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

The 49ers cruised past the Jets even without star Christian McCaffrey on Monday night

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers reacts on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers reacts on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

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 ESPN2's alternate broadcast.

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. Rodgers, 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.

Rodgers 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.

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  • 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.

  • The Jets take a knee and go into halftime trailing, 16-7.

  • Brock Purdy throws it out of bounds on third-and-10 after failing to find an open receiver in the end zone. 49ers settle for a field goal before halftime, lead 16-7 with four seconds remaining on the clock.

  • Brock Purdy just threw a perfect pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the end zone. Aiyuk couldn't hold on. The murmurs in the Levi's Stadium crowd are audible on the broadcast.

  • Two deep passes have the 49ers inside the Jets 20. They're threatening again with 24 seconds left before halftime.

  • All-Pro Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner has sat most of this 49ers drive. He's on the sideline standing with his helmet off.

  • Jordan Mason is getting Christian McCaffrey's workload. A seven-yard second-down run and a catch to covert a third down has the 49ers at midfield.

  • Brock Purdy finds George Kittle on a nice downfield throw on first down. 26-yard gain has the 49ers out of the shadow of their own end zone.

  • New York with a three-and-out. The 49ers will start their next possession inside their own 20-yard line.

  • C.J. Mosley is out of the medical tent and will return. The Jets linebacker was being evaluated for a potential wrist injury, according to the ESPN broadcast.

  • Jordan Mason is San Francisco's best weapon so far in relief of Christian McCaffrey. 10 carries for 67 yards. He had two big runs including a would-be touchdown called back on holding penalties.

  • Jordan Mason keeps pounding despite the penalties. Sets the 49ers up at the 2-yard line with an 11-yard gain. Deebo Samuel gets the carry at the goal line and coverts San Francisco's first touchdown of the season. 49ers lead, 13-7 midway through the second quarter.

  • A second big 49ers play is called back via a holding call this drive. This time, Jordan Mason thought he had a 17-yard touchdown run. Instead, the 49ers are backed up to the 16-yard line.

  • Pro Bowl Jets linebacker C.J. Mosely is in the injury tent.

  • The 49ers advance into Jets territory for a third time, still in search of their first touchdown.

  • Rodgers gets hit again. This time on a third-down sack by a swarming San Francisco pass rush. Jets punt on fourth-and-10.

  • Aaron Rodgers just took his first hit since his Achilles injury on a first-down incompletion. Doesn't seem rattled. He's been hit a few times in his career.

  • Busted trick play. Deebo Samuel salvages a would-be huge loss on an end-around into a three-yard loss. 49ers stay in field goal range, and Jake Moody converts on a 51-yard kick. Jets lead, 7-6.

  • The first quarter is done. Jets lead, 7-3. 49ers are driving, face third-and at New York's 34 after the break.

  • Now it's Brandon Aiyuk's turn. The 49ers WR catches a 14-yard pass from Brock Purdy for a first down and his first reception of the season after holding out through training camp.

  • We have a Jordan Mason sighting. Christian McCaffrey's backup barrels for a 13-yard gain and San Francisco's first first down.

  • Great stat here. This wasn't happening with Zach Wilson.

  • Rodgers to Wilson already looks like a special connection.

  • Breece Hall punches it in from 2 yards, and the Jets have a 7-3 lead. Garrett Wilson caught four passes on the drive to keep the sticks moving. Hall finished it off at the goal line.

  • And there's a third straight third-down conversion from Rodgers to Wilson. Jets are inside the 10-yard line.

  • Rodgers connects with Wilson again on third down, and the Jets are moving.

  • We have a first down. Aaron Rodgers finds a streaking Garrett Wilson with a downfield strike to convert on third-and-8. His defender had tight coverage, but Rodgers threaded the ball for a 16-yard gain. This is what the Jets had in mind when they brought in Rodgers to throw to Wilson.

  • Aaron Rodgers' first three possessions with the Jets have resulted in an Achilles injury (last season), a three-and-out and a turnover. Will he find his rhythm on possession No. 4?

  • New York's defense holds after the turnover. Jake Moody kicks a 47-yard field goal after the 49ers manage three yards on three plays. 49ers take an early 3-0 lead.

  • The Jets' second possession doesn't last long. Breece Hall catches a pass from Aaron Rodgers and fumbles the ball on the first play on a 49ers punchout. 49ers recover deep in New York territory, already in field goal position.

  • The Jets defense returns the favor and forces a 49ers punt after three plays on San Francisco's first possession.