Jets vs. 49ers: Preview, prediction, what to watch for

An inside look at Monday’s Jets-49ers NFL Week 1 matchup at Levi’s Stadium:

Marquee Matchup

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. the Jets defense

The Jets get to see the man considered the best running back in football right out of the chute.

McCaffrey is a do-it-all back that gives defenses fits. The 49ers have talent all over their offense but it starts with McCaffrey.

He rushed for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and had 564 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

“The versatility,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said when asked about what makes McCaffrey special, “not only can he do a little bit of everything, he can do a little bit of everything at the highest level, whether it’s route running, and it’s not just route running from the backfield, it’s route running from the wide receiver positions whether the slot, number one, he’s all over the place, so just from a receiving standpoint, he’s a dangerous threat in the passing game, and in the run game, he has elite feel, you know?”

McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf injury that caused him to miss a large chunk of training camp, but he is expected to play. The question becomes whether he is 100 percent and whether the 49ers will limit his workload.

The Jets defense enters this season with lofty expectations after finishing in the top five in the NFL in each of the last two years.

The Jets have Pro Bowl players at every level with Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson up front, C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams at linebacker and Sauce Gardner in the secondary. Stopping McCaffrey will be a strong first test for this group.

Rodgers Return

Aaron Rodgers conceded there will probably be a moment before Monday’s game when he thinks about his journey back from the torn left Achilles injury that ended his season after four snaps last year.

“There might be a little smirk after the fourth [play],” Rodgers said. “I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m sure they’ll catch it, but I’m in a good mind space, really had a year to remember in a lot of ways. Some really difficult things with some great things as well, so there’s always a perspective moment during the anthem to collect your thoughts and kind of send gratitude out to the universe for the opportunity to be standing on the field in pads, so I’ll be really excited about that.”

The Jets are equally as excited to see Rodgers back on the field. This team’s hopes and the job security of coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas are riding on Rodgers’ ability to play at the level everyone grew accustomed to seeing in Green Bay. This will be Rodgers’ first full action since January 2023, so there could be rust. Rodgers has looked great in training camp. Now, comes the real thing.

Not in a rush

The biggest negative storyline still lingering over the Jets is the continued holdout of edge rusher Haason Reddick. The Jets acquired Reddick from the Eagles in a trade that was finalized on April 1.

He showed up that day for a physical and a news conference and the Jets have not seen him since. Reddick wants a contract extension. The Jets don’t want to give him one. We have a standoff.

Reddick could gain or lose leverage Monday night. The Jets are counting on Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons to get after 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

If they do, the Jets can make a case that there is not an urgent need for Reddick. If they fail to get to Purdy, suddenly Reddick’s got some leverage.

Old Friends

These two coaching staffs know each other well. Robert Saleh and Kyle Shanahan go back to their early days as young coaches with the Texans. In 2017, when Shanahan was hired as the 49ers head coach, he picked Saleh to be his defensive coordinator, a position he held until 2021 when the Jets hired him as their head coach.

Now, the two face off and it will be a fascinating matchup between the 49ers offense and the Jets defense.

This is the first time since the 1970 merger that a team that led the NFL in offensive yards per play (49ers at 6.6) faces a team that led the league in fewest yards allowed per play (Jets at 4.6) from the prior season in the opening week.

Hall Pass

If there is a breakout player to watch for the Jets on offense in this game it is running back Breece Hall. The third-year back has looked explosive in camp. He is now two years removed from ACL surgery and should be a massive part of the Jets offensive game plan both as a runner and a receiver.

“Breece, the best compliment I can give him besides saying his name the right way is he’s a three-down back,” Rodgers said. “He can do it all, on first and second down, he’s great in the pass protection, he’s a great route runner.”

Costello’s Call

This should be a great game between two teams entering the 2024 season with Super Bowl hopes.

The Jets could have some growing pains offensively. They have three new starters on the offensive line and Aaron Rodgers has not played a full game in 20 months. That and the fact that they are playing at home gives the 49ers the edge.

49ERS 27, JETS 20