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According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, San Francisco 49ers Week 1 starting quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to return to the lineup when the 49ers play at the Arizona Cardinals (3-6) on Nov. 16. Shortly after the 49ers fell to 6-4 via a 42-26 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams (7-2) on Sunday, San Francisco fill-in QB1 Mac Jones addressed his uncertain future. Mac Jones trying not to look ahead with Brock Purdy close to returning "I've never tried to look ahead," Jones explained about his mindset, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "It's hard not to, but I never want to do that. I want to focus on each week, and I know how challenging the NFL is just having played for a couple of years, and feel like we have a young team that needs leadership right now, and my goal is to lead them and get ready for Arizona." Jones has thus far gone 5-3 for games that Purdy has missed due to what's become a lingering toe injury. The initial setback sidelined Purdy in Weeks 2 and 3 before he aggravated the injury in Week 4. After Sunday's game, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested he wants Purdy "close to 100 percent" before the 25-year-old makes another start. Pro Football Reference stats show that Jones began Monday ranked 11th in the NFL among qualified players with a 64.8 adjusted QBR and second with an average of 268.9 passing yards per game. Against the Rams, he completed 33-of-39 pass attempts for 319 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Mac Jones got "back to having fun playing football" with 49ers During the latest edition of the "Fox NFL Sunday" program, retired quarterback and current analyst Tom Brady of Fox Sports said he believes the 49ers should stick "with the hot hand" and play Jones over Purdy until further notice. There's no indication Shanahan will go down that road. Also on Sunday, Jones reflected on how he seemingly has found new life for his career following his lackluster stints with the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. "I wanted to get back to having fun playing football," Jones added. "I think I've done that... And I wanted to get around a good organization that believes in the players and that has coaches that believe in the players and players that believe in the players ... I've just been really fortunate to be here this year, and I want to just try and find ways to win games for us, and that's all I'm here to do. And the future will take care of itself." As of Monday morning, ESPN BET had the 49ers as 2.5-point road favorites against the Cardinals. One wonders how that line will change once Shanahan confirms which quarterback will start at Arizona's State Farm Stadium.
