-yard strike to put L.A. on the board to start the second quarter. But picking up right where they left off would be Jimmy G and the Niner offense, turning in another lengthy drive that ended in success. 

Running it right down the Rams throat once again, Deebo Samuel capped off the 15-play, 91-yard drive that ended in Deebo rushing it into the end zone from 8-yards out. With the Rams marching just before the end of the first half, L.A. would setup for 34-yard field goal, but coach McVay would try to get cute by dialing up a fake that was sniffed out perfectly by San Francisco's D.J. Jones who made the stop. Taking a 21-7 lead into the half, the 49ers would get the ball back to open the second half, but were held to their first punt of the evening. Forcing a Rams three and out on the ensuing possession, the 49ers would add to their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal from 50-yards out. With little to no fireworks from either team in the third quarter, San Francisco kicked things off with a bang to open the fourth. Electing to go for it on 4th and 6, coach Shanahan's gutsy decision paid off as Garoppolo found Deebo Samuel down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown that put the game away for good. The Rams offense would threaten on each of their next two possessions by making it into the red zone both times, but were only able to walk away with three points as a turnover on downs and a field goal was all they had to show for. 

Continuing to have success in the run game, the 49ers were able to milk the clock and cruise to a 31-10 victory. Helping hand the Rams their first road loss of the season, 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell would lead the way with 91 yards on 27 carries, and Jeff Wilson Jr. returned to the field after missing the first eight weeks of the season due knee surgery, adding 28 yards on 10 carries. But the biggest weapon of the night for the Niners would be Deebo Samuel who logged 133 all purpose yards (97 yards receiving, 36 yards rushing) and 2 touchdowns. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for an efficient 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 of 19 pass attempts, being sacked only once and avoiding the costly turnovers that doomed him a week earlier. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp shined once more for the Rams, hauling in 11 receptions for 122 yards as Matt Stafford's (243 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) favorite target of the night. With 393 days in between Monday Night's game and their last regular season home win, also against the Rams, the Niners appeared to turn back the clock and enjoy some success similar to that of their run-dominant performance in the 2019 NFC Championship against the Packers which just so happened to be the last win at Levi's Stadium with a live crowd. Though they may trail them in the standings, for the 49ers it's their fifth straight victory over the Rams, making it safe to say that coach Shanahan has McVay's number, at least for now. 

Week 11 Preview: Hoping to build off their first home win of the season, snapping an 8-game home losing streak, the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) will hit the road to visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7). Led by the No. 1 overall pick in April's Draft -- Trevor Lawrence and first-year head coach Urban Meyer, the Jags up to this point have looked a lot like what you'd expect from a team with a rookie QB and rookie head coach, but do have one of the biggest upsets of the season under the belt after a 9-6 win over one of the AFC's heavyweights in the Buffalo Bills back in Week 9. Coming off season-highs in third down conversions and in time of possession, coach Shanahan would love to see more of the same on Sunday. Never a dull moment on the 49ers injury front, it was learned on Tuesday that rookie running back Elijah Mitchell fractured his finger and will undergo a procedure with a chance of him returning to the practice field as early as Wednesday according to coach Shanahan. His status for Sunday's game, however, remains uncertain. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers, Garoppolo Route League's Best Defense for 4th straight Win

Week 16 - Entering Sunday's meeting with the playoff-bound (10-4) Jacksonville Jaguars, the (4-10) San Francisco 49ers would once again look to play the role of spoiler while also keeping their recent winning-streak alive. After throwing a wrench into the works of the playoff-hopeful Tennessee Titans a week ago, the 49ers would look to duplicate that success against a Jacksonville team still vying for a top 2 seed to secure a first-round BYE in the AFC's Wild Card round. But if the red-hot 49ers had any plans of increasing their winning-streak to four consecutive games, Jimmy Garoppolo and company would need to knock off the NFL's number one defense. Something Jimmy G. and the rest of the 49ers offense would have very little trouble with on Sunday as the Niners QB often spent the day carving the league's best defense like a Christmas day ham.

