Someone’s winning streak will be ending Sunday
SANTA CLARA >> The NFL’s two hottest teams meet Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Wait, the 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars?
Riding three-game win streaks, those franchises will meet with playoff implications, albeit for only the Jaguars’ bid at a first-round bye to go with their already-secured postseason berth.
“I know their year has been a lot different from ours,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But that’s what we talked about last week: Going into these final three games, we’re going against three teams who are fighting to be playoff teams.”
The 49ers (4-10) wish they could be in the playoff hunt now that Jimmy
Garoppolo has led them to three comeback wins in his three starts. If only they had him earlier. If only the didn’t start 0-9. If only they didn’t set a NFL record with five consecutive losses by three or fewer points.
“Yeah, I kind of wish we won those games, huh?” left tackle Joe Staley said.
The 49ers are 4-1 in their past five games, as are the AFC South-leading Jaguars (10-4) and eight other teams.
After toppling the playoff-contending Titans (8-5), Shanahan cautioned whether the 49ers are on an expedited pace to contention for 2018, insisting they’ve simply followed their patient approach at a rebuild.
“It’s always tough when you start out 0-9,” Shanahan said. “But it was nice when doing that and not having people in our building freak out and think we had to do something drastic.”
Well, they did drastically solve their quarterback issue, trading for Garoppolo, who’s yet to lose as a starter, including his two-game cameo last year at the start of the Patriots’ season.
Speaking of which, has Shanahan gotten the Patriots a Christmas gift to go along with the 2018 second-round draft pick? “I haven’t but they’re definitely on my good side,” Shanahan said.
“Jimmy, it’s been great. He’s 5-0 (all-time) as a starter. There’s going to be a time he goes through adversity. I’m sure some day he will lose. Guys have rough games, I don’t care how good you are.”
By getting hot now, the 49ers are gaining momentum for 2018.
They’ll be a trendy pick to go from last place to first place, which has happened to 14 teams over the past 15 seasons, including the Philadelphia Eagles this year.
Next year’s non-divisional opponents are set. The home schedule
is softer: the Raiders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and New York Giants. Road trips will be to: the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Kyle talked about this week that if we want to be in big games next year and play in playoff games, it starts now,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “… We have to get used to this environment and performing against these kind of teams.”
The Jaguars possess the league’s top defense with an average of 14.9 points allowed per game. Their 51 sacks has led to their “Sacksonville” moniker (or, “x-#Sacksonville” as their Twitter handle now reflects their playoff-clinching status).
“When you look at teams with those numbers, they have as good a chance as anyone to go all the way,” Shanahan said.
• Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. is apparently interested in buying the Carolina Panthers, who announced Sunday that embattled owner Jerry Richardson will sell the franchise amid an investigation into his reported misconduct.
ESPN reported DeBartolo’s interest, and he issued a statement saying he’d “respect Jerry Richardson’s wish to not discuss the sale of the Carolina Panthers until after their season is over.”
• Safety Adrian Colbert and wide receiver Aldrick Robinson are in the postconcussion protocol. Colbert reported symptoms Monday.
Robinson left in the second quarter with his head injury and a sprained wrist.
• Linebacker Reuben Foster missed only two plays after twice needing medical attention for a nerve stinger. “He’s already tricked me enough. I told him I’m not coming out there anymore,” Shanahan said half-jokingly. “I’ll think it’s pretty serious and he’s back out there a couple plays later.”