SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Jets fancy themselves as a Super Bowl contender. On Monday night, they saw what one actually looks like.
The 49ers, the defending NFC champs, dismantled the Jets 32-19 in the season opener at Levi’s Stadium even though they were missing their best player.
There is no shame in losing to the 49ers, who have become a perennial contender under coach Kyle Shanahan but the Jets looked like they were not in their weight class.
The Jets defense forced a punt on the 49ers’ first drive of the game and then not another one. The 49ers scored on eight straight possessions.
It was probably enough to drive Jets fans to drink … Ayahuasca.
Playing without star running back Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers offense still looked like a machine, churning through the Jets defense, which believes it can be the best in the league.
Backup running back Jordan Mason, making his first NFL start, rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Quarterback Brock Purdy was not spectacular, but made enough plays to put the 49ers consistently in field goal position. The 49ers had 402 total yards against the Jets.
The return of Aaron Rodgers had some big highlights.
He threw his first touchdown as a Jet late in the third quarter, a pretty 36-yard pass to Allen Lazard after he made the 49ers defense jump offsides in vintage Rodgers style. He also put together a 12-play drive in the first half for the Jets first touchdown.
But there were long periods where the Jets offense was totally ineffective. The 49ers intercepted Rodgers in the third quarter.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles picked it off after Deommordore Lenior broke up the pass to Garrett Wilson.
Rodgers finished the night 13-of-21 for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception.