The depleted 49ers once again turned to Mac Jones, and he, once again, helped deliver a win.
After practicing all week in a limited capacity, San Francisco opted to err on the side of caution and let Brock Purdy recover from his toe injury for another week.
Neither the 49ers nor the Cardinals’ offense came out of the gates firing, as both teams matched field goals in the second quarter before San Francisco took a 6-3 lead into halftime after Eddy Piñeiro’s second make of the game.
San Francisco, already without star players such as Purdy, wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk, plus tight end George Kittle, suffered additional injuries on Sunday after Nick Bosa left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return, while rookie defensive lineman Mykel Williams departed shortly after with a wrist injury and did return.
Both offense continued to struggle throughout the second and third quarters before San Francisco’s broke through midway through the fourth with a six-play, 48-yard scoring drive capped off by a touchdown pass from Jones to fullback Kyle Juszczyk that gave the 49ers a 13-6 lead.
Arizona responded with a touchdown drive on its ensuing possession that tied the game, before Arizona’s defense forced a safety after the 49ers were called for a holding penalty in their own end zone late in the fourth quarter that gave Arizona a 15-13 lead.
After San Francisco’s defense came up with a huge stop on Arizona’s next possession, Jones led a successful two-minute drill that ended in a walk-off 35-yard field goal from Piñeiro.
Here are Matt Maiocco’s takeaways from the 49ers’ 15-13 win:
Mac kept 49ers afloat
Purdy is trending toward being back in the 49ers’ starting lineup in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 49ers needed Jones to step in and keep things rolling. He did not have to be Superman, he just needed to avoid game-changing mistakes and keep the 49ers in a position to win.
He did that in Week 2 with a strong showing in a victory over the Saints. The 49ers’ offense struggled in a big way against the Cardinals, but he — pretty much — did so again in Week 3.
The 49ers managed only two field goals in the first three quarters. And their best chance at getting into the end zone came to an end when Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. broke cup Jones’ fourth-down pass for Christian McCaffrey.
Jones then threw a costly interception with 5:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, but made up for it by leading an impressive six-play, 48-yard drive midway through the fourth that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown pass to Juszczyk and then the eventual game-winning drive.
The 49ers need Purdy back in order for the offense to carry its share of the load.
Piñeiro and his steady leg
The 49ers did not know what to expect any time they sent out Jake Moody for a field-goal attempt. That is why he no longer is an employee of the organization.
In two games, Piñeiro has made his field goals. And that is all the more important for a team that figures to be playing a lot of close games this season.
Piñeiro entered the week ranked No. 4 on the NFL’s all-time field-goal accuracy list at 88.28 percent. On a day in which points came at a premium, Piñeiro did not leave any points on the field for the 49ers.
He made kicks of 38 and 51 yards in the second quarter to give the 49ers a 6-3 lead at halftime, and then a game-winning 35-yard kick.
Huff needed more than ever
The 49ers acquired edge rusher Bryce Huff in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to serve as a complement to Bosa on the other side.
Now, they need Huff to show he can be the main guy.
Bosa exited the lineup in the first quarter with a knee injury, and Huff stepped up and did some things the 49ers will need in big quantities for the remainder of the season.
Huff broke up a third-down pass at the line of scrimmage to end one Arizona drive. His sack of Kyler Murray at the end of the first half ensured that the 49ers took a 6-3 lead into halftime.
The veteran defensive lineman had a 10-sack season in 2023 while with Robert Saleh with the New York Jets. The 49ers need him to establish himself this season as a consistent, relentless pass-rusher.