Jaguars vs. 49ers: Week 10 Staff Predictions
The Jacksonville Jaguars had a stellar start to the 2023 season, rattling off five wins in a row and entering their bye week with a 6-2 record.
Now begins a new season within 2023. The next nine games will determine what kind of team this Jaguars squad truly is, and that starts with a potentially season-defining potential win vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10.
So how does the Jaguar Report staff see Week 10? We break it down below.
John Shipley
Prediction: I have gone back and forth on this one a good bit. The 49ers played [oorly entering their bye week, so I do think they will be the team with the most urgency to come out of the gates firing this week. I also think the 49ers are the most talented team the Jaguars will play this year just from a pure roster perspective. They are stacked on both sides of the ball and also have one of the NFL's best play-callers.
But I also think the Jaguars have a few things going for them that could favor them on Sunday. They have the quarterback advantage by a sizable gap, and it does feel like Trevor Lawrence has been inching closer and closer to a breakout passing game in recent weeks. Add in Travis Etienne against a bad run defense and there is the chance for explosive touchdowns through the air and ground.
As for the Jaguars' defense, I like how they matchup with the 49ers on paper. The 49ers love operating out of 21 and 22 personnel. The Jaguars' defense just happens to be built to live in base and bash the line of scrimmage against such fronts. Add in Brock Purdy's high percentage of turnover-worthy plays against a defense that has excelled at producing takeaways, and there is reason to believe the Jaguars can make it another tough week for the 49ers' offense.
Jaguars 23, 49ers 16.
Daniel Griffis
Prediction: The Jaguars’ Week 10 game features two likely playoff teams as the San Francisco 49ers come to town, equipped with the newly acquired Chase Young. Both teams boast fantastic defenses with two of the best running backs in the NFL. I’d imagine this will be one of the better games of the year. If the Jags win, they would extend their win streak to six, moving to 7-2 on the season. If the Niners win, it will be even more important to make sure the Jags take care of their upcoming division rivals. I think it’s a nail-biter, but the Jaguars keep the snowball snowballing.
Jaguars 31, 49ers 24.
Zach Schultz
Prediction: I have wavered all week on this pick as the only thing I feel good about is it being a close game. The Jaguars defense, on paper, is set up to stop this team. If they can stop the 49ers on early downs and limit their rushing success it should have a domino effect on this offense. Brock Purdy has made plenty of turnover-worthy plays this season so I expect a Jaguars defense, who leads the league in takeaways with 18, to get one or two this weekend if they can force him into tough situations. On the flip side, the 49ers are super stout in the middle of the field so I think the offense looks to push the boundaries and quick game.
Also, look for a lot of Travis Etienne as the 49ers have been extremely susceptible against the run during their losing streak. I think the biggest unknown here is how each team responds to the bye. It’s great timing for a reeling 49ers team to regroup but also helped the Jaguars get healthy. The 49ers are still a good team so I don’t expect them to be down long even if it doesn’t flip back this week. Overall I think we see a more “normal” looking 49ers team on Sunday on a super close game.
Jaguars 24, 49ers 22.
Kyle Nash
Prediction: Both these teams come off a bye just in time to face each other in what will be an incredibly physical game. While both teams have hoped to heal from injuries leading up to this contest, the Jaguars clearly have an advantage in getting offensive lineman Walker Little back into the fold while the Niners' Trent Williams has seen only limited time this week after going close to a month without practicing.
With the way both offenses have looked going into this game, there are sure to be turnovers by both sides. The key for Jacksonville is to keep San Francisco on their streak of 17-point offensive performances while also playing a full game of offense without mistakes -- something they have yet to do. I see the "Duval Devout" being disappointed in this contest 21-17 as the Jags' offensive tackles Anton Harrison and Cam Robinson have their hands full battling Nick Bosa and the newly-acquired Chase Young.
That being said, it is just as likely that the 49er Faithful themselves are the ones left disappointed. This is will the closest home game for the Jags this season.
49ers 21, Jaguars 17.
Evan Reier
Prediction: This is a tough one to predict. Both teams are off their BYE, the 49ers really need to get off their losing streak but are making one of their longest road trips of the season, and the Jaguars are hot but not in desperation for a win here.
49ers getting OT Trent Williams and WR Deebo Samuel is also huge, and I think that helps reignites the San Francisco offense. Jacksonville ought to score as well, but I think Kyle Shanahan and the Niners offense will be the difference.
49ers 30, Jaguars 24.
