It appears that Kyle Shanahan has done another great job on a reclamation project with Mac Jones who has now won all three games he has started in the place of the injured Brock Purdy.
While the first two wins were not exactly pretty. Thursday night showed another side of Jones. As he showed off his grit and determination by playing through pain and the 49ers did the unthinkable, defeating their division rival the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in overtime. Also, he saved Shanahan from himself.
In the first quarter, San Francisco easily dominated the time of possession. Jones was impressive on the opening drive with Christian McCaffrey getting plenty of opportunities running the football and catching the ball out of the backfield. The 49ers were also able to overcome a false start penalty and a holding call. Kendrick Bourne had the biggest play with a 35 yard reception and tight End Jake Tonges capped off the drive with a six yard touchdown reception.
After a first down for the Rams offense, Bryce Huff sacked Matthew Stafford for an 11 yard loss. On third and 21, Sean McVay elected to play it safe by calling a run play to Kyren Williams who picked up seven yards. Ethan Evans came on to punt which went for 51 yards and San Francisco got the football at the nine.
McCaffrey started this drive off with a four-yard run, DeMarcus Robinson a former Ram picked up 13 yards on a nice catch and Los Angeles was called for roughing the passer. In only two plays the picked up 32 yards. Yet this drive also showed Shanahan being gutsy on fourth and one at midfield, he elected to go for it and Jones picked up the first down with a two-yard run.
A few plays later San Francisco was yet again in a short yardage situation on fourth down. Once again, Shanahan elected to go for it and Brian Robinson Jr picked up the first down. On third and long, Jones found Robinson for an 18 yard completion. A few plays later McCaffrey finished off the drive with a one yard touchdown reception.
The 49ers were now up 14-0.
Momentum seemingly was going to continue to go San Francisco’s way. Even if the Rams were showing signs of being able to move the football against the 49ers defense. Williams and Puka Nacua picked up good yardage.
Yet it was Sam Okuayinonu forcing Rams running back Blake Corrum to look up for an instant that caused him to not catch the pitch cleanly, allowing the recently elevated Trevis Gipson to recover the fumble.
With the 49ers offense humming, it seeemed like the 49ers were going to go up three scores as Bourne started the drive off with a nice 16 yard reception and ended the drive a few plays later with a drop.
Interestingly enough Shanahan decided against continued aggressiveness and elected to punt. A 33-yard punt by Thomas Morstead gave the Rams the football at the 15-yard line.
Los Angeles backed theselves up five yards after a false start penalty. Stafford was not able to connect with Davante Adams yet went right back to him for an 11 yard gain. A holding penalty on the 49ers defense gave the Rams a first down.
Two plays later Stafford found rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson for 21 yards, then Jordan Whittington for 11 yards, and Williams capped off the drive with a 14 yard touchdown reception. With the extra point the score was 14-7.
Now the 49ers had a little over two minutes in the second quarter to put points on the board before half. Which was important with the Rams getting the football to start the third quarter.
Jones found Bourne for 13 yards, after several incompletions, Tonges picked up 11 yards, Demarcus Robinson picked up eight, after another incomplete pass, McCaffrey picked up eight yards, and a few plays later another eight yard carry, Eddy Pineiro came on and made a 37-yard field goal.
Surprisingly to start the third, the Rams were not able to come up with any points. Even though Stafford found tight end Davis Allen for 20 yards. Joshua Karty came on for a 53-yard field goal attempt which was no good.
San Francisco was close to going three and out. Yet a pass interference call on third and eight continued the drive. Bourne caught passes of 19, 10, and six yards. The 49ers had first and goal from the three, McCaffrey picked up two yards. Instead of again going back to their star running back or their bigger back Robinson Jr, Shanahan elected to get cute and try to surprise the Rams defense with Kyle Juszczyk.
The play had zero chance of success, the Rams were not fooled and the 49ers lost yardage on it. On third down, right tackle Colton McKivitz got beat by Byron Young and Jones did not have much time to throw the football which fell incomplete.
Expert rules analyst was asked about the play and believed Young needed to get called for roughing the passer. Jones was down in pain after the hit and there was fear from 49ers fans that he reinjured his knee.
After the commercial break though the 49ers quarterback was shown jogging off the field with the indication that it was a cramp instead. For the Rams that led to a Pineiro field goal and the 49ers now led 20-7.
Still that second and goal play call from Shanahan loomed large. Which was easy to see as it did not take long for Stafford to lead the offense for a relatively easy touchdown against the 49ers defense. Tutu Atwell picked up 34 yards, Nacua 16, and he capped it off with a one yard touchdown reception.
