Aaron Rodgers to return as Jets open season at 49ers – NFL

Photo: The Canadian Press

New York Jets (7-10) at San Francisco (14-6)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, ESPN/ABC

BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers at 3 1/2.

Series record: 49ers lead 11-3

Last meeting: 49ers defeated Jets 31-13 on September 20, 2020 in East Rutherford, NJ

Jets Offensive: Overall Rating (31), Yardage (22), Passing (30), Points (29)

Jets Defense: Totals (3), Runs (25), Passes (2), Points (12)

49ers Offense: Overall (2), Run (3), Pass (4), Points (3)

49ers Defense: Total wins (8), runs (3), passes (14), points (3)

Difference in revenue: Jets minus 6; 49ers plus 10.

Jets player to keep an eye on

QB Aaron Rodgers. The 40-year-old four-time NFL MVP tore his left Achilles tendon four snaps into his debut for New York last season, ending the Jets' playoff hopes. Rodgers is healthy again and had a stellar summer in training camp, showing his usual strong arm, pinpoint accuracy and solid mobility. He did not play in the preseason, so Monday night's game will be his first game since his injury nearly a year ago.

49ers player to keep an eye on

WR Brandon Aiyuk. San Francisco's star receiver refused to play all of training camp due to a contract dispute that ended last week when he signed a contract extension. Aiyuk had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season as San Francisco's best downfield option. Aiyuk will need to get back up to speed quickly to get the Niners' offense back to its high efficiency level.

Important duel

Jets DL vs. 49ers OL. New York had 48 sacks and has a strong front led by Quinnen Williams. That should provide a good challenge for San Francisco's questionable offensive line, even if offseason addition Haason Reddick remains out. The Niners got a boost when All-Pro LT Trent Williams ended his absence this week, but there are questions at the other four positions.

Important injuries

Jets WR Mike Williams is expected to play, but his snaps could be monitored after he slowly eased back into play this summer in his comeback from a torn ACL in his left knee in Week 3 of last season at the Chargers. … Niners RB Christian McCaffrey did not practice the final four weeks of training camp because of a calf injury but is expected back this week. … San Francisco S Talanoa Hufanga is still working on his recovery from a knee injury that ended his 2023 season and will not play this week.

Series Notes

This is only the Jets' second visit to Levi's Stadium, winning 23-17 in overtime in 2016. … New York's only other road win in the series came in 1983.

Statistics and more

The Jets are 1-2 in season openers under Robert Saleh, with the lone win coming last season when New York rallied from Rodgers' injury to beat Buffalo 22-16 in overtime. … Rodgers is 6-3 against the 49ers in the regular season, with two of the losses to Green Bay coming in consecutive Week 1 meetings in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In those nine meetings, he has 20 touchdowns and just two INTs, but in the postseason he is 0-4 against them with just five touchdowns and three INTs. … Rodgers is 11-5 in his career as a Week 1 starter. … RB Breece Hall rebounded from a torn ACL as a rookie to lead NFL running backs last season with 76 receptions — nine more than McCaffrey — and finished the season with six rushing yards just under 1,000. The 76 catches were 12 shy of Richie Anderson's franchise record for running backs set in 2000. … WR Garrett Wilson caught 95 passes for 1,042 yards last season, becoming the first wide receiver in Jets history to catch at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. His 95 catches are the second-most in franchise history, trailing only Brandon Marshall's 109 in 2015. … New York will have three new starters on its offensive line compared to last year: LT Tyron Smith, RT Morgan Moses and LG John Simpson join returning C Joe Tippmann and RG Alijah Vera-Tucker, who is returning from a torn Achilles. … New York used 13 O-line combinations in 17 games, with 14 players rotating as starters because of injuries or poor performance. … CB Sauce Gardner is the first cornerback since the merger to be named AP First-Team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons and also voted a Pro Bowl starter both years. … LB Quincy Williams was a First-Team All-Pro and was voted the team's MVP by his teammates last season after becoming one of only six players since 2015 to have at least 100 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 10 passes defensed in a single season. … The 49ers just lost a Super Bowl and have made the NFC title game each of the past three seasons. They will try to become the first NFC team since Philadelphia in 2001-04 to reach four straight conference title games. … The Niners have a 3-4 record in season openers under Kyle Shanahan. … San Francisco is looking to win the opener in back-to-back years for the first time since 2015-16. … The 49ers can tie Pittsburgh for most wins on “Monday Night Football” with 53 victories. … San Francisco QB Brock Purdy led the NFL in passer rating (113), was third in touchdown passes (31) and rushed for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season. … McCaffrey needs one more touchdown catch to join Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore as the only players with at least 50 career touchdown runs and 30 career touchdown catches. … Niners DE Nick Bosa had 10 1/2 sacks and 16 tackles for loss last season and joins Myles Garrett as the only players with at least 10 sacks and 15 TFLs in each of the last three seasons. … San Francisco DE Leonard Floyd had the sack last season that led to Rodgers' injury. His 10 career sacks against Rodgers are the third-most of any player. … Niners CB Charvarius Ward led the NFL with 23 passes defensed last season. … San Francisco is expected to use rookie Dominick Puni at right guard. He will be the 10th rookie to start a season opener in Shanahan's eight seasons.

Fantasy tip

McCaffrey led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards and 2,023 scrimmage yards and was tied for the all-time leader with 21 TDs last season. Although he missed the final four weeks of training camp, McCaffrey is healthy and expected to contribute a lot in the opening game.

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