Indeed, embattled quarterback Mac Jones proved to the San Francisco 49ers they can get by just fine with him under center as long as their starter, Brock Purdy, continues to be on the mend with a turf-toe injury.
Jones' three-touchdown effort in the Niners' 26-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints while Purdy recovers from his toe issue justifies head coach Kyle Shanahan's efforts to land the 2021 first-round NFL Draft pick last offseason as Purdy's backup.
And, if Purdy continues to miss time, it sure seems as if the former New England Patriot and Jacksonville Jaguar will be just fine in relief.
Now at 2-0 after back-to-back road wins, one would figure San Francisco should be ranked in the upper crust of NFL echelons entering Week 3.
But the folks over at FanSided's NFL Spin Zone may not be buying it just yet, at least according to their post-Week 2 NFL power rankings.
Mac Jones, 49ers stay put in NFL power rankings despite beating Saints
After knocking off the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, the 49ers landed squarely at No. 11 in FanSided's Sayre Bedinger's power rankings for NFL Spin Zone.
Despite the NOLA victory that effectively saw all three phases for the Niners come through as needed, including a defensive close-out effort by defensive end Bryce Huff to ensure the victory, NFL Spin Zone's Week 3 power rankings didn't see the needle move for the red and gold, and San Francisco remained in place at No. 11.
Here's the clarification:
"Jones had to throw the ball a bit of an uncomfortable 39 times, but he had three touchdown passes and didn’t throw any picks. Even getting sacked three times, Jones seemed to have the offensive operation humming well and was able to get a number of different players involved.
The 49ers have now started the season 2-0, and playing in the NFC West this year, that’s huge to already be keeping pace. Again, the question is going to be whether or not they are able to weather the storm."
Related story:Mac Jones gives 49ers surprising confidence in life without Brock Purdy
OK, there are a few necessary points to make here, including the understanding it takes about four weeks to truly gauge which teams are contenders and which ones are not, and a 2-0 start is certainly ideal but doesn't necessarily equate to being a top threat in the division. At least not yet, especially with the Arizona Cardinals (No. 13) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 6) also undefeated.
To that point, the 49ers' home opener is in Week 3 against the Cardinals, and that showdown could truly be an indicator of how well Jones and Co. can stack up against the rest of the NFC West. The Niners already have that Week 1 divisional win in the books, and going 2-0 within the first three weeks would also surpass last season's abysmal 1-5 record against division rivals.
That'd certainly give San Francisco a NFL power rankings a boost, right?