San Francisco was fortunate on the kick-off return as Isaac Guerrendo had lost the football, yet the officials had blown the whistle prior to the football coming out ruling that his forward momentum was stopped.
McVay wanted to challenge the play, yet that is not a reviewable play. Replays showed that it was the correct call as it was clear Guerrendo’s momentum was stopped.
For 49er fans after Luke Farrell earned some criticism for his fumble last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He earned some more Thursday night as he did have an opportunity to reach forward to pick up a first down. Instead, the 49ers were a yard short.
Shanahan went with Jones on the third and one play and an expedited review indicated he was short of the first down. Instead of punting, Jones again got the call and this time he picked up the first down. After picking up nine yards the 49ers raced another short yardage situation this time third and one leading to the end of the third quarter.
The play call to McCaffrey was easily diagnosed by the Rams defense, and he got stopped for a three yard loss. From third and one, to fourth and four. After being gutsy on the last fourth down, Shanahan backed down on the aggressiveness and elected to punt.
For the Rams, Stafford knew exactly who to go to with Adams coming up with back-to-back receptions with one going for 26 yards and the other 24 yards. Williams finished off the drive with an eight yard touchdown reception. Karty did have his extra point attempt blocked by Jordan Elliott.
Los Angeles was able to tie the game up. Both teams then traded punts, yet the Rams got a nice break as the punt by Evans seemingly was going to out of bounds at the 16 or 17-yard line and instead stayed in and was downed at the two. Meaning San Francisco needed to go 98 yards to get a touchdown.
For Jones, he went back to Bourne who picked up nine and 18 yards. The 49ers were in business after a nicely designed screen pass to McCaffrey picked up 16 yards.
Another completion to Bourne went for 10 yards. Yet a miscommunication led to a 49ers penalty for having an illegal man down the field. After picking up four yards on a completion to Tonges. The 49ers trotted Pineiro out for a 59-yard field goal in which he made.
San Francisco now lead 23-20.
Still that gave Stafford plenty of time. Nacua came up with an 11 yard reception and a 18 yard completion to Adams had the Rams in business. 49ers were called for defensive holding. Williams then picked up 20 yards on a run. Another defensive penalty on a four yard gain was called this time for illegal use of the hands, hands to the face. Los Angeles was three yards away from a touchdown when rookie defensive tackle made the biggest play of the game. He punched the ball out from Williams’ hands causing a fumble which he also recovered.
The Rams still had all three of their timeouts, so there was plenty of time on the clock if the 49ers were not able to pick up a first down. Shanahan went ultra conservative, getting a little breathing room though not by much.
A 50-yard punt by Morestead and a holding penalty on the return put the ball at midfield with 42 seconds on the clock. Stafford went back to Williams with the biggest catch being 13 yards on fourth and three. With 12 seconds left, Stafford went deep to Adams, yet it fell incomplete. Karty came on and made a 48-yard field goal to tie the game up and send the game to overtime.
To start the overtime the coin toss was a bit messy. Yet it was Los Angeles that won it and elected to play defense first. Jones looked great to start the drive finding Juszczyk for 12 yards, McCaffrey for 15, back-to-back completions to Tonges for six yards on each reception, and back to McCaffrey for seven yards. Shanahan went back to the well one too many times and the Rams defense came up with their biggest play of the night, a sack by Kobie Turner and Young.
Pineiro came on for the 41-yard field goal which he made even though it hit the left post.
For Stafford, he went Nacua for nine yards and then went deep to Atwell for 38 yards. After an incompletion, Williams got back-to-back carries which went for five and four yards. Which meant it was fourth and one. The 49ers nearly were drawn offsides before calling a timeout. Also, the Rams then took a time out.
Shockingly McVay went back to Williams who got stopped short thanks to a hit by rookie safety Marques Sigle. The Rams turned it over on downs and the 49ers won 26-23. With the win, Jones was able to keep Shanahan from choking away another double digit lead and more importantly the questionable play calling.
Stafford finished completing 30 of 47 passes for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns, Williams had 14 carries for 65 yards and caught eight passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns, Nacua caught 10 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, Adams finished with five catches for 88 yards, and Atwell had two catches for 72 yards.
For Jones, he completed 33 of 49 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns, McCaffrey finished with 22 carries for 57 yards and caught 8 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, Bourne caught 10 passes for 142 yards, Tonges caught 7 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown, and Demarcus Robinson 3 catches for 39 yards.