The Jacksonville Jaguars will travel to the West Coast in Week 4 to take on a tough San Francisco 49ers team. They have several things going in their favor, such as a relatively clean bill of health. On the other hand, pulling off the upset will be no walk in the park even though the 49ers are dealing with several injuries.
The good news is that the weather probably won't be a factor, so the Jags will be able to game plan however they see fit.
Weather report for the Jaguars game vs. the San Francisco 49ers
According to NFLWeather, it will be 67 degrees Fahrenheit for the game. There will be clouds, but the chance of rain will be only a low five percent. Throughout the game, there will be 11 mph gusts, but those shouldn't have an effect on deep passes or long-range field goals.
Basically, the elements won't be a deciding factor nor give an advantage to either team.
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The Jaguars must dial up a few deep shots but also pound the rock
This will be a tricky matchup for the Jaguars offense. The 49ers' defense ranks 15th in rushing yards allowed and second in rushing touchdowns allowed. They're giving up 3.7 yards per carry, but that shouldn't deter Jacksonville from leaning on Bhayshul Tuten and Travis Etienne.
The Jags made an effort to run the ball the first two games but logged just 24 carries in the win over the Houston Texans. That number must increase to take some pressure off Trevor Lawrence's shoulders and prevent San Francisco from dropping extra defenders in coverage.
Speaking of Lawrence, he went 20-of-40 for 222 yards against Houston. He'll need to be more accurate and take a few deep shots. He and Michael Penix are the only quarterbacks who have yet to complete a pass of 20 yards or more this season. As noted before, the weather won't be an issue, so No. 16 must buck the trend.
On the defense, quarterback Brock Purdy is a full go after missing the past two games with a toe injury, meaning that the Jacksonville defense will have its hands full. Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, and safety Eric Murray must continue to make plays, but it would be great if players such as defensive tackle Arik Armstead or cornerback Tyson Campbell could make a few big plays.
The bottom line is that this matchup could set the tone for the remainder of the season. Beating the 49ers would definitely make a statement, so the Jags must capitalize on everything they have going for them, including a favorable weather report.