Mac Jones ‘Played His A– Off’ To Earn Dramatic Victory Against Rams, Coach Kylie Shanahan Says

Despite missing several key players and starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the San Francisco 49ers walked away with their fourth win of the season on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams.

Backup quarterback Mac Jones recorded a season-high passing yardage, tallying 342 yards and two touchdowns during the 26-23 win. Along with Purdy, who suffered a toe injury earlier in the season, San Francisco missed wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings due to injury. Tight end George Kittle and defensive end Nick Bosa also didn’t play on Thursday, with the latter being ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.

Despite the absences, Jones and the 49ers raced out to a 20-7 lead in the third quarter. However, the Rams cut the deficit and sent the game into overtime after a 48-yard field goal by Joshua Karty.

In overtime, the hosts turned the ball over and made way for 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro to nail a 41-yarder and improve the team’s record to 4-1.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan had high praise for Jones.

“He played his a– off,” Shanahan said after the game. “He was unbelievable in the first half. Got banged up a little bit there in the second half, and battled through it, and protected the ball. Going against that defense and throwing the ball that many times and not having a turnover and protecting it like he did, I can’t say enough good things about Mac.”

With all the players unavailable, the 49ers entered SoFi Stadium as underdogs by more than a touchdown. Shanahan knew about this and told his quarterback, who didn’t have as much interest in predictions. Yet it still seemed to resonate within the 27-year-old.

“I don’t really pay attention to much to it,” Jones said. “Kyle came up to me and he was pissed about it. He’s like, ‘Dude, I can’t believe they moved us to underdogs again,’ or whatever more. And I’m like, ‘I don’t know what that means, really, but yeah, let’s go kill them.”

The win puts the 49ers in first place of the NFC West division. Shanahan’s team will have nine days of rest before traveling to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 12.