The 49ers were playing without starting quarterback Brock Purdy today in New Orleans, but backup Mac Jones did enough to win.
Jones completed 26 of 39 passes for 279 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, as the 49ers beat the Saints 26-21.
Although he got off to a rough start, Jones settled down and played well, looking like he’s a good fit in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The 49ers can win without Purdy if they have to.
The Saints also got a solid game from Spencer Rattler, who completed 25 of 34 passes for 206 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. New Orleans still hasn’t won a game with Rattler as its starting quarterback, but he has probably done enough to keep the starting job.
At 0-2, the Saints don’t look like they’re going anywhere this season. At 2-0 despite a rash of injuries, the 49ers have to be satisfied with where they are.
The already injury-plagued 49ers offense lost another key player in the first half against the Saints.
San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk has been ruled out for the rest of the game with a concussion.
The 49ers are already without starting quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle, who suffered injuries in Week One. Juszczyk is another significant loss.
Another issue facing the 49ers is their lack of a reliable kicker: They cut Jake Moody and replaced him with Eddy Pineiro this week, but Pineiro missed his first kick as a 49er, an extra point. He later made a 44-yard field goal.
Despite those issues, the 49ers have a 9-7 lead over the Saints late in the second quarter.
Former NFL running back Deshaun Foster is now former UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster.
Via Pete Thamel of ESPN.com, UCLA has fired Foster.
Foster, who got the job in 2024, went 5-10 in 15 games. The three games in 2025 were disastrous, punctuated by a 35-10 blowout loss at home to New Mexico, to whom UCLA reportedly paid $1.2 million to be a sacrificial lamb.
It was supposed to go much better this year, especially after the Bruins landed quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who exited Tennessee in an NIL dispute.
Tim Skipper will take over as the interim coach for a team that, based on the first three games of the season, could have a hard time avoiding 0-12.
The 49ers went down to the wire before determining left tackle Trent Williams’ status for Sunday’s game against the Saints.
Williams was listed as questionable because of a knee injury and the team put him through a workout that ended about two hours before the scheduled kickoff at the Superdome. That workout went well and Williams is in the lineup for Week 2.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings was also listed as questionable after hurting his shoulder in the opener. Word on Sunday morning was that he would play and he is also active for the 49ers
49ers at Saints
49ers: QB Brock Purdy, OL Drew Moss, OL Austen Pleasants, LB Nick Martin, DT Jordan Jefferson, WR Jordan Watkins, RB Jordan James
Saints: OL Trevor Penning, DE Chase Young, DE Jonathan Bullard, DT Khristian Boyd, CB Rejzohn Wright, WR Trey Palmer, G Xavier Truss,
Browns at Ravens
Browns: T Jack Conklin, QB Shedeur Sanders, RB Raheim Sanders, DT Mike Hall Jr., G Zak Zinter
Ravens: CB Jaire Alexander, RB Keaton Mitchell, FB Patrick Ricard, TE Isaiah Likely, T Carson Vinson, LB David Ojabo
Jaguars at Bengals
Jaguars: CB Montaric Brown, RB Cody Schrader, OL Wyatt Milum, DL Danny Striggow, DL B.J. Green II, DT Khalen Saunders
Bengals: CB Marco Wilson, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Cam Grandy, DT McKinnley Jackson, DT Howard Cross III
Giants at Cowboys
Giants: QB Jameis Winston, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, OL Evan Neal OT Andrew Thomas, TE Thomas Fidone II, WR Xavier Gipson, DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches
Cowboys: DT Mazi Smith, RB Jaydon Blue, CB DaRon Bland, LB Shemar James, T Ajani Cornelius, T Hakeem Adeniji, T Trevor Keegan
Bears at Lions
Bears: CB Kyler Gordon, DT Shemar Turner, T Ozzy Trapilo, OL Kiran Amegadjie, WR Jahdae Walker, QB Case Keenum
Lions: RB Sione Vaki, LB Trevor Nowaske, EDGE Tyrus Wheat, DL Chris Smith, DL Tyler Lacy, S Thomas Harper.
Patriots at Dolphins
Patriots: CB Christian Gonzalez, QB Tommy DeVito, DT Eric Gregory, T Caedan Wallace, WR Efton Chism, DE Keion White
Dolphins: RB Jaylen Wright, QB Quinn Ewers, CB Ethan Bonner, CB Storm Duck, TE Darren Waller, WR Tahj Washington, NT Benito Jones
Bills at Jets
Bills: WR Curtis Samuel, OL Chase Lundt, DE Landon Jackson, DT Ed Oliver, LB Shaq Thompson, CB Taron Johnson, S Jordan Hancock
Jets: TE Jelani Woods, T Esa Pole, DE Tyler Baron, WR Josh Reynolds, DT Jay Tufele, RB Kene Nwangwu
Seahawks at Steelers
Seahawks: S Nick Emmanwori, QB Jalen Milroe, CB Devon Witherspoon, LB Jared Ivey, LB Connor O’Toole, OL Mason Richman, TE Nick Kallerup
Steelers: CB Joey Porter Jr., S DeShon Elliott, G Max Scharping, G Andrus Peat, DE Esezi Otomewo, DT Derrick Harmon
Rams at Titans
Rams: QB Stetson Bennett, OL D.J. Humphries, G Steve Avila, TE Colby Parkinson, EDGE Desjuan Johnson.
Titans: T JC Latham, NT T’Vondre Sweat, CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, S Kevin Winston Jr., RB Kalel Mullings, CB Samuel Womack III, G Jackson Slater
The 49ers have a couple of offensive starters listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in New Orleans and Sunday morning brings a positive update about one of them.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that wide receiver Jauan Jennings is expected to play. Jennings recovered from a calf injury in time to play in Week 1’s win over the Seahawks, but he hurt his shoulder in the game and missed two days of practice before getting in a limited workout on Friday.
Left tackle Trent Williams was the other player to land a questionable designation. He followed the same practice schedule as Jennings, but Schefter reports that he will work out before the game to see if he’s well enough to play.
Spencer Burford would be the next man up for the 49ers if Williams is inactive.
