The San Francisco 49ers acquired Christian McCaffrey to see what a supercharged sports car would look like in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The results have been excellent.
But the hallmark of Shanahan’s offense, dating back to Kyle’s father, Mike, and his days with the Denver Broncos, has been picking up running backs no one else wanted and having a lot of success with them. Running backs like Jordan Mason.
With McCaffrey unexpectedly inactive Monday night due to a calf injury and Eli Mitchell on injured reserve, Mason had a chance to step into a significant role. And against one of the NFL’s best defenses, the undrafted free agent had the best game of his career in his first NFL start.
Mason had 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries as the 49ers cruised to a surprisingly easy 32-19 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night.
Mason didn’t carry the 49ers, of course. Deebo Samuel Sr. split backfield duties and scored a touchdown. George Kittle made plays. Brock Purdy started slow but got hot as he settled in. Purdy connected with fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 34-yard reception that set up a Mason touchdown early in the third quarter that effectively put the Jets out of the game. The 49ers’ defense is one of the best in the NFL, and it showed. But Mason lived out what every backup dreams of, got his chance, and shined when the spotlight was on him.
The 49ers’ offense looked as good as ever, scoring on eight straight possessions after a punt to start the game. San Francisco’s defense spoiled Aaron Rodgers’ return to the lineup after he missed nearly all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon. Rodgers completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
It’s clear the 49ers are still better with McCaffrey, but they’re the rare team that can put an undrafted free agent in the place of the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and look just as good on offense.
49ers outscore Jets
The night didn’t start out too badly for the Jets. Rodgers, playing in just his second game with New York and his first that lasted more than four plays, led an impressive touchdown drive late in the first quarter. Breece Hall scored late and the Jets took a 7-3 lead.
New York’s defense looked good from the start. The Jets pressured Purdy and contained the run. After a Hall fumble deep in Jets territory, New York went on a quick three-down drive and the 49ers settled for a field goal. At that point it looked like the 49ers would have a hard time moving the ball all night against a deep, impressive defense.
But the 49ers took notice. They gave Purdy some time and he found the open receiver, as he often does. Even with Brandon Aiyuk looking rusty after sitting out all of August in search of a new contract, Samuel, Kittle and Juwan Johnson made plays.
Mason scored to give the 49ers a 23-7 lead in the third quarter, and then Rodgers made his first big mistake. He hesitated under pressure, then tried to pass to Garrett Wilson. But 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir got into great coverage, deflected the pass, and was intercepted by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. The third quarter was barely half over, but the game seemed over. It’s not like the 49ers defense was going to give up that much.
The season wasn’t even three-quarters of the way through for the 49ers, but they already looked like one of the best teams in the league, even without McCaffrey, one of the NFL’s best players.
The Jets still have work to do
Monday night’s performance had to be disheartening for the Jets. They came into the season with renewed optimism with Rodgers’ return, and they didn’t look like they were on the 49ers’ level. But it’s only the first week of the season. Rodgers, in particular, should improve once he shakes off some rust. After all, he had only played four regular-season snaps since January 2023. New York should finish this season strong.
The way the Jets got buried probably said more about the 49ers. The Jets will end up with one of the best defenses in the NFL, but the 49ers were able to move them around on the line, opening up holes for Mason, and there always seemed to be an open receiver when Purdy needed him. The 49ers defense is one of the best in the NFL, and that’s a big reason why Rodgers’ first game back from injury was so quiet.
We’ll see how the Jets bounce back. We already know what to expect from the 49ers. They’re Super Bowl contenders again. Imagine how much better they’ll look when McCaffrey returns to the lineup.
