The 2024 NFL Monday Night Football season kicks off with the New York Jets flying out to San Francisco for a matchup with the 49ers. These two Super Bowl contenders are looking to make a statement in prime time. Let’s focus on their Week 1 matchup and some of the bets you can take on DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also check out all of our NFL content on DraftKings Network here.
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**Editors note 7:05 p.m. ET 9/9/24: 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/Ankle) will be inactive tonight vs. the Jets.
San Francisco 49ers -3.5 (-108)
Hit the music. Let the brass sing. Smash the volume button on the remote and let “Heavy Action” scream out of the speakers. The primetime spotlight will shine on some of the biggest superstars in the NFL on Monday Night. This is a big game with big-time players, but the big names won’t decide this game. It’s the names no one knows. This game will come down to the trenches.
Aaron Rodgers returns. Is he rusty? Is he safe? He wasn’t last season. The Jets have been working on building a legitimate offensive line for years. It never works out. It didn’t work out last season. Rodgers lasted a few plays before a sack ended his season. The Jets signed three new linemen. Veterans Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith join an offensive line made up of young early-round draft picks.
It sounds good on paper. This isn’t paper. It’s a game and this offensive line hasn’t played any games. The line played eight snaps together in the preseason. It’s going to take a while for the line and Rodgers to develop chemistry. A matchup against the 49ers’ pass rush in Week 1 is not ideal.
This will be a trial by fire. It’s a good developmental test and the Jets will be better for it in the long run. In the short term, it’s a loss for the Jets.
San Francisco 49ers 1st Half -2.5 (-118)
The story hasn’t changed. There are weapons all over the field. Accessing these weapons is a different story. A questionable offensive line limits access to weapons. The 49ers offense is loaded and experienced. The Jets have stars but they’re not on the same page. The story might end well for New York, but the first chapter looks rough.
Week 1 was tough for several teams around the league. Limited preseason reps will do that. It’s always this way. It’s a cliche storyline. “Protect the vets.” It’s a cliche because it’s a cliche. It’s real. Protecting veteran players and superstars works in the long run. It doesn’t work in Week 1. On the off chance that the Jets gel rapidly, it’s unlikely that they are firing on all cylinders right out of the gates. Their aging quarterback lasted four snaps last season.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