With San Francisco receiving the opening kickoff, Garoppolo would pick up right where he left off with a blazing start to orchestrate the 49ers' first opening-drive touchdown of the season, running 10-plays before Garoppolo rushed it in himself from the 1-yard line. Garoppolo would finish his first career rushing touchdown with an emphatic spike in the end zone while receiving daps and pounds from his Niner teammates. Even more impressive, San Francisco's opening-drive touchdown would also be the first surrendered by Jacksonville since Week 10 of the 2016 season. After setting an NFL record with 15 made field goals in three games the last three weeks, Niners kicker Robbie Gould who was named the NFC's special-teams Player of the Week for the second time this month, would have a much quieter day on Sunday. Having made 20 consecutive field goals since his last miss, Gould would be called upon for only one field goal as San Francisco scored on each of their first two possessions to take a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. And what an odd quarter it would be, as Jacksonville who was tied for the second best first quarter point-differential (+51) in the league entering Sunday, found themselves trailing by two scores against a San Francisco team boasting the NFL's worst first quarter point-differential (-49).

The opening minutes of the second quarter would be equally as unforgiving to the Jags as quarterback Blake Bortles had a pass intercepted and taken to the house to give the 49ers a 16-0 lead before Gould had his extra-point attempt blocked and returned for two-points to put Jacksonville on the board. Bortles' pick-six would snap a streak of 98 consecutive passes without an interception and would ultimately be a sign of bad things to come for the Jags QB, but not before a pair of Jacksonville touchdowns tied things up at 16-all. After a rushing touchdown by rookie running back Leonard Fournette, Garoppolo would again march his team down the field, but their plan to score would be halted as the 49er QB was pressured into lobbing up a pass that was intercepted in the end zone. Thanks to a bit of luck, Bortles would capitalize on the lone 49er turnover as his pass into the end zone bounced off of one receiver and into the lap of another with 14 seconds remaining, tying the game just before the half. The Jags' scoring barrage would continue into quarter number three as Jacksonville made it a 19-0 run to take their first lead of the game on kicker Josh Lambo's field goal.

The 49ers would open the second half with only the second three and out since Garoppolo was named the starter, but Jacksonville's lead would be short lived as Bortles was picked off by K'Waun Williams who made his first career interception worthy of the highlight reel. Several plays later, Garoppolo would find tight-end George Kittle for the touchdown. Setting things up for a wild fourth quarter that would see a combined five touchdowns scored, Garoppolo would kick things off by displaying some of his baseball skills with a sidearm pass into the end zone to receiver Trent Taylor. Looking to answer, Bortles would be picked off for a third time on Jacksonville's first play following the touchdown. Three plays later, Carlos Hyde would join the party with a 6-yard touchdown run to make it a 37-19 ballgame with under 9 minutes remaining. But just when it appeared the 49ers were going to run away with it, the Jags came storming back with a touchdown of their own, capped by a successful two-point conversion. Making things even more interesting, Jacksonville would recover the ensuing onside-kick. Three plays and 26-seconds later, the Jags would pull within four points as Bortles threw for his second touchdown pass of the afternoon.

Trailing 37-33, four points would be as close as Jacksonville would get down the final stretch as Lambo missed the extra-point and Jacksonville's ensuing onside-kick went out of bounds as tempers began to flare. Failing to keep their cool, the Jags defense would be called for their second unsportsmanlike penalty of the second half when defensive-tackle Malik Jackson was flagged for a headbutt, costing his team a crucial 15-yards. San Francisco would welcome the extra 15-yards with open arms as 49ers backup running back Matt Breida dealt the decisive blow, striking for pay dirt with a 30-yard rushing touchdown to send the Levi's faithful into a frenzy. With the clock hitting double-zero, the 49ers would walk away with the 44-33 victory, marking the first time an NFL game would finish with a final score of 44-33, playoffs included. The 44-point outburst by San Francisco is the most points allowed by Jacksonville this year and would mark the first game in which the 49ers scored 40+ points since their last meeting with the Jags back on Oct. 27, 2013 on the road in London.

