Tempers flared during Sunday’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers, as the former’s head coach Liam Coen and the latter’s defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had to be physically restrained following a heated exchange. Players and coaches from both sidelines rushed in to separate the two. Coen later broke his silence on the incident.

When asked about the exchange afterward, Coen sought to cool the controversy. “Not a big deal,” he said, “ We’ll keep that in house.” He chose not to elaborate, though his brief remarks hinted at a desire to move on from the incident.

The heated exchange came after Robert Saleh publicly accused Liam Coen of using a legal method to steal signals. While no official complaint was filed, the claim added tension throughout the game. Earlier this week, Saleh publicly accused Coen’s Jaguars of using an legal but advanced system to interpret other teams’ signals. “They’ve got a really sophisticated signal-reading operation,” Saleh said to midweek media.

“They do a great job of finding small details and trying to use those tendencies to their advantage, so we’ve got to be tight with our communication.” While the 49ers’ defensive coordinator downplayed his comments as praise with caution, the remarks still raised eyebrows across the league.

Coen, for his part, had tried to deflect before kickoff. “I’m not going to dive into that right now,” the Jaguars’ head coach told reporters. “We’re focused on preparing for a great defense and putting together our best game plan.” His refusal to fan the flames only shows the seriousness of the accusations.

The on-field brawl between Saleh and Coen occurred on what otherwise had been Jacksonville day. The two teams still haven’t clarified who initiated the fight, and the NFL has spoken nothing about conducting an investigation of the situation. Either way, the video taken by media members showed both teams’ players and personnel breaking up the fight in short time, affirming just how intense the fight had become.

While Coen dismissed the standoff, league observers are sure Saleh’s words can be sure to have escalate things. In an already suspenseful week, the charges put Jacksonville’s defensive success in perspective as possibly enhanced by reading 49ers’ signals. That is maybe prudent or not, Jaguars’ play on Sunday exhibited  game planning and tenacious working out of all.

Jaguars Shock the 49ers with turnovers

That drama surrounded a historic win for Jacksonville. Sunday’s 26-21 victory at Levi’s Stadium marked the first time the Jaguars had ever defeated the 49ers on the road, and they did it by relying on a turnover-centric defense and a game-changing special teams play.

The momentum shifted during the third quarter when wide receiver Parker Washington slipped behind for an 87-yard punt return TD. Washington’s return was emblematic of a Jacksonville special teams unit that had been patchy but came through in the most opportune of times against an unbeaten opponent.

The Jaguars’ defense awakened too. Linebacker Devin Lloyd picked off 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy twice, taking Jacksonville’s NFL-record total of takeaways to 13 this season. The front seven, fueled by veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead, a former 49er  brutalized Purdy mercilessly, keeping San Francisco off balance and making them commit uncharacteristic mistakes.

Armstead registered what could have been the game’s largest play with seconds remaining before the two-minute mark, stripping Purdy of the ball as linebacker Foyesade Oluokun recovered it. The Jaguars were five points up at that point and never lost possession afterward.

The win extended Jacksonville’s early-season surge and validated the defensive philosophy Coen has emphasized since taking over the head coaching job. The combination of opportunistic defense and explosive special teams helped them overcome a 49ers offense that had been among the NFL’s most efficient through three weeks.

Meanwhile, San Francisco itself, having survived September in one piece, had its weak link. Purdy had begun Week 4 with a single interception but doubled up in one afternoon. The special teams of the 49ers also fell short at crunch moments, most notably on Washington’s punt return.

With their first road win against San Francisco in franchise history, they are now an AFC ballplayer. For the 49ers, losing and the bench brawl are a moment to take a breather and smell the roses after their almost perfect beginning.