Mac Jones guided the San Francisco 49ers to a 23-20 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, pushing the team to 4-1 on the season. Despite a strong start to his run as a fill-in starter, Jones made it clear there is no quarterback controversy in San Francisco.

After the win, Jones addressed his role in the absence of Brock Purdy, reaffirming that the starting job still belongs to the third-year quarterback.

“I think you know, they brought me here to play as a backup and that’s my job,” Jones said in his postgame press conference. “And Brock’s the starter [of] this team and right now he’s dealing with something. And for him to go out there last week and play when you know you probably wasn’t at full health – like he cares about this team so I’m just trying to get some wins for us so it helps him down the line.”

Purdy has played in two games this season, throwing for 586 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He holds a 65.8% completion rate, an 85.8 passer rating, and a 70.5 quarterback rating. In 2023, he led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance and posted career-high numbers with 4,280 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and a 113.0 passer rating across 16 games.

Mac Jones shines as 49ers stay hot without Brock Purdy in OT win over Rams

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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Jones has capitalized on the opportunity in Purdy’s absence. On Thursday, he completed 33-of-49 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the night with a 100.9 passer rating and 69.9 QBR. Through three starts this season, the former Patriots quarterback has totaled 905 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception while completing 66.7% of his passes. His overall passer rating sits at 99.1.

San Francisco entered the Week 5 matchup severely shorthanded. In addition to Purdy, the team was without its top three wide receivers — Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Ricky Pearsall (knee), and Jauan Jennings (ribs/ankle) — as well as tight end George Kittle, who is currently on injured reserve. Star edge rusher Nick Bosa has also been ruled out for the season with a torn ACL.

With the receiving corps depleted, Kendrick Bourne emerged as the go-to target. The 30-year-old veteran hauled in 10 receptions for a career-high 142 yards on 11 targets, despite a key drop and alignment issues. Bourne, who rejoined the 49ers after Week 1 on a one-year deal, provided a steadying presence in a game that demanded leadership and execution from the supporting cast.

The Rams, now 3-2, tied the game late in regulation but failed to convert in overtime. The win helped the 49ers maintain their position atop the NFC West standings.

San Francisco will now enter a rest week before traveling to Tampa Bay for a Week 6 road matchup against the 3-1 Buccaneers. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, October 12, at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.