As for the defense, former Jags linebacker coach and current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, would get the best of the team he spent the last three seasons with as the San Francisco defense forced three turnovers with a trio of interceptions. A week after holding the opposition to under 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive week for the first time since 2013, the Niner D made it four straight after holding Fournette to under 50-yards on 18 rushing attempts. Throwing for 382 yards in the loss, Jags QB Blake Bortles would help his team amass more than 400 yards of offense for the fourth straight game. And though Garoppolo would throw for 140 fewer yards than his counterpart (242 yards on 21 of 30 pass attempts), he's the only QB in the NFL this year to log a QB rating of 100+ against the Jacksonville defense. With the win, Garoppolo improves to 6-0 in his career, the best start to an NFL career since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 and becomes the first Niner QB to ever go 4-0 to start their 49er career. San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk who is the only member of the 49ers to be named to this year's NFL Pro Bowl, would set a career-high in receiving yards in the first half of Sunday's game before finishing with a team-high 76-yards on 5 receptions, including a 44-yarder.

With the loss, the Jags fall to 2-11 all-time when playing in the Pacific time-zone and 10-5 on the year as the loss eliminates them from clinching a first-round BYE. As for whoever faces Jacksonville in the first round of the playoffs two weeks from now, a smart thing to do would be to dissect the footage of how Garoppolo and the 49er offense took them to school on Sunday as the mixture of play-action calls and constant men-in-motion played a key role in catching the Jags defense off-guard after they allowed a season-high 226 yards in the first half.

Week 17 Preview - Closing out the season on the road against a division rival, coach Kyle Shanahan will look to make it five straight victories as the 49ers pay a visit to the L.A. Coliseum to take on the (11-4) Rams. With both teams meeting back in Week 3, a 41-39 barn burner, both squads have taken on entirely different identities than the teams we saw in the Rams close victory on Thursday Night. While the Rams had yet to hit their stride and were still a team of mystery at the time of their Week 3 win, the 49ers were just three games into what would eventually be a nine-game losing streak. But with Los Angeles proving that they're for real to the tune of a 11-4 record and sending the franchise to their first playoff appearance since 2004 and the 49ers turning things around since the arrival of Jimmy Garoppolo, Sunday's regular season finale probably won't equate to what we should be seeing from these two young teams for many years to come moving forward. Claiming their first NFC Western Division crown since 2003, Rams head coach Sean McVay who's in his first year at the helm and has done as good a job with his team as anyone in the league this year, might lean towards sitting a few of his guys to avoid injury, but doesn't necessarily want to take them out of their rhythm either. Most notably QB Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley III who's bounced back from a sophomore slump and has emerged as a true MVP candidate. Either way, the Rams defense figures to be yet another test for Jimmy G. and the suddenly streaking 49er offense who will look to close the season out on a strong note with their fifth straight victory. 


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

It's a G Thing: Garoppolo & Gould Shine as Niners Win Third Straight

Week 15 - Coming off their first multi-game winning-streak in three seasons, the new-look San Francisco 49ers who have begun to finally resemble an NFL team behind the recently acquired Jimmy Garoppolo, kept on rolling as they returned home to Levi's Stadium on Sunday. Hosting the Wild Card hopeful (8-5) Tennessee Titans, coach Kyle Shanahan's Niners would look to improve on their recent winning ways while also playing the role of spoiler against a team vying for a playoff spot. And while the previous two wins against a pair of lowly opponents were nice, a win over an above average Tennessee team would be yet another step in the right direction for this young 49ers squad.

