Mac Jones Made History During TNF

On Thursday, quarterback Mac Jones led the San Francisco 49ers to an impressive 26-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams, who were favored heading into the matchup.

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Jones has filled in for the injured Brock Purdy three times this season; Thursday's win was not only a big victory over the Rams but also a historic one. Jones became the fourth quarterback since 1950 to win his first three starts for the 49ers, behind Y.A.Tittle, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Purdy.

Jones looked very confident and poised on the road in a hostile environment like SoFi Stadium. The 49ers scored on the opening possession with a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Tonges. Leaning heavily on running back Christian McCaffrey on that drive, Jones was 5-for-5 for 77 yards in addition to that touchdown pass on the first drive.

The 49ers' defense held the Rams scoreless in the first quarter, giving Jones room to build momentum. Early in the second quarter, he connected with McCaffrey on a short 1-yard touchdown pass with 13:44 remaining, putting the 49ers up 14-0.

The Rams finally got on the board with 2:09 left in the first half, cutting the deficit to 14-7. However, Jones responded quickly, engineering an efficient drive capped off by a 37-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro to give the 49ers a 17-7 halftime lead. Jones completed his first eight passes in a row and ended the first half 11-of-13 passing with two touchdowns.

In the third quarter, the 49ers extended their lead to 20-7 after a drive that positioned Pineiro for a successful 20-yard field goal. Later in the third, veteran Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense found their rhythm, as Stafford connected with wide receiver Puka Nacua on a 1-yard pass, trimming the score to 20-14.

The Rams responded again in the fourth quarter with a Kyren Williams touchdown, tying the game 20-20 after a blocked extra point. Jones, with guidance from offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, orchestrated a clutch drive, setting up Pineiro for a 59-yard field goal. The Rams later responded with a 48-yard field goal from Joshua Karty, sending the game into overtime.

The Rams had an opportunity to seize their first lead of the night, but a crucial defensive stop on fourth-and-1 thwarted their chances and returned possession to the 49ers. Jones capitalized on his chance with a strategic drive, enabling Pineiro to kick a 41-yard field goal, securing the 26-23 victory.

"Kyle [Shanahan] came up to me before the game and he was pissed how we were underdogs, so he was like, 'Let it fly.' I was like, 'Coach, you don't have to tell me twice,'" Jones relayed to Kaylee Hartung of Prime Video after the game. "We made that happen, just happy for the guys, what a great team win."

Shanahan praised Jones's performance, highlighting his exceptional play in the first half, his resilience in battling through an injury in the second half, and his ball security against a tough defense.

“He played his ass off. Was unbelievable in the first half. Got banged up in the second half and battled through it and protected the ball going against that defense. Throwing the ball that many times without having a turnover. I can’t say enough good things about Mac,” Shanahan said after the win.