In Week 4, the Jacksonville Jaguars will face what will arguably be their toughest challenge up until this point of the season: They'll fly to the West Coast to take on the San Francisco 49ers.
Currently, the Jags are a three-point underdog and will need to fix several issues (drops, inconsistent passing game) if they want to have a shot at pulling the upset. On the other hand, they have a few things going in their favor.
For instance, Jacksonville will be mostly healthy for the game. Only Dyami Brown was listed as questionable in the final injury report, and even then, there's a chance the fifth-year wideout will suit up. But apart from a relatively clean bill of health, the Jags have one of the best defenses in the league.
Anthony Campanile's unit ranks first in the league in both takeaways and interceptions with nine and seven, respectively. Free-agent acquisitions Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray have had an immediate impact, while long-time staple Josh Hines-Allen is among the most productive pass rushers in the NFL right now.
When you add it all up, the Jaguars should feel good about their chances of beating the 49ers. And with that in mind, here are three bold predictions for the Week 4 matchup.
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Jaguars DE Josh HInes-Allen will register three sacks
Three weeks into the NFL season, Josh Hines-Allen leads the NFL in pressures with 18. Similarly, his pressure rate ranks in the top 10. Surprisingly, though, he's only logged 0.5 sacks.
Of course, quarterback takedowns aren't the only way to measure a pass rusher's success. That said, they're the kind of impact play on defense that can bring a drive to a halt and wipe out any kind of offensive momentum a team may have at any given time.
Then again, there are several things that have a role in a player's total sack tally. And in Hines-Allen's case, he's been double-teamed more than usual. That has kept his own numbers down but has helped his teammates produce.
In Week 4, Hines-Allen will face left tackle Trent Williams, and he'll be up the task, registering three sacks.
Trevor Lawrence will complete 75% percent of his throws
The Jaguars would surely like their receiver to cut down on their drops. They currently lead the league with 13. However, Trevor Lawrence has also left a bit to be desired. The former Clemson Tiger has completed 55.8 percent of his passes and has thrown four picks.
Again, Lawrence hasn't always gotten help from his receiver, but his decision-making has also been far from great. That may be due to the fact that he's still getting acclimated to the Liam Coen system. If that's the case, he'll make strides against the 49ers and will complete over 75 percent of his throws, helping the Jags get their offense going.
The Jaguars defense will once again register 3 turnovers vs. the 49ers
As noted before, the Jags lead the NFL in takeaways, and that's because they've been getting players from all three levels of the defense. Whether it's linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, safety Andrew Wingard, or cornerback Jourdan Lewis, the group has wasted no time capitalizing on their opponents mistakes.
Against a Brock Purdy-led 49ers, the defense will once again deliver and keep their place at the top of the NFL hierarchy with three interceptions. That should suffice to keep things close in what could turn out to be the toughest game yet to date on the Jaguars' schedule.