The powerful San Francisco 49ers have gone a month without a victory.
Meanwhile, the ever-improving Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t lost since Sept. 24.
The Jaguars (6-2) put their impressive five-game winning streak on the line Sunday when they host the 49ers (5-3), a team that has lost three straight following a 5-0 start.
Both teams are well-rested after a bye last week.
Jacksonville has its sights set on winning a sixth straight regular-season game for the first time since an 11-game streak in 1999.
Still, quarterback Trevor Lawrence doesn’t want his squad resting on its laurels.
“We’re not the best team in the league,” Lawrence said. “We’ve still got more out there for us. It’d be great if this decided playoffs and all that right now, but it doesn’t. So we know we got nine games left and we also know last year we were 3-7 going into the bye and we made the playoffs.”
Jacksonville holds the AFC South lead by two games over the Houston Texans, but coach Doug Pederson wants full focus on the 49ers.
“It’s a matter of just staying in the moment, staying in this week, getting prepared for San Francisco — who we know is a dangerous football team,” Pederson said. “They’re going to be gassed up and ready to go. We just live in the moment and it’s one game at a time.”
San Francisco was sailing along before scoring just 17 points in each of the three defeats. The 49ers lost to the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals and standout receiver Deebo Samuel missed all three of those games due to a hairline fracture in his shoulder.
Samuel was cleared Friday to return to action, while the team is still waiting on star left tackle Trent Williams (ankle), who is questionable after being a limited practice participant the past two days. Williams, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, has missed the past two games.
The 49ers elected to add to their defensive front by obtaining defensive end Chase Young from the Washington Commanders last week. Young is slated to make his team debut on Sunday.
The move reunites Young with defensive end Nick Bosa, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The two were teammates at Ohio State.
“Nick is here, always been a big brother to me,” Young said. “Got in here last week, just the culture, the vibe is a lot different. I definitely know that I’m in the building with winners.”
Quarterback Brock Purdy and star running back Christian McCaffrey will attempt to get the San Francisco offense back on track. The 49ers scored 30 or more points in each of their first five games before the swoon.
Purdy threw five interceptions in the three losses after not being picked once in the first five outings. He passed for a career-high 365 yards in last week’s loss to the Bengals.
McCaffrey leads the NFL with 652 rushing yards and is tied for the league lead with 13 touchdowns (nine rushing, four receiving). He has scored a touchdown in 17 consecutive games, counting the playoffs, to tie the record set by Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (1963-64).
McCaffrey has been a huge fit for the San Francisco offense since being acquired from the Carolina Panthers for four draft picks 12-plus months ago. He also left a rebuilding situation with the Panthers for a shot at the Super Bowl.
“It’s meant the world to me just to be a part of this team, be a part of this organization, and obviously I’m extremely happy to be here,” McCaffrey said. “I’m so thankful that they gave up picks to get me here. It’s changed my perspective on so many things. I feel like I’ve learned so much every day.”
Defensive end Drake Jackson (knee) and guard Aaron Banks (toe) were ruled out for the 49ers. Nose tackle Javon Hargrave (knee) is questionable after he felt soreness during the week.
As for the Jaguars, receiver Zay Jones (knee) will miss his fourth straight game.
Among the players listed questionable for Jacksonville are safety Andre Cisco (hamstring) and cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring).
The 49ers have won the past four meetings with Jacksonville.
–Field Level Media
