The New York Jets take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the NFL season. While the Jets won’t have the advantage of facing the 49ers without Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams, there’s still ample opportunity for New York to come out with a victory.
New York Jets vs. San Francisco 49ers Matchup History
The Jets and the 49ers have played each other 14 times in the history of the NFL. And to be honest, it’s been a fairly one-sided affair. The 49ers have won 11 games, and won the most recent matchup between the two teams 31-13 during the 2020 season.
Older Jets fans also likely remember the 1998 matchup between the two teams. One that saw running back Garrison Hearst absolutely bulldoze his way to a 96-yard rushing touchdown in overtime.
September 6, 1998
The longest overtime run from scrimmage in NFL history#49ers Garrison Hearst's 96-yard opening day game-winner to defeat the Jets at Candlestick pic.twitter.com/WFpMMjRVa4
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) September 6, 2024
Key Players for the New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers
It almost goes without saying that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the most important player for the Jets entering this Week 1 matchup. The four-time NFL MVP must prove that he’s healthy enough to withstand the physicality of a NFL game.
Not only that, he must be able to play at a high level. The Jets need Rodgers to be the conductor on offense, ensuring New York has the ability to be successful against a stout defense. It won’t be surprising to see the team start slowly, but they need to be effective as the game goes on.
Jermaine Johnson
With Haason Reddick continuing his holdout going into Week 1, the Jets need a player to step up for them in a pivotal matchup. While Will McDonald may be an obvious choice, the onus is on Jermaine Johnson to pick up where he left off last season.
After a disappointing rookie season, Johnson broke out in a big way for the Jets last year. He recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks while improving in every facet as a defender. With Reddick out, and the rest of the Jets defensive line unproven (outside of Quinnen Williams), New York will need Johnson to put pressure on 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy.
Tyron Smith
One of the big free agent signings by the Jets this offseason was veteran Tyron Smith. And while Smith has a proven track record of playing at an elite level, there’s two reasons why the Jets need him to perform well.
The first may be the most obvious – the Jets need to keep their 40-year old quarterback upright. Rodgers likely isn’t as mobile after suffering his Achilles injury last season, and protecting his blind side will play a major role in ensuring the offense’s ability to succeed.
Secondly, Smith has a history of injuries in his career. It’s a big reason why the Dallas Cowboys opted not to re-sign the veteran left tackle. Health is always a concern for older players, and Smith must be able to prove he can not only play at a high level – but stay on the field in the process.
Key Players for the 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk
After the “will he, won’t he” drama surrounding Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers, the wide receiver enters Week 1 with a massive spotlight. Granted, Aiyuk has proven to be a reliable player for the team in recent seasons. Yet with that said, the questions surrounding Christian McCaffrey‘s injury, paired with a matchup against one of the best secondaries in the NFL means the 49ers can’t get a poor performance from their newly-paid wide receiver.
Charvarius Ward
49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson have an interesting back-and-forth history. This offseason, Ward seemingly took a shot at the Jets’ wide receiver, pretending not to be familiar with the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
#49ers CB Charvarius Ward told @heykayadams he is going to be shadowing #Jets WR Garrett Wilson on week 1 and took a little shot “Garrett Wilson that’s his name right?” pic.twitter.com/LzW2t6MFQp
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) May 21, 2024
To be honest, Ward’s comments force him to be in a place where he must play a big game. Otherwise, he’ll be the star of social media on Monday night – and not in a good way.
New York Jets’ Path to Victory
For the New York Jets to win this game, there’s really only a few simple things that they must do. The primary factor will be keeping their quarterback clean. If the Jets give Rodgers a clean pocket to throw from, there’s little reason to believe that they won’t have success.
Defensively, the team must get pressure on Purdy, while being able to stop what could be a limited McCaffrey. McCaffrey is the engine that makes the 49ers offense run. Limiting his effectiveness on touches will go a long way to keeping the game in their favor.
As for pressuring Purdy, the 49ers quarterback has shown to struggle when faced with pressure – as most quarterbacks do. It’ll be a tough ask for a Jets defense, but it’s one that needs to be accomplished to start the season off on a positive note.
