Why the 49ers’ Win Over the Giants Was Mac Jones’ Best Performance Yet

He's not fully healthy but he showed up tonight.

Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) passes the ball against the New York Giants during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Mac Jones has a banged-up left leg. He also has a banged-up right leg. He even had a bloody nose after taking a nasty hit before the end of the second quarter.

Yet he propelled the San Francisco 49ers to a convincing 34-24 road win against the New York Giants in Week 9. It was his best performance since stepping in as the starter for Brock Purdy.

What a way to bounce back after the 49ers’ Week 8 loss to the Texans.

Mac Jones deserves every credit

Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) on the field following a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Let's be clear: Jones has done decent since he took over as the starter. He is one of the key reasons why the 49ers now have a 6-3 record. His record is now 5-2.

But his performance against the Giants represented a massive step up in his game. It came at the perfect time, and the three-win cushion takes some pressure off.

He opened with a perfect first half, completing 14 of 14 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. It was the ideal response after the Texans game, which had been marred by multiple turnovers at key moments.

Jones ended the game with 19 completions on 24 attempts for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and a 135.2 rating. His touchdown passes to Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings were ace-perfect. Since the 49ers are holding Purdy out rather than rushing him back, Shanahan can rely on Jones with greater confidence. It's a good thing that he’s on a two-year contract.

Mac Jones shares why he and the 49ers had a 'playoff' mentallity

Nov 2, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) and New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) talk following a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The 49ers are now 6-3, and the crucial win pushes their playoff chances back into serious contention. Yes, it’s just over halfway through the season, but a three-win advantage is massive for San Francisco.

On top of that, they've equalled their 2024 season wins despite all the injuries on both sides of the ball. To equal last season's win tally already shows immense progress.

Post-game, Jones shared with reporters that he and the team had to see this game as a "playoff" game because of the extra stakes and the importance of maintaining their momentum in the season.

"This is a big one for us and we talked about it yesterday after practice. We were talking to the team like this is a big one," he said.

"Having played in the NFL for five years now and you really have to look into this game as a playoff game. Everyone's got to be on the same page, and the challenge is don't be complacent, and we've got to do it again next week, so that's the goal."

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