After playing just four snaps in 2023, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned against the team he grew up rooting for. But just like in several recent meetings when he was still a Green Bay Packer, the 49ers got the best of Rodgers in their first meeting with him as a member of Gang Green.
Although the final score was 32-19, the game was more lopsided than that scoreline suggests. As the 49ers have in the past few seasons, they were led by a stellar defense and a great ground game.
No CMC, No Problem
When it was announced shortly before kickoff that Christian McCaffrey was ruled inactive, fantasy owners across the country were left frustrated. But for those who know ball and picked up Jordan Mason late in the draft or on waivers, you wouldn’t be able to tell that McCaffrey was out with the numbers Mason put up in his first career start. With a heavy workload of 28 carries, Mason totaled 147 yards to go along with one touchdown.
The 147 yards on the ground were more than McCaffrey had in any game last year except one, while the 28 carries were more than he had in any game last year. Mason still has quite a ways to go to match McCaffrey’s impact in the passing game, but if he can lighten McCaffrey's workload in the run game, the 49ers will have one of the best backfields in the league.
A Typical Kyle Shanahan/Brock Purdy Win
If you’ve watched a 49ers game in the Purdy and Shanahan era, the way this game played out should be no surprise to you. Despite a slow start, trailing 7-3 after the first quarter. ASan Francisco had a downright dominant stretch, with its offense racking up 23 consecutive points.
During that stretch, the 49ers had the ball for 26 minutes, while the Jets only had possession for five. Dominating the time of possession has become an essential part of the Shanahan-led 49ers. With a dominant ground game and a quarterback who had zero turnovers, the 49ers were able to play to their strengths.
Since 2022, the 49ers have been 30-3 when they win or tie the turnover battle. This means that as long as the 49ers play their game and take care of the ball, they will have a chance to win nearly every game. In those three losses, the 49ers lost by a combined six points. On Monday night, the 49ers forced two turnovers while having none on offense.
While this wasn’t Purdy’s best game, he was still efficient, completing 19/29 passes for 231 yards while spreading the ball to six players. Jauan Jennings built off his excellent performance in the Super Bowl and led San Francisco with 64 receiving yards.
Nick Sorenson’s Debut as DC
Even though Mason is rightfully getting all of the attention following the win, the 49ers defense also played a huge role.
After the 49ers' defense had a “down” year, finishing eighth in yards allowed per game after two straight top-three finishes, they let go of former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and promoted Sorenson, who passed his first test in his new role. In his first game calling plays, San Francisco’s defense allowed just 266 yards. Some of the standouts on defense were Fred Warner, who forced a fumble and picked up seven tackles.
The other turnover came on an interception that was tipped by cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and snagged by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. The interception was the first in his five-year career.
Another standout was Charvarius Ward. While Ward didn’t put up flashy numbers with three tackles on one pass defended, he was rarely targeted. When a QB with the brains of Rodgers is staying away from one side of the field, he’s doing so for a reason.
Money Moody
Outside of Mason emerging as someone the 49ers can rely heavily on to get carries, the biggest development was kicker Jake Moody going 6/6 on field goal attempts, two of which were over 50 yards.
A confidence-building game like this could be huge for Moody, who started last season 9/9 but only made 75% of his attempts after that.
For Moody, who went 6/8 in the playoffs, being perfect in a primetime game could be a huge confidence booster for the 2023 third-round pick.
Scoregami
If you thought Tyrod Taylor’s late touchdown pass to cut the 49ers lead to 13 was for nothing, you’re mistaken. With that pass being the final points of the game, the 32-19 final was the first time in NFL history that a game ended with that final score, which made it the 1,085th unique score in NFL history.
Last season, there were nine instances of a scoregami game. The last time the 49ers played in one was in 2020, when they defeated the New York Giants 36-9.
Up Next: Minnesota Vikings
The 49ers faced several former players in Monday’s game against the Jets. They’ll face another next Sunday as they take on Sam Darnold, who spent 2023 backing up Purdy. Of course, he wasn’t expected to be the Vikings starter, but with a season-ending injury to first-round pick JJ McCarthy, Darnold was inserted into the starting role, esesntially out of necessity.
In his first start with the Vikings, Darnold went 19/24 with two touchdowns and one interception in a 28-6 win over the lowly New York Giants. Even though the 49ers enter as six-point favorites, they've lost seven straight in Minnesota and haven't won since Steve Young threw passes to Jerry Rice back in 1992.
Final score: 49ers 32, Jets 19
Gonzales’ Three Stars
1st Star: Jordan Mason (28 carries, 147 yards, TD)
2nd Star: Jake Moody (20 points, 6/6 on FG)
3rd Star: Fred Warner (7 tackles, FF)
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