Three audacious Monday Night Football forecasts for 49ers in Week 1 against Jets
Are the Niners set up for a letdown in Week One? Alternatively will they fulfill their high expectations on Monday Night Football against the Jets?
On Sept. 9th in their Week 1 season opener, the San Francisco 49ers will be facing battle against the New York Jets. For the Niners, this important Monday night football game might define the tone of the season.
With their loss in the Super Bowl last February, the Niners are off yet another postseason heartbreak. This game might reveal a lot about whether the squad is hellbent on atonement or whether this marks the start of the end of the success of this team under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Niner Noise has already brought attention to certain possible issues the 49ers have ahead of this game as well as key players who must excel.
Three audacious game predictions will be made in this post.
First bold prediction: 49ers come out slow.
If the Niners show up for this game looking slow, sloppy, and a little lethargic, it would not be shocking.
Although San Francisco was able to negotiate the contract terms with left tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, neither of those individuals practiced much with the team or during the preseason. Both of them missed out on priceless reps.
Running back Christian McCaffrey has also been banged up and did not participate in the preseason; this could have been the case even if he was healthy, but he might still need some time to get going.
All of this will add up to the 49ers offense emerging slow and needing some time to establish their groove. Not to overlook Jets head coach Robert Saleh, the former defensive coordinator for the Niners, who is on the opposing sideline and therefore has some tricks up his sleeve for an offense he became acquainted with over years.
Bold second prediction: 49ers defense lets Aaron Rodgers go off
You know quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be driven to go off in this game after hurting himself on the first drive of the Jets’ last season.
Though he is older, he is still among the most gifted quarterbacks of all times. He has had great performances versus the 49ers in the regular season even though they have his number in the postseason.
Against a mainly new San Francisco secondary still learning to play together, expect him to go off big time in this game.
Third bold prediction: 49ers’ running defense is still problematic.
The 49ers suffered with their run defense occasionally last season.
That will recur in Week 1.
Jets running back Breece Hall will start hot against the Niners on Monday night as they try to find their feet with a new-look defensive line and first-time defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. He appears like he may be set up for a very big season.
Clearly, we all hope none of these forecasts come true, but Week 1 can be a little weird. Recall when the Chicago Bears defeated San Francisco in Week 1 to launch the 2022 season or when the Detroit Lions defeated the Kansas City Chiefs last year?
Upsets most certainly occur as teams establish their footing. Though the 49ers are obviously the better club on paper, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Niners came out flat in this game and fall prey to the Jets.
