Fresh off a win against the Texans, the Jaguars have their sights on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. But Coach Liam Coen knows this won’t be an easy ride. And considering how the 49ers often rush quarterbacks with four down linemen, Coen is well aware that the game is going to be a test of patience for signal-caller Trevor Lawrence.

“Obviously, try to get after you with four, which they’ve been able to do,” Coach Coen said in the press conference on Wednesday. “And say you’re going to get greedy at some point, you’re going to get bored at some point of kind of playing the 12 to 15 and in-game because they do play a ton of quarters, lead the NFL, I believe in shell coverage and quarters and cover six, quarter-quarter-half variations. We’ll see if that holds true this week for sure, but that’s definitely what they’ve wanted to do through three games. And it just makes you, as a play caller and as a quarterback, have to be patient and meticulous and just keep taking what they end up giving you.” 

There’s no denying the 49ers’ defense has been explosive, but this time they’ll be without defensive end Nick Bosa. He had 10 pressures, two sacks, two hits, and six hurries before his season-ending ACL injury. In Bosa’s absence, the 49ers will look to defensive lineman Bryce Huff for leadership.

After three games, Huff stands as the team leader in pressures, with two sacks, one hit, and eight hurries, tying him for 25th among linemen who’ve played at least 65% of defensive snaps. Bosa’s absence will be felt, but just like the last game, the entire team will come together to pressure the QB.

And Trevor Lawrence, too, knows better than to underestimate the 49ers’ defense.

“They’re not trying to really trick anyone,” Lawrence said. “They’re so consistent, and they’re really disciplined. They fly around sideline to sideline, and make a lot of plays with that front group – and on the back end, they’re really disciplined.”

Speaking of discipline, the 49ers also have four-time Associated Press All-Pro selection linebacker Fred Warner. And Coen has nothing but respect for him.

Coach Liam Coen warns the locker room about Fred Warner trouble

Over three games this season, Fred Warner has racked up 30 tackles. 16 of them have been solo, and that number currently has him on 3rd in the NFL, per PFF. This is form that has carried over from last season, during which he recorded 76 solo tackles, 55 assists, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions across 17 games.

 When reporters asked Coen what makes him such a unique player, he did not have to think.

“The athletic ability, obviously,” Coen began. “The length, his ability to dissect all the different schemes. He plays with a ton of patience, knowing that he does have the ability to go run, change direction, redirect, dissecting the pass game, and making plays in zone coverage. So, yeah, I’ve competed against Fred for a long time, and a ton of respect, obviously, for the way he plays.”

The Jaguars’ HC has a “ton of respect” for his counterpart, Kyle Shanahan, too. After all, the 49ers have had an eventful few years—three straight NFC Championship Game appearances from 2022 through 2024, and two Super Bowl appearances in the last five years. “They’ve done a nice job,” Coen said.

Then there is the 3-0 start they’ve managed to pull off despite injuries to the likes of George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, and Bosa. So yess, Coen and Lawrence definitely have their work cut out for them.