What we learned as Mason shines in 49ers’ Week 1 win vs. Jets

What we learned as Mason shines in 49ers’ Week 1 win vs. Jets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SANTA CLARA — The 49ers turned the page on a tumultuous offseason on Monday night.

Everyone was back on the field, except for running back Christian McCaffrey, who was declared inactive for the 2024 NFL regular-season opener due to calf and Achilles issues.

But, as it turned out, the 49ers did not even need the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

The 49ers put together a solid all-around performance in Week 1 to roll to a 32-19 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers scored on eight consecutive possessions to steadily pull away from the Jets, who are looking to break the longest current playoff drought in the NFL.

Left tackle Trent Williams did not show any signs of his extended holdout from training camp. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was back in the starting lineup.

There was even some sense of closure to the scary incident of Aug. 31, when rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of a shooting.

The 49ers and Pearsall honored San Francisco Police Sgt. Joelle Harrell, who comforted Pearsall as the first on the scene, and San Francisco General Hospital surgeon Dr. Lucy Kornblith.

The 49ers looked like a team that was thrilled to begin the regular season. Here are takeaways from their victory over the Jets:

Mason Has Breakout Game

Backup running back Jordan Mason is a backup no more.

At least for one game, Mason showed he can step into the starting lineup and produce.

Mason took over for McCaffrey and came through with his most productive game in the NFL.

A third-year pro, Mason gained a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 rushing attempts. He entered the NFL in 2022 as an undrafted rookie from Georgia Tech.

Mason ran aggressively and dished out a fair share of punishment to the Jets’ vaunted defense.

He capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter and give the 49ers a 23-7 lead.

Mason was the third-string running back last season behind McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell, and that’s the way it might have gone this season, too. But Mitchell sustained a hamstring injury early in camp. He severely injured it upon his return, and the 49ers placed him on season-ending injured reserve in order for him to have surgery.

Mason’s previous career-best NFL game was a 69-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 8, 2023.

Defense Comes To Play

The 49ers’ offseason headlines all were centered around the issues on the offensive side of the ball.

Meanwhile, the 49ers’ defense has been lacking in drama.

It showed on Monday night, as first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen dialed up a game plan that helped the 49ers put the clamps on Aaron Rodgers and Co.

Rodgers struggled in his long-awaited first full game with the Jets after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 167 yards and one touchdown with one interception.

Jets running back Breece Hall, one of the more dynamic players in the NFL, managed just 54 yards rushing on 16 attempts against the retooled 49ers defensive front.

The 49ers forced two takeaways, both of which led to Jake Moody field goals.

All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner stripped Hall of the ball on New York’s second drive of the game with defensive tackle Maliek Collins coming up with the recovery.

In the third quarter, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir deflected Rodgers pass intended for Garrett Wilson. Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles came up with his first interception in 62 career games.

Rodgers caught the 49ers sleeping after Leonard Floyd jumped offside late in the third quarter. The 49ers seemed to stop, as the play went on. Rodgers delivered a 36-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard.

Aiyuk Rusty In Return

It was a difficult opportunity, but it was the kind of catch 49ers fans have seen Aiyuk make look routine in the past.

Quarterback Brock Purdy put the ball out for Aiyuk to make a play in the back right corner of the end zone late in the first half. Aiyuk was able to get both hands on the ball as he started his dive, but the ball slipped through his hands.

It could have been a 13-yard touchdown. Instead, it was an incomplete pass, and the 49ers had to settle for a field goal to close out the first half with a 16-7 lead.

Aiyuk did not take part in the 49ers’ offseason program or training camp while he was embroiled in a contentious contract situation. He agreed to his new five-year, $134.1 million contract on Aug. 29.

Aiyuk finished the night with two receptions for 28 yards.

Purdy completed 19 of 29 pass attempts for 231 yards and no touchdowns with zero interceptions.

The 49ers turned to Deebo Samuel to do a little bit of everything. He carried the ball eight times for 23 yards with one touchdown, while adding five catches for 64 yards.

The 49ers figured to lean even more on Samuel for the early portion of the schedule with McCaffrey out and Aiyuk working his way back in.

It’s only logical that Aiyuk would not get off to a fast start because of his off-field distractions.

The question is whether he can get back into game shape and get on the same page with Purdy in order to come close to the 75-catch, 1,342-yard season of a year ago that earned him the big-money deal.

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