49ers defense showing night-and-day difference vs. Jaguars early in Week 10

An embattled 49ers defense reverted back to being one of the NFL's best early in Week 10 against the Jaguars.

Following the first two possessions for each team in the Week 10 bout between the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Niners had 98 offensive yards and the Jags had minus-1.

After so many challenges and issues over its three-game losing streak, the San Francisco 49ers defense appears to be back and in full service against quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the rest of Jacksonville's offense.

The Niners opened up by forcing back-to-back 3-and-outs, which included sacking Lawrence twice.

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who was listed as questionable with a knee injury prior to the game, picked up 1.5 of those. And the pass-rushing duo of edges Nick Bosa and the newly acquired Chase Young helped collapse the pocket for Hargrave and fellow defensive tackle Arik Armstead.

Armstead did exit with a knee injury toward the end of the first quarter, but he was able to return quickly with no serious setbacks.

However, for the rest of San Francisco defense, the opening quarter in Jacksonville was nothing like how things were over the previous three games, all losses in which the defense looked anything but stout.

The second quarter started off strong, too, with Bosa and Young combining for a strip sack of Lawrence, a loose ball that Bosa recovered.

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The Jaguars managed to pick up one first down on their third possession, but that was it. And they managed a mere 20 net yards over those three possessions, too, which made 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' unit look like it had over the first five weeks of the season.

Wilks appeared to be a promising addition to the sideline after deciding to come down from the booth after the Niners bye week.

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