Five weeks into the season, Brock Purdy was among the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL and no team looked finer than the 49ers.
A month later, a lot has changed. Purdy is dealing with adversity for the first time in his two-year career, and San Francisco has cooled off considerably by failing to win a game since an October 8 blowout of the Cowboys. After a three-game losing streak and a bye, the 49ers are looking to get back on track Sunday at Jacksonville.
The Jaguars (6-2) have won five in a row, rank eighth in the league in scoring defense (19.5 ppg) and follow the lead of maturing quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The 49ers (5-3), who rank fourth in scoring defense (17.5 ppg), will send a new edge-rushing tandem at Lawrence with Nick Bosa on one end and Chase Young, acquired in a trade with Washington, on the other.