The opening-drive by San Francisco which would result in a Robbie Gould field goal, would be an omen of things to come for the Niners who were able to move the ball rather easily but forced to settle for field goals as Gould registered another busy day in the kicking department. Struggling to score a first quarter touchdown for the 11th consecutive game, the 49ers would jump out to 6-0 lead before Tennessee answered with a field goal of their own to cut the deficit in half. Looking to ditch the field goals for a touchdown, the third time would be a charm for San Francisco as Jimmy Garoppolo capped off a 17-play drive by connecting in the end zone with tight-end Garrett Celek for the second time in as many weeks. Setting a career-high in touchdown receptions with four, Celek's score coupled with another Robbie Gould field goal would make it a 16-3 ballgame as San Francisco scored on each of their first four possessions for the first time this season. But the Titans would manage to inch a bit closer before the end of the half as quarterback Marcus Mariota found former 49er tight-end Delanie Walker in the end zone for a touchdown, allowing Walker to redeem himself after turning the ball over one possession earlier with a fumble.

After taking a lead into the half for only the third time this season, the 49ers would quickly witness that lead evaporate as Delanie Walker's touchdown sparked a streak of 17 unanswered-points for Tennessee who went from trailing 16-3 to leading 20-16 following Mariota's second touchdown pass of the afternoon. The Titans touchdown just three plays into the fourth quarter would ignite an intense final quarter that saw four lead changes before this one was finally decided. Answering Tennessee's touchdown with another pair of field goals to give San Francisco the lead again, Mariota led the Titans on an 11-play drive that would set up kicker Ryan Succop for a go-ahead 50-yard field goal. With 1:07 remaining in regulation and his team trailing 23-22, Jimmy Garoppolo would go to work, marching his team down the field after connecting on passes to three different targets -- Trent Taylor, George Kittle and Marquise Goodwin, to move the ball 45-yards before a short run by running back Carlos Hyde set things up for Robbie Gould who would once again be called upon to be the savior. And like he's done so often this season, Gould would answer the call, splitting the uprights from 45-yards out to give the Niners the dramatic 25-23 victory as time expired. Entering the game with the longest active streak in the NFL with 14 consecutive made field goals, Gould went one step further by adding another five field goals on Sunday to improve his streak to 19, in what figures to be another Pro-Bowl season for the 13-year veteran.

With his parents in attendance, Garoppolo would put on a show for his family and the 49er Faithful as he threw for 381 yards, becoming the first Niner QB with back to back 300-yard performances since Jeff Garcia in 2000. While the running game saw a quiet day from both Carlos Hyde (25 yards) and Matt Breida (16 yards), receiver Marquise Goodwin recorded another productive game under Garoppolo, recording game-highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (114). Though San Francisco's 2017 season has been over and well decided for weeks now, Garoppolo has breathed life back into the franchise and has given fans and team brass hope moving forward. Since naming Garoppolo the starting quarterback heading into Week 13, the team that had one victory through the first 11 weeks and often struggled to remotely resemble an NFL team, has now pulled off three straight victories and appears to be having a good time while doing so as 49ers general manager John Lynch even made it out onto the field to congratulate his new QB and celebrate Sunday's wild win the moment Gould's game-winning kick made it through the uprights. And though there's still plenty of work to be done moving forward, this team is finally making strides in the right direction. As for the Tennessee Titans who fall to 8-6 on the season following the loss, their chances of winning the division which were already slim prior to Sunday's loss, took another major hit as they remain in a three-way tie in the Wild Card along with (8-6) Kansas City and (8-6) Buffalo.

