Somehow we are still in Week 1 in the NFL, and tonight’s game has no shortage of storylines…
Also, baseball.
Jets Return to MNF
What Happened: Spread out across four days of play, the NFL’s Week 1 concludes tonight with Monday Night Football. The league is hoping it goes better than the last time it let the Jets feature in the season-opening MNF; a thrilling OT game aside, losing the game’s biggest storyline four plays in couldn’t have made Roger Goodell and Co. very happy.
Why It Matters: Round 2 of the Aaron Rodgers-New York Jets experiment is set to lift off tonight, but it won’t be an easy task. The 49ers are coming off another Super Bowl appearance, and despite some turmoil, kept its NFC-winning roster largely intact.
But that turmoil will have knock-on effects. WR Brandon Aiyuk, who ditched most of training camp in search of the contract extension he eventually landed with the Niners, is expected to be on a snap count; his ability to influence the game may be limited. OT Trent Williams will probably see no such restrictions, but after his own holdout and subsequent upgraded contract, it’s fair to wonder if he’s in peak game shape.
As for the Jets….they are still the Jets. So, yes, the defense is still loaded (even without Haason Reddick) and the offense looks dangerous on paper. But New York saw what happens when a team relies on a 40-something year old QB to carry its title hopes. One year and an Achilles tear later, the Jets have to hope Rodgers is up to the task; as it did last year to disastrous results, their season rides on it.
What Weâre Watching Today
Jets at 49ers (8:15 PM EST) – Rodgers seeking revenge against the team that famously didn’t draft him is an interesting subplot. One look at all the playmakers on San Francisco’s sideline, and he’ll once again wish he could throw on a Niners jersey.
Royals at Yankees (7:05 PM ET) –Â A four-game win streak has thrust the Royals into the AL’s second wild card spot. With just a half-game lead in the AL East, the Yankees might soon occupy that top wild card spot as they flip-flop with the Orioles in the standings. Tune in as both teams continue their playoff push.
The Look Ahead
Breece Hall TOUCHDOWN – In 24 games as a Jet, RB Breece Hall has found the end zone at least once in a game 13 times. Lost in all the Aaron Rodgers hoopla is how versatile Hall is, featuring as a lead back while also proving dangerous on screen passes and checkdowns. It may take the QB some time to settle in, but Hall should hit the ground running, so look for the Jets to rely on the star playmaker early and often.
