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49ers spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return after Achilles injury with dominant 32-19 win on ‘Monday Night Football’

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49ers spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return after Achilles injury with dominant 32-19 win on ‘Monday Night Football’

Aaron Rodgers’ return didn’t go quite as planned on Monday night.

The San Francisco 49ers rolled over Rodgers and the New York Jets on Monday night to wrap up the opening week of the 2024 NFL season. The 49ers cruised to a 32-19 win at Levi’s Stadium, even without star running back Christian McCaffrey who was ruled out of the game about an hour and a half before kickoff with a calf injury.

San Francisco took a 16-7 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks to three deep field goals from Jake Moody and a 2-yard touchdown run from Deebo Samuel Sr. in the second quarter. It would’ve been more, but star 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk dropped a very catchable touchdown pass right before halftime — which left Peyton Manning extremely frustrated on ESPN 2.

The 49ers quickly added 10 more points in the third quarter, thanks to a long 11-play drive that Jordan Mason capped with a 5-yard touchdown run. Rogers, who lasted just four plays last season before going down with an Achilles injury, threw his first touchdown pass of the game late in the third quarter. He hit his former Green Bay Packer teammate Allen Lazard for a 36-yard touchdown pass right up the middle after drawing an offsides call. It was his first touchdown pass in more than 600 days.

But Moody hit a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter, which brought him to six on the night, to keep the Jets at bay and lead San Francisco to its 13-point win. The Jets scored one last touchdown in the last minute, doing so with backup Tyrod Taylor in at quarterback. Rodgers was pulled in the final minutes after the Jets threw in the towel.

Brock Purdy went 19-of-29 for 231 yards for the 49ers in the win. Mason ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries while stepping in for McCaffrey. Jauan Jennings had 64 receiving yards on five catches.

Rogers went 13-of-21 for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Jets. Breece Hall, who scored in the first half, had 54 rushing yards on 16 carries. Lazard finished with a game-high 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six catches.

Live60 updates

  • Game over. 49ers romp, 32-19. A statement game for the 49ers. Lots of questions for a Jets team with high expectations.

    Jordan Mason is a Week 1 star filling in for Christian McCaffrey. The rookie running back ran 28 times for 147 yards (5.3 YPA) and a touchdown in his NFL debut. If McCaffrey ends up healthy, this could be a blessing in disguise for the 49ers.

    Jake Moody added six field goals as the 49ers scored on eight consecutive drives to blow the game open.

    San Francisco dominated on both sides of the ball, locking up Breece Hall to 54 yards on 16 carries (3.4 YPA). The 49ers won the time of possession battle, 38:10-21:20 and outgained the Jets on the ground, 180 yards to 68.

    Aaron Rodgers completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his effective Jets debut. Brock Purdy went 19 of 29 for 231 yards without a touchdown or a turnover. Both of San Francisco’s touchdowns came on the ground.

    The 49ers move on to visit the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. The Jets will visit the Tennessee Titans.

  • Tyrod Taylor finds Allen Lazard for a garbage-time touchdown to cut San Francisco’s lead to 32-19. 25 seconds left with Aaron Rodgers on the bench. Not much to feel good about for the Jets tonight.

  • The 49ers burn 3:02 and tack on three more points with Jake Moody’s sixth field goal of the night. San Francisco leads, 32-13 with 4:20 remaining and has scored on eight straight possessions. This one’s all but over.

  • Breece Hall’s been bottled up all night. The 49ers stuff him on third-and-1, then Aaron Rodgers throws incomplete on fourth. 49ers take over on downs at mid-field, leading 29-13 with 7:22 remaining in regulation.

  • After a timeout, the 49ers send out the field goal unit. Jake Moody connects from 23 yards to extend San Francisco’s lead to 29-13. Moody’s fifth field goal of the night. Still a two-possession game, but the Jets would need two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions for a tie. 9:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

  • The Jets stop the 49ers a yard short of a first down at the 5-yard line. 49ers are lining up like they’re going for it on fourth.

  • Good stat here. Brock Purdy’s had a clean pocket most of the night.

  • Now the 49ers are inside the Jets’ 15-yard line. Aiyuk with a nice sideline grab from Purdy.

  • Brock Purdy finds Deebo Samuel for a 26-yard gain, and the 49ers are in scoring range again at the Jets’ 32.

  • New York strikes back with a five-play touchdown drive. Aaron Rodgers gets a free play on a pre-snap penalty and finds Allen Lazard on a 36-yard touchdown strike. Breece Hall’s 2-point conversion comes up short. Jets cut 49ers lead to 26-13. This one’s not over.

  • Jake Moody connects on his fourth field goal of the night. This one bounces off the left upright and in from 53 yards. San Francisco leads, 26-7. Everything’s coming up 49ers.

  • If Christian McCaffrey ends up fine, his absence tonight could be a blessing in disguise for the 49ers. Jordan Mason is breaking out in his NFL debut. Just rumbled 11 yards for a first down on second-and-10. 101 yards on 5.3 yards per carry with a touchdown midway through the third quarter.

  • Aaron Rodgers is picked off. Deommodore Lenoir tips a ball intended for Garrett Wilson, and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles intercepts it on the tip. The 49ers have a chance to blow this game wide open.

  • Jordan Mason converts the opportunity into his first career touchdown. 49ers drive 70 yards to open the second half to open a 23-7 lead. San Francisco’s offense is humming in spite of Christian McCaffrey’s absence.

  • San Francisco’s knocking on the door. Brock Purdy launches a play-action pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who hauls it in for a 34-yard gain inside the Jets’ 5-yard line.

  • The 49ers are moving the ball again. A Jordan Mason run on third down gains a first down inside the New York 35-yard line.

  • Sauce Gardner’s back in the game after being sidelined late in the first half. It’s not clear why he wasn’t on the field.

  • The 49ers receive the second-half kickoff while holding a 16-7 lead.

  • Here’s that Aiyuk drop alongside a scolding Peyton Manning:

  • Notable first-half stats:

    Aaron Rodgers: 7 of 11 for 64 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers
    Garrett Wilson: 4 catches for 46 yards
    Breece Hall: 10 rushes for 25 yards, 1 touchdown

    Brock Purdy: 9 of 16 for 106 yards, no touchdowns or turnovers
    Jordan Mason: 11 rushes for 74 yards, 1 catch for 5 yards
    Brandon Aiyuk: 1 catch for 14 yards, 1 drop in the end zone

    Jets rushing: 24 yards on 2.2 yards per carry
    49ers rushing: 104 yards on 5.2 yards per carry

    San Francisco is swarming Breece Hall and the Jets’ run game. Jordan Mason, meanwhile, is filling in admirably for Christian McCaffrey to keep the 49ers offense running. The rushing differential is the biggest difference in the game through one half.

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