Monday night, as I was about to order my Panda Express dinner before the game, the man in front of me asked if I thought quarterback Brock Purdy was good and how he compared to Mac Jones. He was a Patriots fan who felt Mac had gotten a raw deal in New England, but I told him that, while I agreed about the treatment in New England and was a big Jones fan (after all, I went to Alabama—two degrees), Brock was the better player. Both the stats and the eye test, along with years of results, tell me that.
At the check-out register, the worker noticed my Niners t-shirt and told me he was also one of the Faithful. The young man, born in Palo Alto—at Stanford Hospital, no less—was here in South Florida, offering me not only season's greetings but also football hopes.
The game was a joyous affair—on offense—as Purdy led a still banged-up squad to seven scores. Running back Christian McCaffrey looked like his old self, the offensive line had its best game of the season, and even with the 49ers' top wideout, Ricky Pearsall, still nursing multiple injuries, we saw what Brock can do when he's protected. (Imagine what the offense would be like if it actually had a top line and all of its receivers on the field. Punter Thomas Moorestead, who has not kicked once since November, might go months without seeing the field except as holder for kicker Eddy Piñeiro.)
During the game, in my online chat group with the faithfullest Faithfuls you will ever meet, and from all across the country (and a few outside it), someone brought up the Brock-Mac debate again. Every Niner fan is grateful for Jones, and we all know that without him, this team would not be playoff-bound and even have a chance at the #1 seed and its accompanying bye week. But we also know the team was 5-3 with him and is 6-1 with Brock. With Mac under center, the offense put up 22.75 points per game. With Brock, it is an even 30.
With the same offensive line—that is, one that is kindly referred to as porous—and roughly the same number of games, Mac ran for 64 yards and scored no touchdowns. Brock put up 98 yards and a touchdown. (He actually played one fewer game.) If you factored in several of Brock's carries were QB sneaks for 1st downs, the yards per carry would be higher.
And there are the sacks. Jones has taken 16, averaging two per game. Brock has taken 7, or one per outing. Purdy, while hardly a running quarterback, has superb elusiveness, which leads to extended drives and, at worst, better field position. Both are pocket passers, and Jones has perhaps a slightly better arm, but Brock's athleticism is far superior. He can improvise, as we saw last night in his touchdown pass to tight end George Kittle.
Some point out, and not incorrectly, that Brock is sometimes too confident and forces throws that lead to interceptions. But he has thrown only two more picks than Jones has, and Brock, in one fewer game, has thrown four more touchdowns than Mac.
Brock is also 6th in the league in passing yards per game, far ahead of proven stars Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts and budding stars Caleb Williams and Jordan Love. Brock leads the league in total QBR and is fifth in quarterback rating.
Ultimately, it is easy to see why both head coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch said all along that the team was Brock's and he would start as soon as he was healthy.
But, boy, am I glad the 49ers have Mac Jones. And I would argue he is the best backup quarterback in the league. Just look at the Washington Commanders as a point of comparison. With star quarterback Jayden Daniels under center last year, they made the playoffs and looked to be a force for years to come. Without him for several games this year, and even with veteran Marcus Mariota at the helm, they have fallen to 4-11 and would have the 7th pick in the draft if the season ended today.
Mac Jones might not have been worth the #12 pick in his draft class, but he was clearly better than what happened in New England. It is amazing what a player can do with actual coaching and a veteran quarterback such as Brock Purdy to learn from.
Commentators talk every game about how teams will come calling in the offseason to try to trade for Jones, who is under contract for one more year. I don't know how rookie Kurtis Rourke is looking, but unless someone offers a 2nd round pick or better, I hope San Francisco keeps Mac in the fold. We've seen how valuable a backup can be.
And for that, there is no debate.