San Francisco 49ers: Four Quarters With Black And Teal

The San Francisco 49ers, riding a three game winning streak and will host the Jacksonville Jaguars for their final home game of 2017. Time for four quarters!
The San Francisco 49ers have turned into a different team ever since quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo became the starting quarterback. They have defeated the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans on the road while defeating the potential playoff bound Tennessee Titans at home.
The 49ers now face their toughest test of the season so far, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are 10-4, have already clinched a playoff berth, and boast one of the toughest defenses in the league.
The 49ers are 4-10, have won three straight, and are finally playing like a real football team. This will be a tough match for Garoppolo and the 49ers offense, and they will need the defense to step up and make plays.
We had the pleasure of having Daniel Lago, editor of FanSided’s Jacksonville Jaguar delegation Black and Teal join us for Four Quarters!
Each question relates to the Jaguars, while they will also have an answer from the 49ers perspective.
Quarter 1
The Jaguars offense absolutely torched the Texans last week but this week they face a better 49ers defense. Do they rely on Blake Bortles or do they go run heavy?
Daniel: “That’s a good question and I think it all depends on how the 49ers line up to defend the Jaguars on the first few drives of the game. The Jaguars have shifted more to a pass-first offense because teams have been stacking the box with 8, and sometimes 9, defenders on a regular basis. The offensive staff has responded accordingly, passing more on first down and letting Bortles rip it in less obvious passing situations. That being said, if Leonard Fournette is back in the lineup then expect a heavy dosage of him early and often. The 49ers have been giving up almost 120 yards per game on the ground and the Jaguars still boast the best rush offense in the NFL. Even without Fournette, expect lots of carries for Corey Grant, Chris Ivory, and T.J. Yeldon.”
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Sanjesh: For the 49ers perspective, they will most likely need to go pass heavy with Jimmy Garoppolo. He had a fantastic game last week, throwing for 380 plus yards with one touchdown, mainly because the running game was absolutely non-existent.
Carlos Hyde only had 25 yards on 16 carries, which is an average of about 1.6 yards per carry. You cannot win like that against a better Jacksonville defense, so expect the running game to be involved, but it will disappear as the game goes along.
Quarter 2
Jacksonville has one of the best defenses in the league and it didn’t take long to notice it. How do they slow down Jimmy Garoppolo on the road?
Daniel: “The way they’ve slowed down every other quarterback in the NFL – let their corners lock down the outside and give the pass rush time to get home. In reality, the Jaguars have been running a fairly simple scheme all year, they just have some outstanding talent up front and in the back end. San Francisco has given up 42 sacks this year, 8th most in the NFL, while the Jaguars have sacked the quarterback a league-leading 51 times. Jimmy G has gotten away with a few throws in recent weeks that could’ve been intercepted. If he does that against Jacksonville, this secondary will take advantage.”
Sanjesh: In order to stop Bortles, an up and down quarterback, the 49ers need to bring the most pressure that they have ever brought before. Guys like DeForest Buckner and Solomon Thomas need to show up big and have their best games of the season to have a chance.
Elvis Dumervil and Cassius Marsh have also demonstrated that they can bring pressure when called upon. The Jaguars have talented young receivers, but bringing pressure on Bortles can cause him to make bad throws.
Quarter 3
Keelan Cole had a massive breakout game against the Texans last week with 186 receiving yards. If any, what offensive player has a breakout game this week?
Daniel: “Since he’s gotten back in the lineup, everyone has been waiting for rookie wide receiver Dede Westbrook to break out. A finalist for the Heisman trophy last year, Westbrook is a guy who had the talent to be a first round pick but fell to the fourth round because of character concerns. He’s had a few solid outings and some spectacular catches in recent weeks, but he’s hasn’t put together that quintessential “coming out” game. That may not happen this week, but he should get plenty of targets with number one receiver Marqise Lee out of the lineup.”
Sanjesh: He’s been on fire the last three games, but no one has been talking about him. Marquise Goodwin has had receiving yards of 99, 106 and 114, getting him closer and closer to 1,000 yards on the season. Garoppolo has developed a quick and efficient chemistry with Goodwin since becoming the starter and he will have to produce big again against a talented and dangerous Jacksonville secondary.
Quarter 4
Predictions! Better performing QB? Who forces a turnover on defense? Final score?
Daniel: “If the Jaguars lose this game, it’s because Blake Bortles falls down to earth. Fortunately, I don’t see that happening this week against a good but not great 49ers defense. I expect Blake to play better, partly because Jimmy G has the unenviable task of taking on the Jacksonville defense. He’ll turn the ball over a handful of times en route to his first loss as a starter in the NFL. The Jaguars will win this one and I’ll throw out a score of 23-10.”
Sanjesh: Garoppolo will be playing the toughest secondary yet, and with limited weapons, he may struggle. Bortles will have the better stats only for that reason. On defense, Adrian Colbert has had a part in a turnover the past two games and he’ll be involved in another this week. The Jaguars will win a close one by a score of 24-20.
Next: 3 WR'S 49ers Should Target
The San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars match-up will kick off this Sunday at 1:05 PM PST on CBS at Levi’s Stadium.