It's never pleasant to see NFL players get hurt. But injuries are an inherent part of the sport, and teams must be prepared for them. That's the case of the San Francisco 49ers, who will miss tight end George Kittle for their Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Niners announced that they've placed Kittle on Injured Reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury against the Seattle Seahawks in the season opener.
Any time a player lands on IR once the season has started, he must at least miss four games. Based on the rules, the earliest Kittle can return to the 49ers is Week 6, so he's guaranteed to sit out the Jaguars game.
Kittle, a third-round pick in 2017, has made six Pro Bowls and earned two First-Team All-Pro designations.
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The Jaguars just got an edge in light of the George Kittle injury update
Of course, the Jaguars must show up and execute. That said, not having to face George Kittle in Week 4 just gave their odds a boost. Heck, even if the veteran tight end suited up, they should feel good about their chances.
After all, quarterback Brock Purdy is also dealing with shoulder and toe injuries, so he may not be 100 percent for Week 4. The silver lining, from a 49ers perspective, is that he still has ample time to recover before the bout. If the Iowa State product isn't good to go, though, Mac Jones will get to face his former team.
Whoever ends up starting behind center won't have an inspiring wide receiver corps at his disposal. Jauan Jennings is also dealing with ailments, while Ricky Pearsall and Marquez Valdes-Scantling aren't the kind of players that keep defensive coordinators awake the day prior to the game.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville is coming off a strong defensive outing in which they forced three turnovers and prevented the Panthers offense from building any kind of rhythm. By the time Carolina had found the end zone, the game was already out of reach.
On the other hand, the Jags cannot take this game lightly. After all, San Francisco has pummeled each of the past two times they faced them. Heck, Jacksonville must first focus on going against the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans before it can turn its attention to the Niners.
Nevertheless, not having to face George Kittle in Week 4 could end up giving the Jags enough of an edge to come out on top.
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