Week 16 Preview - After pulling off the upset victory over the Titans, the 49ers will now aim their attention to one of the best defenses in the league as the red-hot (10-4) Jacksonville Jaguars pay a visit to Levi's. Winners of three straight and 7 of their last 8, the Jags are coming off a 45-7 dismantling of division-rival Houston and are looking to continue their recent dominance despite already clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. Behind quarterback Blake Bortles who has logged three straight solid starts in which he's eclipsed the 300-yard mark twice and has thrown for 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, the Jags have scored 24-points or more in four straight outings and are expected to get their starting running back Leonard Fournette back on the field versus San Francisco after sitting out of Sunday's game with a quad injury. The former LSU standout who has missed three games this season due to injury, is still 77-yards shy of the 1,000 yard plateau in his and will look to capture that feat against a 49ers defense that has stepped up against the run as of late, allowing an average of only 3.7 yards per carry to opposing backs the last six weeks. SF will look to improve on that feat and keep Fournette and the number one rushing team in the league in line and force Bortles to get the job done through the air. If San Francisco's offensive-line can keep their QB on his feet and Garoppolo can catch the Jacksonville defense off-guard, the 49ers just might be able to keep things rolling and put a dent in the Jags' stellar record.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Week 8: 49ers tame Jaguars in London

Winners of four straight heading into Sunday's game, all by double-digits, Jim Harbaugh's 49ers flew across the pond to London, England to face a 17-point underdog in the (0-7) Jacksonville Jaguars. One of two NFL teams still seeking their first win of 2013 (Tampa Bay the other), the Jaguars knew their first taste of triumph wasn't likely to come against a San Francisco squad that's been playing its best ball of the season as of late and has scored at least 30-points in each of their last four games. Dominating both at home and on the road, the 49ers made themselves feel right at home on Sunday despite being more than 5,000 miles away from Candlestick Park. 

It's no secret that the San Francisco 49ers are at their best when their run game is clicking on all cylinders and the defense does what's asked of them. That's been the team's recipe for success over the last month. With QB Colin Kaepernick involved in the run game more so last week than he was in any week prior as he ran for his first touchdown of the season, coach Harbaugh saw his quarterback log another stellar performance on the ground in this one. Kaep ran for 54-yards and added two more rushing touchdowns to his season total while throwing for another 164-yards and finding a wide-open Vernon Davis in the end zone in the second quarter for his only passing touchdown of the ballgame. Running back Frank Gore who's been the catalyst during San Francisco's current winning streak, ran for another pair of touchdowns on Sunday while compiling 71-yards rushing, but not even he led the 49ers rushing attack against the Jaguars as that title belonged to backup Kendall Hunter who ran for a game-high 84-yards.

If any of the 83,559 fans in attendance at London's Wembley Stadium were fans of the long ball and were hoping to see the 49ers utilized Colin Kaepernick's arm to the best of its ability, they more than likely left Sunday's game disappointed. With only 16 pass plays being drawn up by offensive coordinator Greg Roman who called for twice as many run plays, the few number of times the 49ers decided to go through the air might come as a surprise considering the second play of the game saw Kaepernick connect with his fullback Bruce Miller for a 43-yard gain. Trailing 28-0, Jacksonville would finally get on the board just before the end of the first half as kicker Josh Scobee split the uprights from 38-yards out. The Jaguars' lone highlight would come in the third quarter when QB Chad Henne who threw for 228 yards on the day while playing a turnover-free ballgame, found a wide-open receiver in the end zone as Mike Brown hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 18.

But any hopes of a miracle win would come crashing down early in the fourth quarter when 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis forced a fumble on Jaguars tight-end Mercedes Lewis, picked up and returned 43-yards by Dan Skuta for the game-sealing touchdown as San Francisco pummeled the Jags, 42-10. The victory was the fifth straight for the 49ers and was also the fifth consecutive performance in which Jim Harbaugh's team lit up the scoreboard for more than 30-points as they improved to 6-2 on the year.

