Jets' Aaron Rodgers plays well but defense a no-show in loss to 49ers
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) passes the ball as San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Maliek Collins (99) applies pressure during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Jed Jacobsohn
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Aaron Rodgers made it past four offensive snaps and jogged off the field when the game was over.
Those were about the only good things that happened for the Jets on Monday night.
They opened the season believing that they have the players to contend for a Super Bowl victory this year, but they demonstrated that they are not in the reigning NFC champions’ class just yet.
The 49ers had no trouble moving the football or scoring against a Jets defense that was ranked third last season. San Francisco scored on eight straight possessions and handed the Jets a 32-19 loss at Levi’s Stadium.
“That’s a championship outfit and they introduced us to some championship football,” Robert Saleh said. “We’ll get that [expletive] fixed.”
The 49ers were without star back Christian McCaffrey, who was a surprise inactive because of a calf/Achilles injury. Jordan Mason started and shredded the Jets’ defense, rushing 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown.
The Jets’ offense wasn’t sharp either. They ran three or fewer plays in five of their first six series and turned the ball over twice in that time.
Saleh said the 49ers “played keep-away,” and it kept the Jets from getting in a rhythm. San Francisco racked up 401 yards of offense, had six series of at least eight plays and showed the Jets that they have a long way to go to reach the 49ers’ level.
“We’re not there yet,” Garrett Wilson said. “They whooped our [expletive] today. That’s the reality of it. Great teams bounce back from this, and that’s what we plan to do.”
Rodgers, playing his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon four snaps into last season, completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was pulled late in the game with the Jets down by 19.
Rodgers, 40, said he “felt great” and it was good to be out there again and get hit. He is confident that he will get better and the Jets will, too.
“I can play better,” he said. “I felt overall I was getting the ball out pretty good. We had some opportunities I’d like to have back.”
Tyrod Taylor finished the game and threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard with 25 seconds left.
Lazard caught six passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson had six catches for 60 yards. Breece Hall had 54 yards rushing and 39 yards receiving. He rushed for a 3-yard touchdown but also fumbled once.
“We expect greatness when we step on the field,” Rodgers said. “There were moments for sure, moments that felt really good, but not sustained. I felt like if we could just get a first down, we’d be rolling. We had those three and outs that really hurt us.
“A lot of stuff is correctable, which is great for coaches. It’s frustrating for players because we know how close we were/are.”
Brock Purdy was 19-for-29 for 231 yards. Deebo Samuel had a 2-yard rushing touchdown and Jake Moody kicked six field goals (46, 51, 31, 53, 23, 42 yards).
Rodgers led the Jets on a touchdown drive on his third series, which began with his fifth offensive snap. He completed six passes for 64 yards. Wilson had four catches for 46 yards. Hall capped the 12-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to make the score 7-3, but it was all San Francisco from there.
Moody’s 51-yard kick made the score 7-6 with 14:04 left in the first half. During that drive, Sauce Gardner got drilled tackling Samuel for a 4-yard loss that forced the field goal. It also forced Gardner out of the game for a stretch.
“I just had to get my wind back,” he said. “When I felt like I was good, I went back on the field.”
By then, the 49ers were driving for a touchdown on their next series. Samuel scored on a 2-yard run, putting San Francisco up 13-7.
The Jets fell behind 23-7 after a bad defensive series to start the third quarter. They gave up a 34-yard pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk two plays before Mason ran it in from 5 yards out.
“We’ve got to stop the run first and foremost and we’ve got to put the quarterback down when the opportunity is there for us,” defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said.
Rodgers was picked off on the next series. His pass, intended for Wilson, was deflected by Deommdore Lenoir and intercepted by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles at the Jets’ 46. It led to Moody’s fourth field goal and a 26-7 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter.
Less than two minutes later, the Jets cut it to 26-13 on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Lazard. The Jets went for two but Hall was denied as he tried to run it in.
After another long drive that ended with a field goal by Moody, the Jets needed a touchdown to keep their hopes alive. They had a second-and-1 at midfield but gave up the ball on downs after Wilson caught a pass out of bounds, Hall was stuffed for no gain and Rodgers threw a bad low pass that Wilson couldn’t snare.
Rodgers threw his arms down to his side in disgust. His night ended. The Jets’ night was over long before then.
“I’m not worried offensively,” Saleh said. “I’m not worried defensively. We’ll get it fixed.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
