49ers spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return to Jets with blowout win

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers spoiled Aaron Rodgers’ comeback party against the New York Jets on Monday, beating the quarterback in his first game since injuring his left Achilles tendon nearly a year ago.

The defending NFC champions opened their season with a 32-19 win over New York, and they did so without star forward Christian McCaffrey — who was surprisingly ruled out just before kickoff.

The 49ers were able to stifle Rodgers and Gates by controlling time of possession 38:40 to 21:20.

Here are the top things to know from Monday night’s game for both teams:

As recently as Friday, McCaffrey had said he had no doubts he would be able to play on Monday despite his calf and Achilles injuries, which is why it came as a shock when he was ruled out of the game 90 minutes before kickoff.

But McCaffrey’s absence also created an opportunity for backup Jordan Mason — who had never played more than 27 offensive snaps in a game — to start for the first time in his three NFL seasons. But Mason looked like a decade-old veteran, running all over the place and dribbling past Jets defenders all game long.

By the time Mason was done, the first look at the 2024 49ers bore a striking resemblance to modern-day San Francisco teams. After a slow start in the first quarter, the 49ers turned the tables and virtually dominated the Jets on both sides of the ball.

It was Mason who set the tone. He finished with the game’s highest carries (28) and yards (147). He added a touchdown and became the sixth Niners player since 1970 to record 100+ yards in his first game with the team.

The 2022 undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech also became the 10th undrafted 49er to rush for 100+ yards in a game since coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017, the most in the NFL in that span.

It’s unclear how many games McCaffrey will miss, but with the next two games on artificial turf (against the Minnesota Vikings and against the Los Angeles Rams), San Francisco won’t rush him back, and Mason offered plenty of reassurance that they won’t have to.

QB Details: As offensive play went, the 49ers didn’t need much from Brock Purdy. But he delivered when he was needed, and his performance would have been even better if not for a few costly mistakes, including one late in the first half when wing Brandon Aiyuk dropped a field goal that could have been scored. Purdy finished the game with 19 of 29 attempts for 231 yards and no scores or interceptions.

Promising direction: The 49ers’ defense struggled in the final stretch of 2023, allowing 4.8 yards per carry (30th in the NFL) from Week 14 through the Super Bowl. They tried to rectify that in the offseason by hiring Nick Sorensen as defensive coordinator and dedicating resources to more big-name players on the defensive line like linebackers Malik Collins and Jordan Elliott and linebacker Leonard Floyd.

It may be a little early to call this a trend, but the early returns were good Monday as San Francisco limited the New York Jets to 68 yards on 19 carries, an average of 3.6 yards per attempt.

Pivotal play: With 8:56 left in the second quarter, the Niners trailed 13-6 and faced a second attempt from 19 yards from New York’s 39-yard line after a holding penalty negated an 18-yard touchdown run by Mason.

With a clean pocket and enough time to throw, Purdy threw to wide receiver Juwan Jennings who was running a deep pass. Jennings took the ball for a 22-point lead and a first down. The Niners scored after three plays and never relinquished the lead. — Nick Waggoner

Next match: at Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

It took a year longer than expected, but the New York Jets finally got to experience almost a full game with Rodgers. Unfortunately, their defense didn’t rise to the occasion, stymieing any chance of a comeback win for Rodgers. The Jets briefly took a 7-3 lead and then allowed eight — yes, eight — consecutive touchdowns.

The New York Jets have turned 49ers quarterback Mason into the hottest new name in the country for fantasy owners after his big performance.

One of the reasons Rodgers wanted to play for the New York Jets was their strong defense, which helped them stay in most games last season while they had a major problem at quarterback.

But the game was lost to them, and coach Robert Saleh waved the white flag with 4:32 left, replacing Rodgers with Tyrod Taylor. Rodgers has yet to play a full game for the Jets.

QB Details: Rodgers (13-of-21 attempts, 167 yards) had some big moments, including a 36-yard pass to Allen Lazard. The pass came off a free play, the 18th career free play touchdown.

Rodgers threw the ball well, especially on three straight attempts in the first quarter. His worst throw was a deflected pass that was intercepted. His movement was average, he was sacked once and was under pressure at times. Considering the long layoff and the rust, it was a respectable performance by the 40-year-old.

The biggest flaw in the game plan: Wide receiver Jarrett Wilson was in hot form early on, catching four passes in the first 11 minutes. Then he disappeared. He wasn’t targeted again until the third quarter, leading to an interception. The connection between Rodgers and Wilson fizzled out, as did the entire offense.

The lack of a consistent No. 2 option in the passing game was a big deal. Lazard’s 36-yard score late in the third quarter was the first offensive touchdown by a player other than Wilson or offensive lineman Bryce Hall. Wide receiver Mike Williams, in his first game since ACL surgery, played only a handful of snaps and wasn’t a factor. Quarterback Tyler Conklin had no targets. Lazard managed to catch another meaningless touchdown late from Taylor, but if the struggles continue when it matters most, the call to trade for Las Vegas Raiders wideout Davante Adams will get higher and higher.

A worrying trend: The New York Jets’ defensive line, the team’s supposed strength, was stretched in the running game. The Jets were clearly missing stalwart linebacker John Franklin-Myers (who was traded in the offseason). Defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw was supposed to make a difference, but he had a quiet night. In total, New York allowed 180 yards on the ground, most of it between the tackles. Haason Reddick may not have helped the run defense, but he would have added some spice to a lackluster passing attack.

A Worrying Trend, Part II: Curiously, linebacker Sus Gardner was out for nine plays in the second quarter. After the game, he said he ruled himself out because he took a hard hit while making a tackle. His absence was costly, as Brock Purdy completed 6 of 6 passes in Gardner’s absence. — Rich Cimini

Next match: at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)