A half-game behind the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams for the NFC West lead, the San Francisco 49ers could certainly use a win over the Rams on Sunday afternoon. The 49ers already travelled to Los Angeles, defeating their divisional rivals 26-23 at SoFi Stadium during Thursday Night Football in Week 5. For the past few weeks, backup quarterback Mac Jones has kept San Francisco afloat. Ahead of his next start versus LA in a couple of days, tight end George Kittle had a hilarious theory about Jones he relayed to 49ers Webzone's David Bonilla.
“I think he's doing it intentionally now,” Kittle said jokingly to Bonilla. “I think that's kind of what it seems like. He's just getting mildly banged up on purpose because it looks cool.”
While it's unlikely that Jones is asking for the punishment he's dealt with, the former first-round pick has shown why 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly wanted him with the team's third overall pick in 2021. He's shown to be a strong conductor of Shanahan's attack, filling in for injured starter Brock Purdy at a high level. Now, San Francisco could retake the NFC West lead with a victory over the Rams, plus a Seahawks loss. Can Jones and Kittle lead the Niners to victory for the second straight week, completing a sweep of their division rivals in the process?
49ers look to climb back on top NFC West with a win over the Rams
While Jones has proven to be a capable replacement for Purdy, the 49ers have been up and down throughout the season. Purdy started the season, opening 17-13 win over Seattle, then missed the next two games before returning in the 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since then, the San Francisco offense has been Jones' to pilot.
Kittle dealt with injuries of his own once again. After playing alongside Purdy in Week 1, Kittle missed a few weeks before returning in the October 19th win over the Atlanta Falcons. While the veteran tight end hasn't lived up to his normal level of play, Sunday's matchup against the Rams would be an excellent way to get back to form. If Jones and Kittle can spark their connection on the field at home, then a rise back to the top of the NFC West could be within reach.
