Nick Wagoner
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Within the hours earlier than Thursday night time's sport towards the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan approached quarterback Mac Jones and let him know that the short-handed Niners have been greater than landing underdogs towards their division rivals.
“I do not actually take note of a lot to it,” Jones stated, laughing. “Kyle got here as much as me, and he was pissed about it. He is like, ‘Dude, I am unable to consider they moved us to underdogs once more,' or like extra [extreme underdogs] or no matter. And I am like, ‘I do not know what meaning actually, [but] like, yeah, let's go kill them.' He was pissed about it. I used to be like, ‘Yeah, I am pissed, too.'”
Jones stated he would not pay a lot consideration to social media and has little information on the interior workings of odds making, however Shanahan's motivational ploy appeared to work because the Niners' backup quarterback delivered one among his greatest profession performances and the 49ers pulled off a 26-23 victory regardless of lacking a lot of their greatest stars.
The Niners entered the sport as 8.5-point underdogs, in response to ESPN BET, and Thursday night time's win was their first outright victory with odds that large since 2011 towards the Philadelphia Eagles, after they have been 9.5-point underdogs. It was additionally the biggest upset of the 2025 season to date, surpassing the Cleveland Browns' win towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers in Week 3 as 7.5-point underdogs.
San Francisco improved to 4-1 on the season and 3-0 within the NFC West regardless of lacking beginning quarterback Brock Purdy, top-three wideouts Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ribs/ankle), and star tight finish George Kittle. As well as, star defensive finish Nick Bosa is out for the season with a torn proper ACL.
To open the sport, Jones was throwing to a set of receivers and tight ends that had mustered zero catches for the 49ers in 2024, with Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson beginning at receiver and Luke Farrell getting the nod at tight finish.
Jones battled by a sprained left knee and a cramping forearm to complete 33-of-49 for 342 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer ranking of 100.9.
“He performed his ass off,” Shanahan stated. “He was unbelievable within the first half. Received banged up just a little bit there within the second half, and battled by it, and guarded the ball. Going towards that protection and throwing the ball that many occasions and never having a turnover and defending it like he did, I am unable to say sufficient good issues about Mac.”
With just a few further days to relaxation earlier than a Week 6 journey to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Niners do not but understand how for much longer they will want Jones to begin. The workforce dominated Purdy out Wednesday, and although he has indicated his toe remains to be significantly better than it was following the preliminary Week 1 harm, Shanahan stated there isn't a definitive timeline on Purdy's return.
“All the pieces we instructed you guys final week is true,” Shanahan stated. “He simply reaggravated it, and it is week-to-week. We do not understand how it'll heal, and hopefully it's going to be higher tomorrow, and we'll proceed to go all through the week.”
Jones and the Niners' cobbled-together group of move catchers opened the sport with a pair of landing drives as he hit Tonges and working again Christian McCaffrey to stake San Francisco to a 14-0 lead.
For many of the night time, Jones was on level. He had solely two off-target throws amongst his 49 makes an attempt, a 4% mark that's his lowest in a begin since Week 12 of 2022 as a member of the New England Patriots. Jones even dealt with the Rams' move rush effectively, going 6-of-9 for 53 yards and 4 first downs when pressured.
Lots of his throws have been to Bourne, whom the workforce signed earlier than Week 2 towards New Orleans. Coming off a sport towards Jacksonville by which he had three drops, Bourne had one other key drop Thursday night time and in addition had some points lining up accurately, however he atoned for the errors by setting profession highs with 10 receptions for 142 yards, together with eight catches for first downs.
“KB has introduced a lot vitality, a lot juice to this workforce, and we love and admire him a lot,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk stated. “Guys which have performed with him earlier than knew that, however I feel everybody that hasn't has seen it immediately. He is undoubtedly helped spark this workforce.”
As in San Francisco's three different wins this season, the workforce additionally acquired key contributions from defensive members of its 2025 draft class. Second-round defensive deal with Alfred Collins pressured and recovered a fumble at San Francisco's aim line late within the fourth quarter to stop a possible game-winning landing, and rookie security Marques Sigle was in on the ultimate deal with of Rams working again Kyren Williams to cease him quick on fourth-and-1 on the Niners' 11.
“[General manager] John Lynch might be going to rejoice on that airplane tonight,” linebacker Fred Warner stated. “Our younger guys actually coming and enjoying large for us. I imply all these video games to date … they usually're simply getting began.”
