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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Winning games isn’t the easiest task in the NFL, which is why any win is a win. For the San Francisco 49ers, that was on full display. Despite having a backup quarterback in Mac Jones playing instead of Brock Purdy, who is dealing with a toe injury, they still came away with a 26-21 win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2.

Jones played well for the 49ers, doing what he had to do. He completed 26 of 39 passes, not turning the ball over once and throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns. However, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, his time as a starter could be short-lived. According to Shanahan’s words, it sounds like Purdy could potentially be back in the mix as early as this upcoming week against the Arizona Cardinals.

“I think there’s a chance, but we got to see how the toe goes,” Shanahan said after the win, per SF Gate. “It’s very up to debate. So we’re just taking it a day at a time.”

49ers QB Mac Jones Flashes Production From Alabama Years

Some believe that Jones did exactly what the San Francisco 49ers needed him to do and should be credited for that. Others went as far as saying that the 49ers were fortunate to have somebody like Jones under center on Sunday, adding that he’s an ideal option for the team with Purdy out.

That includes Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, who said that the 49ers can continue to run their offense with Purdy out, depending on how long that might be.

“On Sunday, Jones looked more like Alabama Mac, the one that was the 15th-overall pick of the Patriots in the 2021, than the now-journeyman quarterback who, save a promising rookie season, has been plagued by some haphazard coaching and a lot of forgettable performances…

“When Jones is playing with confidence, he can get red hot, and we saw glimpses of that on Sunday. Now the question becomes if he can hold down the fort in Purdy’s absence,” he wrote .

Brock Plays a Helping Role for Mac Jones

Regarding Purdy, he’s been much better throughout his career than Jones. There’s a reason the San Francisco 49ers gave him a massive extension, as they believe he’s a franchise-caliber quarterback. He still has plenty to prove in the NFL, but it looks like he’s done a great job with some of his teammates.

When speaking with 49ers Zone after the game, Jones had plenty of good to say about what Purdy did for him heading into the game against the New Orleans Saints.

“Yeah, Brock was awesome,” Jones said . “He’s helped me all week, and he’s doing a good job rehabbing. He knows how it is out there. He’s like, ‘You’re doing great. Just keep ripping it.’ And that’s what it’s all about. And I’m just trying to go out there and help the team however I can for down the road.”

“I think it’s just not making it bigger than it is,” Jones explained when asked about handling pregame nerves. “Sometimes, when you have them, you fight them, but you can’t really do that. You just got to let them come and figure out how to work through it. And a lot of it is just breathing and slowing down your pulse.”

Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan

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