3 toughest defenses on the Jacksonville Jaguars 2023 schedule

No. 1 toughest defense on the Jacksonville Jaguars schedule: San Francisco 49ers

Unlike the previous two teams on the list, the 49ers have shown over the last five years that they can win games regardless of who starts at quarterback. While head coach Mike Shanahan deserves lots of credit for crafting game plans that put his signal-callers in a position to succeed, their defense should also get praise.

It's true that the Niners' offense is filled with playmakers. Whether it's tight end George Kittle, running back Christian McCaffrey, or wide receiver Deebo Samuel, San Francisco has lots of talent to put points on the scoreboard. However, they also have lots of game changes on defense that can prevent offenses from scoring.

Last season, the 49ers' defense allowed the fewest points in the league and ranked first in interceptions with 20. Simply, it's hard to move the ball against them on the group or through the air, and that's thanks to the nucleus of Amik Armstead, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga.

You can make fun of Bosa and his brother Joey for not being good sports but they're two of the best when it comes to creating disruption upfront. And if the Niners can avoid serious injuries and get solid play from the quarterback position, they will have a strong chance of reaching the Super Bowl next season.

The silver lining is that the Jaguars will play the Niners at home but even with home-field advantage, this could turn out to be one of the most difficult games on the Jaguars' schedule next season. It's up to Trevor Lawrence and the offense they can they can light up the scoreboard against the best defenses in the league.