Heartbreak and High Hopes: 49ers and Jets Kickoff Season on Monday Night Football

Liam O'Connor

September 8th, 2024

(49er defense celebrates interception in Super Bowl 58)

The San Francisco 49ers season ended in heartbreak as they allowed a game-winning touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime, losing the Super Bowl on the final play. Now, with a fresh start, the 49ers and New York Jets—two teams with high hopes—are set to face off on Monday Night Football with kickoff at 5:15 pm.

Despite contrasting seasons in 2023, both teams enter this year as top contenders, aiming to end long championship droughts. The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010, marking the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. The 49ers, meanwhile, have repeatedly fallen short, losing back-to-back NFC Championship games in 2021-22 and suffering two Super Bowl losses to Mahomes and the Chiefs, including last season.

These near-misses have taken a toll on the 49ers, both physically and emotionally. “We’ve all just been there. We’ve tasted it,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “We have guys in this locker room that tasted it and they want it. Coming back, it was a heartbreak losing that Super Bowl and the way we did it, the overtime, all that. Purdy looks to capitalize on another amazing season as he seeks out a large contract in this years upcoming free agency. Last season, Purdy lead the league in passer rating and yards per pass. He finished 4th in overall MVP voting, and looks to again improve his passing game this year.

Both teams feature dynamic dual-threat running backs. New York’s Breece Hall and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey. Hall has called McCaffrey “the standard” after McCaffrey led the league in rushing yards, total yards, and tied for the lead in touchdowns last season, winning Offensive Player of the Year. Hall aims to join the top ranks, coming off a solid season with 994 rushing yards and 76 catches despite a knee injury that cut his rookie year short. The 49ers run defense gave up an average of 150 yards rush yards per game in their 3 playoff games last season. This was double their usual yardage given up per game in the regular season. New defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson will need to focus on stopping Breece Hall as he can be a very explosive player. If they let the run game open up for the Jets, it will surely be a long night for this defense. Defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins will be the first line to stop the Jets runs, with Linebackers Fred Warner and De'Vondre Campbell also in the middle of the field to help. With Dre Greenlaw recovering from his ACL tear, the Linebacker number two position is still open as the defense looks to fill in his role.

Contract disputes loomed over the 49ers for the majority of free agency. In the last 2 weeks, they resolved their issues by signing star receiver Brandon Aiyuk and All-Pro tackle Trent Williams, re-energizing the team. “To have our team back means everything and now we’re locked and loaded,” said receiver Jauan Jennings.

The Jets, however, are still negotiating with offseason acquisition Haason Reddick, who has refused to practice as he seeks a new contract, affecting New York’s pass rush.

Saleh’s return to the Bay Area, where he served as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, adds another layer to the matchup. “It’s a pretty cool opportunity for our guys to go compete against one of the best teams in the league,” Saleh said.

The 49ers defense looks to showcase a new and improved secondary with returning play from cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, along with All Pro Safety Talanoa Hufanga returning from an ACL tear. The defense will look to young studs such as safety Ji'ayir Brown, and rookie DB additions of Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha to improve this vaunted defense. Facing Aaron Rodgers will not be an easy task for this 49ers defense, but they are ready to showcase their new talent on national television.