The San Francisco 49ers (0-0) open the season for the first time since 2020 at Levi’s Stadium with a Monday night battle against the New York Jets (0-0).
The defending NFC champions will be at full strength, with the contract extensions of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams still up in the air and ready to go on Monday night. The Jets will start a Monday night with Aaron Rodgers at the helm for the second year in a row and hope for a different result than last year. The 49ers’ pass rush added Leonard Floyd over Nick Bosa in hopes of improving the pass rush with one down in 2023.
The 49ers beat the Jets 31-13 the last time these two teams met in 2020. A series of unfortunate events occurred on the Metlife turf that we don’t need to go over again. A lot has changed between the two franchises, with different starting quarterbacks and former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as the Jets’ head coach.
There is a universe where a Super Bowl preview airs on Monday night. That universe might be the Milky Way.
49ers vs. Jets odds, moneyline, over/under
According to FanDuel, the 49ers are the favorites against the Jets.
- Spread: 49ers (-4.5)
- Moneyline: 49ers (-215); Jets (+180)
- Over/Under: 43.5
Andrews prediction: 49ers 24, Jets 10
I’m a big believer in the 2024 version of the 49ers defense. The secondary is as deep as it’s ever been under Kyle Shanahan, and the pass rush is a three-headed monster with Bosa, Floyd and Javon Hargrave. Although Rodgers has had success against the Shanahan-led 49ers (11 touchdowns to 2 interceptions in six games since 2018, including the postseason), he hasn’t played against the 49ers since 2021, before back-to-back 20-interception seasons. It’s not an enviable position to be in for Rodgers, who is entering his 41st season after injury and will immediately face The 49ers defense. The offense is a little rusty at first, but gets going with the defense and causes problems for the Jets offense.
Kyle’s prediction: 49ers 24, Jets 20
These two teams are projected to be the most successful in the NFL. I don’t agree with Andrew’s assessment of the 49ers defense, but I believe Nick Sorensen will need some time to figure out his personnel and what packages work.
His opponent is a quarterback who has the second-most passing EPAs from 2018-2022, behind only a certain Patrick Mahomes. Tonight would have been an ideal matchup for rookie Yetur Gross-Matos. Now Sorensen may have to rely on his starters earlier in the season than expected. That’s not a bad thing.
Last season with the Houston Texans, Maliek Collins (12.4 percent) generated a higher pressure rate than Arik Armstead (11.2 percent). Javon Hargrave (13.7 percent) was the sixth-highest of all defensive tackles, while Nick Bosa generated the third-highest pressure rate in the NFL last year. Bosa will face Morgan Moses, who ranked 28th of 34 in pressure rate allowed as a right tackle in 2023. It’s a matchup he must dominate.
If the pass rush prevails, the secondary improves, and Fred Warner continues to lead a defense that allowed the second-fewest yards after the catch in 2023, the difference in this game will be who can stop the run in the red zone.
This is an area where San Francisco struggled in 2023, as they had the fourth-worst red zone defense against the run in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers is not a mobile threat, but Breece Hall’s speed causes more than enough problems.
I believe we will see a few early points before the home team starts to pull away and fight for their lives, similar to Thursday night’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
The 49ers played so few close games last year that Week 1 will be different for everyone involved. The Niners’ running game will be the difference in whether they win this game.
Jason’s prediction: 49ers 21, Jets 14
The offseason is over and the 49ers are ready to get back on the road to a Super Bowl victory with their full roster. This game feels like a slugfest, pitting the 49ers and Jets defenses against each other.
Christian McCaffrey will play on Monday, but this could be a game where the 49ers use him more as a receiver to limit his usage while maximizing his impact. Jordan Mason could be on the field with McCaffrey, Mason in the backfield and McCaffrey at linebacker to create advantageous matchups.
The Jets run defense is vulnerable if we’re going by last season, and the 49ers will need to avoid mistakes and pick their spots to create explosive plays. This game will come down to defense and the 49ers finish a close game with a win.
Rohan’s prediction: 49ers 24, Jets 13
The 49ers have had a lot of drama to start the season, but I think that will die down in the first week as the team relies on its stars to pull off the win.
While the Jets may not have as many fans all season due to injury history and the age of certain players, they should be a competitive team on Monday, which should make for an exciting battle.
I’m concerned about the 49ers’ run defense against running back Breece Hall, but I’m confident they won’t allow touchdowns on a consistent basis, hence the 13 score for New York.
On the other hand, I see their offense working well, relying heavily on Christian McCaffrey on the ground and distributing the ball to their numerous weapons in the air. That should lead to 24 points for the 49ers, with them slowly pulling away in the second half.
I expect some rust on both sides and don’t think the game will look pretty considering how strong both defenses are, but I predict a 49ers win in Week 1 in a tough Monday night matchup.
