For the first time since 2020, the San Francisco 49ers opened up the season at home, welcoming in the New York Jets for a "Monday Night Football" matchup. The red and gold secured the 32-19 win over the Jets with a noticeable absence from All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who continues to work through a calf/Achilles injury he suffered early in training camp. A full effort from three phases resulted in a primetime win to start the year.
Here are five takeaways from the Jets vs. 49ers game:
Offense Back Together Again
It's been 210 days since the 49ers high-powered offensive unit from played in a meaningful game together, and with contract situations keeping left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk out of camp and the preseason, it took the unit a minute to kick into gear. By the tail end of the second quarter, Brock Purdy and company found their rhythm and the end zone for the first time. Their second and final touchdown came on the opening drive of the second half. With six of their drives ending in field goals, there is room for improvement, but with contributions from all three phases, San Francisco put together a decisive win. Following their first three-and-out, the 49ers put up points in eight straight drives.
Purdy completed 19-of-29 passes for 231 yards and got a majority of his weapons involved against the Jets. San Francisco had five receivers - Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel Sr., Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk - with 25-plus yards, and had third-year running back Jordan Mason carrying the weight of the ground game with 147 of the 49ers 180 rushing yards. Additionally, tackle Trent Williams played 33 pass blocking snaps without giving up a single pressure, it his first game without a pressure since Week 3 of the 2022 season.
Capitalizing on Turnovers
The 49ers defense took a total of four snaps before coming up with their first turnover of the night. Linebacker Fred Warner knocked the ball out from Jets running back Breece Hall's hands and defensive lineman Maliek Collins recovered the rock to set San Francisco up on New York's 32 yard line. A couple incomplete passes stalled out the possession, but the 49ers were able to pick up points on the drive with a 46-yard field goal from kicker Jake Moody.
Turnover No. 2 came in the second half off a passing attempt from Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was able to tip the pass, and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles made the grab to get the ball back into the hands of the 49ers offense.
Next Man Up, Running Back Jordan Mason
With reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey inactive for the season opener, San Francisco looked to Mason to carry the team's ground game, and he delivered. He closed out the night with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for five yards.
Mason had a would-be 17-yard rushing touchdown midway through the second quarter of the game, however a holding call reversed the score. Two plays later, he nearly ran it back, picking up 11 yards for San Francisco and setting the team up two yards from paydirt. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. barreled his way into the end zone for the touchdown on the next play to give San Francisco the 13-7 advantage with under seven left to play in the first half.
In the second half, Mason would not be denied. He capped off an 11-play, 70-yard opening drive with a five-yard touchdown to extend the lead 23-7. Initially running down the middle, Mason made a nice cutback to the right side to go untouched into the end zone. The team was set up inside the red zone by a monster 34-yard completion from Purdy to fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
Leonard Floyd Gets His First Sack for the Red and Gold
The free agent addition got home for his first sack as a 49ers player in the second quarter of Monday's matchup. Floyd bounced inside the line to slip past Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker for the sack of Rodgers on third down. With a loss of five yards on the play, San Francisco's defensive unit was able to come away with the three-and-out.
It was a similar story on the next defensive series. On third-and-five, Floyd and Nick Bosa flushed Rodgers out of the pocket, chased him down in the backfield and forced an incomplete pass. That marked back-to-back three and outs by San Francisco's defensive with five minutes left in the half.
Money Moody on "MNF"
San Francisco's second year kicker opened up the season with a perfect performance going six-for-six in his kicks on the night. Moody sent his six field goal attempts through the uprights in the first half from 46, 51, 31, 53, 23 and 42 yards out. He also nailed both of extra point attempts to account for 20 of the 49ers 32 points in Week 1.
