Programming note: Watch Matt Maiocco’s full interview with Kyle Shanahan on “49ers Game Plan,” airing immediately after “Giants Postgame Live” on Friday on NBC Sports Bay Area.
The 49ers are 3-0, but that doesn’t mean Kyle Shanahan’s squad plans on taking their foot off the gas pedal.
Despite being afflicted by a multitude of injuries already, Shanahan knows how important each and every week is in the NFL.
Ahead of Sunday’s Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) at Levi’s Stadium, Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco why he thinks this game is a must-win for San Francisco.
“It’s so cliché for me, because I end up feeling this way every week, but I feel like this is a game we need to win,” Shanahan declared on “49ers Game Plan.” “You can’t lose these types of games, and I know we’re going against a very good team, I know there are some situations that we need to overcome, but I have felt the same these last three weeks.
“They can go either way. We’re sitting here at 3-0, but just a few missed plays, a few little different things, and we could be 0-3. And I know this game is going to be the exact same. This team is a very good team, and I think they have a lot of confidence — them beating Houston the way that they did.”
Shanahan is aware the Jaguars will be out for revenge as well. When these teams last faced off in Week 10 of the 2023 NFL season, San Francisco drubbed Jacksonville 34-3. Though the Jaguars have a new coaching staff this year, several current players also were on the losing end of that effort.
“I know there’s a lot of people on their team who know what happened when we played them last, so we’re not going to catch them off guard,” Shanahan explained. “They’re going to come in here hungry and ready to prove themselves, and we’re ready for the challenge.
“We’re ready to prove ourselves. We’re ready to do it every week. I see this as one that we need to get.”
With a win, the 49ers would extend their lead atop the NFC West at 4-0 heading into a short week against their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, on “Thursday Night Football.” San Francisco could assert itself firmly as a top NFC contender, too, despite that horrid injury luck early in the season.
But, of course, Shanahan isn’t looking ahead; he’s focused on the task at hand in the Jaguars.
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