SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Fill-in back Jordan Mason took top billing in a game hyped as Aaron Rodgers' return.
Mason ran for 147 yards and a touchdown in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers spoiled Rodgers' comeback game with a 32-19 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night.
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The former undrafted free agent overpowered New York's highly acclaimed defense with his physical running style, helping the Niners score on eight straight drives.
“I thought he runs like he always does,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “When you get him the ball, he breaks tackles, usually gets more than we block for. When we had the good lanes, he always hit them and got a bunch. But, JP was awesome today.”
Rodgers threw for 167 yards and one TD and also had an interception exactly 52 weeks to the day after his debut with New York ended with a torn Achilles after four snaps.
Rodgers had problems moving around in the pocket but still showed off the arm that helped him win four MVPs with the Green Bay Packers a few times in his first real action for the Jets.
“I can play better,” Rodgers said. “I missed a couple of throws. ... I felt overall I got the ball out pretty good but there were some opportunities I’d like to have back.”
Mason made the most of his opportunities in his first career start. He had just 83 carries his first two seasons but took advantage of being one of the few healthy backs for the Niners this summer to earn a larger role with McCaffrey's sore calf and Achilles still bothering him.
His 28 carries were the most for any Niners player in a regular season game in 13 years as he showed he can handle a full-time load.
“I'm really excited for him,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “He's earned it. He's the kind of guy where it's not given to him. To see him go out and do what he did tonight, I'm so happy for him.”
Deebo Samuel added a 2-yard TD run and Jake Moody made a franchise record-tying six field goals to lead the 49ers to the win.
Purdy threw for 231 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers against a Jets defense that generated little pressure without holdout edge rusher Haason Reddick.
The Niners took control of the game around halftime. They got a field goal on a 12-play, 75-yard drive at the end of the first half and scored on Mason's 5-yard run on an 11-play, 70-yarder to start the second half. That turned a 13-7 lead into a 23-7 advantage with the Jets getting only one kneel down snap during that stretch.
“That’s a championship outfit, and they introduced us to some championship football,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said.
Rodgers then threw an interception on the next drive on a pass to Garrett Wilson that was deflected by Deommodore Lenoir into the hands of linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.
Rodgers threw his first TD pass in 610 days when he took advantage of a free play when Leonard Floyd jumped offsides to connect on a 36-yard scoring strike to Allen Lazard that cut the deficit to 26-13. Lazard caught a second TD in the closing seconds from Tyrod Taylor after the game had already been decided.
“We expect greatness when we step on the field,” Rodgers said. “There were moments, moments that felt pretty good but not sustained. I felt like if we could just get a first down we’d be rolling. But we had those three and outs which hurt us. I think a lot of stuff is correctable.”
Rodgers' second game with the Jets lasted much longer than his first, which ended with a season-ending Achilles injury after just four snaps in 2023.
New York went three-and-out on the opening drive this game with two handoffs and a dropped pass by Lazard before a setback on the fourth snap that was temporary instead of season ending this time around. Rodgers' first completion as a Jet was caught by Breece Hall, who had the ball punched out by Fred Warner for a lost fumble that set up a Niners field goal.
Rodgers got the Jets moving on the following drive, converting three third-down passes to Wilson to set up Hall’s 3-yard TD run. Rodgers went 6 for 7 for 61 yards on the drive.
New York didn't get another first down in the half and trailed 16-7 at the break.
Injuries
Jets: CB Michael Carter left with an ankle injury.
49ers: McCaffrey was inactive after being listed as questionable because of injuries to his calf and Achilles. ... LG Aaron Banks left in the third quarter with a calf injury.
Up next
Jets: Visit Tennessee on Sunday.
49ers: Visit Minnesota on Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl