What the 49ers said after beating the Jets to open their season
The 49ers are 1-0. They controlled their Monday Night Football opener against the Jets for the entire second half and won 32-19, never allowing New York within a score in the game’s final 35 minutes.
Jordan Mason stepped in for Christian McCaffrey, who missed the game with a calf/Achilles injury that has lingered since early August, and set the pace for the 49ers, racking up 147 yards on 28 carries, the most time he has rushed the ball since high school.
Jake Moody was 6-for-6 on field goal attempts, including a long of 53 yards. The 49ers won the turnover battle with a first-half fumble forced by Fred Warner and recovered by Maliek Collins as well as a third-quarter interception deflected by Deommodore Lenoir and caught by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.
Brock Purdy finished 19-of-29 for 321 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception. Aaron Rodgers threw one of each for the Jets, finishing 13-of-21 for 167 yards.
The Niners scored on eight of their 10 possessions, only punting on their first drive and kneeling to end the game.
Here’s what they had to say after the win:
Kyle Shanahan
On Mason getting the start with McCaffrey out:
I never told Jordan he was gonna start. Told him he had to be ready a bunch, but it might have been Bobby or somebody trying to pump him up, but I knew he was going to have to play a lot. Told him that he was gonna have to and was gonna be like usual: He was going to be a No. 2 back that was splitting a lot of the time.
On McCaffrey’s injury:
Same stuff that was bothering him all week. There was too much today. Game-time decision. Thought it would be smart to keep him out and glad we did.
On the offseason:
I’m with our team every day, so I know there’s lots of news stories and stuff with holdouts and things like that, and when are people coming back? But our guys have been awesome in practice. They’ve been very focused. Anytime guys don’t get a lot of practice in, you know, I wish we could have more. So I wanted to mesh more with those guys who just got here this week, but being able to get four practices in with those guys, having the extra day, things like that was great for them.
On the defense:
I was really happy watching the D from the sidelines. I mean they were running and hitting. That’s the thing that jumps out the most. They got a few big plays on us and a couple drives that got them moving. But for the most part, I thought we were winning most of the downs.
On Purdy:
He seemed very, very good. I mean, there was many plays that he left out there. I thought he made some big-time plays. There towards the end, you
On Mason seizing his opportunity:
I think Jordan’s looked the same as he always has. Not just Christian but we lost a number of backs. The cool thing for JP is that he was in such good shape going into camp, that when a lot of guys go down and a guy’s got to do a little bit more in practice. Then the next thing you worry about is him going down.
On Moody and comfort with 50-yarders:
That’s the difference with Jake. He does have a big leg and I get a number and where we can attempt it from. I don’t really think much different of it, whether it’s 50 or 47, I don’t think it’s too big of a difference for him.
On Mason’s growth:
I think for the most part is getting used to Bobby (Turner) coaching him, realizing that he’s not always angry — he just kind of stays that way, and kind of to learn and appreciate it. I think Jordan’s really pushed himself each year, just the way he’s worked off the field, being more conditioned. He’s never been badly conditioned, but we got some guys in our building — like Christian, guys like Fred, Juice, George, guys who are very obsessive with how they work out, how they condition themselves, how they eat, how they sleep. And I think that stuff’s really rubbed off on JP over the years.
On Aiyuk and Williams:
I thought they did a good job. I’m glad they got through it healthy.
Brock Purdy
On the offense:
There’s some things that we could all probably do a little bit better at, myself included, just the live speed and having everybody together, tied together with everything — shifts, motions, operation, going against man coverage, finding ways to get open and being on time. There’s just that sense of urgency
On Mason:
Obviously Christian is the best in the league at running back and what he does — not taking anything away from him — but I think JP did a good job of coming and and filling his void and doing his job to allow other guys to get open and allow us to run our offense.
On the offseason turmoil:
We’ve been through a lot as a team, just with signing guys, trying to get guys back, Ricky’s situation and Christian — there’s a lot that goes on. It’s the NFL, you know, some crazy stuff can go on. But our culture, our team, what we stand for, and how we all come together and find ways to win and rally around each other, we do it right here.
On the field goals:
I’m happy for Moody, but yeah, for us as an offense, it’s like, man, we want to score touchdowns.
Fred Warner
On Sorensen:
Called a great game. I love the way that he approaches the preparation, the way he leads our group.
On punching the ball out:
It’s something I practice all the time. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help our team win games. I know how important it is to take the ball away.
On Mason:
He chose to train here with me and some of the other linebackers — Flann and Curtis. And you know, we compete here. Even in the offseason, I saw him with a different mindset that he was going to be ready for his moment when it did come.
On whether Rodgers looked like himself:
Absolutely, he’s still got that savvy vet to him, you know, getting us offsides and throwing a touchdown down the field. Classic Aaron. Obviously they got some things to clean up, but ultimately at least they got him.
On the defensive mindset:
I feel like defensively, it’s our job to go out and win games defensively. Regardless of what we got on offense. I think if we keep that mindset on top of having a dominant offense, that’s when you really overwhelm teams.
Deebo Samuel
On when he learned about McCaffrey:
Actually earlier today, got the news and we went from there.
On how he learned:
Kyle came to me and he was like “You’re going to contribute a little bit in the run game” and you know me, I’m all for whatever helps the team win.
On whether he had a moment of appreciating Aiyuk and Williams:
I had that conversation every day in practice. I mean we’re in the game now so it’s no need to harp on what, you know, could have been. They’re here now and we just move forward.
On whether he’s surprised about 32 points:
No, I’m never surprised with our offense and, you know, the position our defense puts us in.
Jordan Mason
On how he feels after the game:
It’s just the beginning.
On when he learned about starting:
That question right there is why I’m mad. That’s why I don’t like talking to media because you say one thing wrong and then, you know. I don’t know, just skip that question.
On what his TD run meant:
My family was here, it meant everything.
On offseason preparation:
I did a lot of different things. Caught the ball more, more conditioning. That’s all.
On whether McCaffrey gave him tips on the sideline:
He did. Just keep doing me.
Nick Bosa
On the start:
I’m really proud of how we came out with energy and Fred making that play early kind of set the tone.
On Aiyuk and Williams missing camp:
Our ownership really takes care of us and you have to when you have really good players, and we have really good players at every position. When guys aren’t there, I mean, whe have their back. We know that when they get back, they’re going to work their butts off.
On Maliek Collins as the latest player to jump in and play well:
That’s a testament to Kyle and John and all the scouts, finding guys who fit us and fit our culture. You really have no choice when you come into this building to not play with great effort and play Niner football.
On Leonard Floyd’s and Maliek Collins’ debuts:
People think he’s a smaller, skinnier guy that can’t play the run, but he’s explosive as heck, so he can really play the run like we need him to. His speed rush is he’s proved it throughout his career. And then Maliek, he’s just a beast in the run game. Big, big guy, and if he can do that all year, then we’re going to be in good shape.
Trent Williams
On what makes this team impervious to outside noise:
We got great leaders in this locker room and we got people who follow the leaders, and we got leaders who echo what the coaches are preaching.
On Mason:
Every time he touched the ball in my recollection, he looked like that — he looked like tonight. Obviously becoming more of a pro, but I’m sure he’s grown up over the last couple years but it’s not like I can see a glaring that, oh, he matured. Like he came in pretty mature and he was always ready for this opportunity.
On coming in cold:
It was uncharted waters for me. I’ve never been in a situation where I didn’t have the luxury of being able to knock the rust off in camp. I’ve never come in off a six-month layoff, seven-month layoff and right in the game week, you know what I’m saying. Obviously I’ve’ played a lot of football so I knew it would come back to match, i didn’t know how long it’d take … You can’t replicate the exhaustion that you kind of put yourself through during a football game, especially o-linemen — like pushing a truck every play. So honestly, I didn’t know what to expect tonight.
On Dominick Puni:
I’m thrilled to go back and watch the game and just kind of see how he did. Obviously he played well. We all, as a group, ran the ball pretty well.
On running the ball early against a strong Jets d-line:
We want to get them running side to side, get JP going downhill like he did, and I think the game plan worked out perfectly.