After the season the San Francisco 49ers had in 2023, it is difficult to fathom how the New York Jets can beat them. Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey put up performances worthy of the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively, bookended by a defense that ranked fourth in DVOA. When examining the ways defenses managed to contain the 49ers, no clear pattern emerges.
Still, there is a game plan the Jets can use to upset San Francisco. It is certainly easier said than done, but it follows some of the elements the Jets are already good at — and the small chinks in the 49ers’ armor.