Three keys to victory as the 49ers take on Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets
The last time the 49ers took the field at Levi's Stadium it ended with a confetti shower and the George Halas Trophy.
When they take the field on Monday night, they'll be looking for their first win since that game. In between was a devastating Super Bowl loss, the drama of a wide receiver "hold-in", the unexpectedness of a left tackle "hold out", and an utterly shocking shooting of their first round draft pick.
Needless to say, a lot has transpired since that game back on January 28 in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco will host familiar foe Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in their week 1 game. The hype around this one could challenge a box-office movie in Hollywood. While the 49ers demand attention, Rodgers is on another level.
He played just four snaps as a Jet before his season ended with an achilles injury. Rodgers is the most polarizing player in the league and all eyes will be on this game as he plays in what might be his final season opener. Rodgers is no stranger to the 49ers. He's played them nine times in the regular season (6-3) and another four in the postseason (0-4).
San Francisco jumped out to a 5-0 start a year ago and it ended with a trip to Las Vegas to play for the Lombardi Trophy. A win in this game would silence a lot of offseason noise. Here are three keys to a Niners victory against the Jets.
Shake off the rust
If the 49ers offense goes out there and puts up 30 points as they did in half of their regular season games in 2023, maybe they should run back the confetti shower. The biggest concern for the Niners entering this game is the lack of preseason play for Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams due to extended contract negotiations.
Neither player participated in training camp or preseason. Aiyuk was physically there, but was reportedly nursing back and neck soreness. That was code for wanting more money from the team. Williams decided in minicamp that he wanted more security without guaranteed money on his old contract. Nick Bosa did something similar last season and admitted that it contributed to a slow start to his season.
Aiyuk claims, "I'm ready to go," but he will be dealing with All-Pro Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. The Niners' offense was prone to looking out of rhythm at times last year. With the team's star left tackle and WR1 absent for the past month, Brock Purdy could be the victim. Thankfully, both players showed up in great shape, but their lack of physical reps could be a concern. It's okay to start slow as long as they get rid of the rest by quarter two.
Limit Breece Hall
If the 49ers had a weakness last year, it was their run defense. It was on full display in that final game at Levi's when the Lions rushed for 182 yards. They ranked 15th in run DVOA and were tied for 14th in yards allowed per carry with 4.1. Those numbers played into the team releasing Arik Armstead and acquiring run-stopper Maliek Collins from the Houston Texans.
Aaron Rodgers will get the attention from the media, but Breece Hall might be the darling of this game. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his first full season in 2023. The Jets made it a point in free agency to bolster their offensive line. They added eight-time pro bowler Tyron Smith at left tackle, traded for Morgan Moses, and signed John Simpson.
It could spell trouble for a Niners defense that is missing Dre Greenlaw in the middle of the field, and might be without run-stopping safety Talanoa Hufanga who is slowly coming back from an ACL tear. The team's own ground weapon Christian McCaffrey is also questionable with a sore calf and Achilles. The team announced Monday afternoon that both McCaffrey and Hufanga would sit out game 1.
Hall rushed for as many as 178 yards in a game last year and as few as six. I don't see the Niners holding him under 10 in this game, but under 100 should do the trick.
Put pressure on Aaron Rodgers
On a brutally cold night at Lambeau in 2022, Rodgers hit the turf five times. The 49ers were the ones dragging him down as they pulled off a massive upset in the 2022 NFC Divisional game, allowing the Green Bay Packers just 10 points. That was the last time that Rodgers saw the Niners and they are hoping for a similar outcome.
John Lynch and the front office invested in Leonard Floyd to pair with Nick Bosa as they hope for double-digit sacks from both of them. Floyd has bounced around from Los Angeles to Buffalo in recent years but has recorded at least nine sacks in four straight years.
It's almost eerie that Floyd will make his debut in this game. He was the man who sacked Rodgers Week 1 last year on Monday Night Football that ended the future Hall of Famer's season. Rodgers hasn't seen game action in a year and giving him little time to throw will allow Mooney Ward and Deommodore Lenoir to be on the Jets wide receivers like Stickum.
Stat of the game
Kyle Shanahan is just 3-4 in season openers since taking over as the 49ers head coach in 2017. In those seven seasons, he has opened the year at Levi's Stadium just twice, but lost both times in 2017 and 2020.
Quote of the week
Mooney Ward is excited to face Rodgers and is hoping to add a piece of memorabilia to his trophy case if he intercepts a pass off the Jets QB.
"If it's a Hall of Fame quarterback, I definitely would love to have my hands on the ball," he said. "If I do get my hands on it, [I'd ask Rodgers to] sign it for me."
Good luck getting that signature at the 50-yard line after the game, Mooney.
