49ers crush win, Aaron Rodgers’ return to Jets scuttled

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers ruined Aaron Rodgers’ return party on Monday against the New York Jets, the quarterback who lost his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon a year ago.

The NFC champions opened the season with a 32-19 win over New York, playing without star running back Christian McCaffrey, who surprisingly was ruled out just before kickoff.

The 49ers dominated Rodgers and the Jets, dominating the shot clock (38:40 to 21:20).

Here are the most important details about both teams on Monday night:

On Friday, McCaffrey said there was no doubt he would be available on Monday despite suffering calf and Achilles tendon injuries, so it was a shock when McCaffrey was ruled out 90 minutes before kick-off.

But McCaffrey’s absence created an opportunity for backup Jordan Mason (who has never played more than 27 offensive snaps in a game) to get his first start in three NFL seasons. It didn’t matter. Mason looked like a 10-year veteran, sprinting past Jets defenders all evening.

By the end of Mason’s shift, the first look at the 2024 Niners looked remarkably like a San Francisco team of recent vintage. After a bit of a slow start in the first quarter, the 49ers flipped the switch and physically dominated the Jets on both sides of the ball.

It was Mason who set the tone. He set career highs in carries (28) and yards (147). He added a touchdown and became the sixth Niner since 1970 to rush for 100 yards in his first start for the team.

The 2022 non-starter free agent from Georgia Tech also became the 10th non-starting 49ers player to rush for 100 or more yards in a game since Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach in 2017, the most in the NFL during that span.

It’s unclear how many games McCaffrey will miss, but the remaining two games are on artificial turf (against the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams), so the 49ers won’t rush him back, and Mason has repeatedly reassured them that there’s no need to.

QB Analysis: As the running game progressed, the 49ers didn’t need much from Brock Purdy. But he still performed when needed, and his performance would have been better without a costly drop, including a touchdown by wideout Brandon Aiyuk at the end of the first half. Purdy finished 19 of 29 for 231 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Promising trends: The 49ers’ run defense struggled late in 2023, allowing just 4.8 yards per carry (30th in the NFL) from Week 14 through the Super Bowl. They attempted to fix that in the offseason by bringing in Nick Sorenson as defensive coordinator and allocating resources to bigger players on the defensive line, such as tackles Malik Collins and Jordan Elliott and end Leonard Floyd.

It’s a little early to call this a trend, but the early numbers from Monday were good: San Francisco limited the Jets to 68 yards on 19 carries, an average of 3.6 yards per attempt.

Key Plays: With 8:56 remaining in the second quarter, the Niners trailed 7-6 and found themselves on second-and-19 at New York’s 39-yard line after Mason’s 18-yard run was canceled out by a holding penalty.

With a clean pocket and time to throw, Purdy threw a deep crosser to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who caught it for a 22-point gain and a first down. The Niners scored three plays later and never relinquished the lead. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: At Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

It took a year longer than expected, but the Jets finally got to experience a near-full game with Rodgers. Unfortunately, their defense didn’t quite live up to the occasion and hindered Rodgers’ chances of a comeback. The Jets briefly jumped out to a 7-3 lead, but then allowed eight — yes, eight — consecutive scoring drives.

The Jets have made Mason the hottest new name among fantasy owners after his outstanding performance with the 49ers.

One of the reasons Rodgers wanted to play for the Jets was because of their strong defense, which won most of their games despite enduring quarterback roulette last season.

But the game went their way, and coach Robert Saleh waved the white flag with 4:32 left, taking Rodgers out for Tyrod Taylor. And Rodgers has yet to complete a game in a Jets uniform.

QB Analysis: Rodgers (13-for-21, 167 yards) had some classic moments, including a 36-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard that came off a free play and was the 18th free-play touchdown pass of his career.

Rodgers threw the ball well, especially in three consecutive third-down conversations in the first quarter. His worst throw was an intercepted pass. His mobility was mediocre. He was sacked once and pressured at times. Considering the long break and rust, this was a respectable performance from the 40-year-old signal caller.

The biggest flaw in the game plan: Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was on fire from the start, making four catches in the first 11 minutes. Then he disappeared. He wasn’t targeted again until the third quarter, which resulted in an interception. The Rodgers-Wilson connection was broken, and so was the entire offense.

The lack of a consistent second option in the passing game was a big one. Lazard’s 36-yard reception late in the third quarter was the first offensive touchdown by a player other than Wilson or running back Breece Hall. Wide receiver Mike Williams, in his first game back from ACL surgery, played only a few snaps and was not a factor. Tight end Tyler Conklin had no targets. Lazard was able to catch another meaningless touchdown from Taylor late, but if he continues to struggle when the going gets tough, calls for a trade for Las Vegas Raiders wideout Davante Adams will grow louder.

Worrying trends: The Jets’ defensive front, the strength of the unit, was squandered in the running game. Obviously, the Jets were missing strongside end John Franklin-Myers (traded in the offseason). Big defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was expected to make a difference, but he had a quiet night. In all, New York allowed 180 yards on the ground, most of it between the tackles. Holdout Hasson Redick probably didn’t help the run defense, but he may have enlivened a lukewarm pass rush.

Worrying trends, part 2: Oddly, All-Pro cornerback Soth Gardner was on the sideline for nine snaps in the second quarter. After the game, he said he was choked by a tackle and left on his own. His absence was costly, with Brock Purdy completing 6 of 6 passes with Gardner off the field. — Rich Chimini

Next game: At Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)