Week 10 Preview - With a BYE week in week 9, the 49ers will have plenty of time to return home and adjust to the States in preparation not only for their next opponent but also for the second half of the NFL season. Still trailing the (7-1) Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West division, every game from here on is key for the 49ers who hope to not just make the playoffs but do so ahead of their division foe. Week 10 will see the 49ers return home to Candlestick Park where they'll play host to Cam Newton and the (5-3) Carolina Panthers. Like San Francisco, the Panthers are riding a win-streak of their own having won four straight in hopes of closing the gap on the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints. Few quarterbacks in the league have been as hot as Newton over the last month so the Niner defense figures to have their hands full in that department. The biggest concern, however, is Carolina's defense. As good as San Francisco's defense has been as of late, the Panthers defense has been among the league's best this season. Carolina boasts a turnover ratio of +8 and has allowed only 9 touchdowns compared to San Francisco's +4 turnover ratio and 17 touchdowns allowed. So as much as we'd all like to see Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick run rampant on the opposition, don't be surprised if it ends up being a game highlighted by defense.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers x Week 12 x Jags Easily Tamed

A week after coming from a loss to Green Bay, the Niners hoped to recover at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The loss to the Packers also marked the slowest start of the season for starting quarterback Alex Smith. However the loss at Lambeau Field was a thing of the past as Smith looked comfortable in the pocket in the early going. The Niners came out guns blazing and headed into the half with a 17-3 lead highlighted by a touchdown reception from both RB Frank Gore and TE Vernon Davis. Davis tied a franchise single season franchise record by a tight end with his ninth touchdown catch of the season. Davis' nine touchdown receptions also ties him for the NFL lead. Alex Smith finished the game with 232 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 for 41 passing. Also worth mentioning, Smith didn't throw an interception for the first time this season.

With the offense getting their end of the job done, the defense also did what was needed by holding the Jags to only 3 points and just 35 yards in the first half, thanks to a missed 40 yard field-goal by Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee. Misfortune didn't stop there, as Scobee would again miss a field-goal, this time a 21 yarder. The miss tied for the shortest of the season. The defensive standoff marked the third time this season that San Francisco did not allow a touchdown, as Jacksonville failed convert in the red zone, finishing the day 0-for-4 . Compliments were given to QB David Garrard who fumbled twice in key situations. The home scoreboard wasn't the only one the Niners were curious about, as the Tennessee Titans hosted the visiting Arizona Cardinals in a wild come from behind win that helped the Niners take a breath of relief as far as the NFC West standings go.

In week 13, the Niners will be playing a Seattle team that hasn't been itself since visiting San Francisco in week 2 when starting QB Matt Hasselbeck went down with a back injury during the 3rd quarter. Since the win, the Seahawks have been in the Niners rear-view mirror in the NFC West standings. But since the 23-10 win over Seattle 11 weeks ago, the 49ers have had a hard time winning on enemy turf to say the least. And a visit to Quest field in the chilly Emerald city will be no different, as it's been known to be one of the hardest places to win as a visiting team.

Wacko Jacko makes a Call & Mo-Jo takes a Knee

As if the Belichick call wasn't debatable enough for ya, another disputed call over the weekend was Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio's decision to have his star running back Maurice Jones-Drew take a knee at the 1-yard line with an open path to the end zone, instead to give kicker Josh Scobee an extra point length field goal with time time expiring. Similar to Belichick, coach Del Rio received lots of criticism regarding his risky late game decision, as many analysts have said it's "Not smart to give up points in a game, EVER!"

My thoughts on the decision were rather complimenting. I think the call just goes to show how confident Del Rio was in his kicker. Not to mention the unselfishness showed by Jones-Drew. Although he was given a command to do something, I wouldn't be too surprised about the handful of players that refuse to take a knee instead of adding a touchdown to their stats. After the game, Jones-Drew, who's leading the league in touchdowns, later apologized to his fantasy team owners and that's what I find most comical about the whole thing. I also liked the call Del Rio made, by not allowing the Jets to make a late game touchdown. What the call does do however, is put a lot of pressure on your kicking staff by relying on them to win you the game. But if the kick is good like it was in this situation, everyone goes home happy.