The last game of the first week of the NFL season is in Santa Clara, where the New York Jets visit the NFC-champion San Francisco 49ers Monday evening.
While this interconference game has any number of storylines, there’s none bigger than the return (debut?) of Jets’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, of course, is a four-time league MVP and Super Bowl champion who came to the Meadowlands amid much fanfare last season. He tore his Achilles on the first drive of the opener, and the 40-year-old (entering his 20th season) briefly thought his career was over.
However, after a ‘quick’ rehab, he has returned, trying to lead New York to its first winning record since 2015. It was 7-10 in a forgettable 2023.
Since the merger, the teams have played 14 times, with the 49ers winning 11 of those games.
It’s the Niners as 4½-point favorites (total at 43½), according to NFL odds.
San Francisco, 12-5 a season ago, remains the team to beat in the NFC, listed as the 3-1 (+300) choice, as per NFL conference odds.
Rodgers to Rescue?
It’s no surprise that Aaron Rodgers was named the (only) offensive captain entering the New York Jets’ 2024 season.
Despite just four plays last season, he is the face of the franchise. Remember, this is an outpost which hasn’t sniffed .500 since going 10-6 in 2015.
Its failures are in no way a reflection of Rodgers, who was doing his thing (59,000 passing yards, 475 touchdowns, 105 interceptions) with the Green Bay Packers.
Now, under the category of ‘statistics don’t lie,’ the Jets scored fewer than 16 points and gained less than 269 yards per game in 2023, so not as if the bar’s set very high entering this season.
There was/is a solid defense with the Jets, having surrendered 292.3 yards (second) and 20.9 points (ninth) per game last season.
Coach Robert Salah once oversaw that side of the ball with the Niners.
Niners in Fold
The San Francisco 49ers made late preseason news by taking care of their own.
The team and its unhappy wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk seemed to be parting ways. Trades were in place with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and/or Cleveland Browns. Aiyuk wouldn’t agree to those destinations, and both he and team eventually made peace to the tune of four years and $120 million.
Once done, the team signed left tackle Trent Williams (three seasons, excess of $82 million), which obviously thrilled coach Kyle Shanahan, quarterback Brock Purdy and an offense which averaged more than 28 points/game (behind only the Dallas Cowboys) last season.
Santa Clara Snoozer?
There’s lots of hype surrounding the ‘new-look’ offense of the New York Jets, but it has to figure out a San Francisco 49er defense that surrendered the fourth-fewest points (16.8) last season.
Some symmetry in that the Jets averaged less than 100 rushing yards in 2023 and the Niners didn’t, on average, allow a century’s worth of opponents ground gains.
Let’s not gloss over the Jets and Hasson Reddick, whom they acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Reddick is considered one of the elite defenders/pass rushers in the league (double-figure sacks each of last four seasons), but won’t be pursuing anyone while he pursues a new pact.
Though under contract. Reddick isn’t expected to play.
Also not playing (completely different reason) is 49er rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in an attempted robbery.
We can’t endorse either side with conviction in the opener, but don’t expect scads of scoring.
With two defenses that don’t keep the scoreboard operator busy. Take the Under.
