The headline in the Jets' season opener on Monday night will certainly be about Aaron Rodgers' return to the field, but the defense, led by two-time All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner, has a tall task slowing down last season's No. 2 offense in the NFL.

"They have a lot of elite guys," Gardner said. "Deebo [Samuel], [Brandon] Aiyuk, [George] Kittle, [Christian] McCaffrey, [Kyle Juszczyk]. They have guys all around and [QB] Brock Purdy is very good at facilitating the ball, getting the ball to his guys. It's going to be great to compete against them. NFC champs, so I can't wait."

Gardner is certainly among the top players at his position. He led the league with 20 pass defenses as a rookie in the 2022 season and was one of four cornerbacks last season to allow fewer than 300 yards in coverage (Jets nickel Michael Carter II, who signed a contract extension last week, was another). This season, Gardner would like to take the ball away more.

"That's one of my individual goals," said Gardner, who has 2 career interceptions that came as a rookie. "I just want to continue to keep getting better, take it one day at a time, one week at a time.

"Keep doing what I'm doing. I'm not trying to do anything different."

Gardner is eager to finally see Rodgers and the Jets' offense in live action after an impressive camp against the Green & White defense.

"The offense is trying to say it's an offensive organization now," Gardner said. "That's just the first time I've ever heard the offense say that. Aaron was just saying that, so it's great. As a defense, I love to hear that. As a defense, we're always saying it's still going to continue to be a defensive-driven program, but the fact that they can say that too, and rightfully so, that's great. It shows that we got the mentality to play

complementary football when it comes to offense, defense and special teams."

Nick Bosa Presents Tough Test
The Jets' new offensive line, and two new veteran tackles, will be tested early in the season against the 49ers defensive line, led by Nick Bosa. Bosa, drafted No. 2 overall in 2019 when Robert Saleh was San Francisco's defensive coordinator, has 53.5 sacks in 68 games. The four-time Pro Bowler, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and first team All-Pro led the NFL with 18.5 sacks in the 2022 season and 21 tackles for loss the season before.

"I've never seen a D-end make a tackle whiff as often as he did, especially as he did," Saleh said. "It was absolutely fascinating. I remember vividly [49ers LT] Joe Staley during Bosa's first training camp was just having trouble after the first couple of days. Bosa was all the rage and I got asked about it. I said he's a rookie, Joe will figure it out. He never figured it out. No offense, Joe. [Bosa] has elite hand-eye coordination, power, can win inside, outside or through you. Elite football IQ. He's a tremendous football player and if you ever see him up close, his thighs are like this podium. Ridiculous."

Good Energy Heading into Week 1
Despite the anticipation and excitement surrounding the Jets' regular-season opener against the 49ers in Santa Clara, CA, Monday night, HC Robert Saleh has sensed a good energy from his group this week.

"Traditionally, your first Thursday practice usually feels long." Saleh said. "It is the first time where the offense and defense both go alternating and it is not just gliding through practice, offense versus defense all day, like in camp. The practice is a little bit heavier, and I thought the juice we had Thursday was pretty cool. It is not traditionally always that way."

The Green & White will kick off the season on "Monday Night Football" for the second consecutive season. Saleh foresees some minor sloppiness from both teams early in game as they shake off the rust of the offseason but feels good about his team's preparation.

"It is Week 1, which is always going to be a crapshoot," Saleh said. "There are going to be a lot of unscouted looks. I am very curious to see the tackling, the efficiency, the precision. … But our guys are prepared. They are physically and mentally ready to roll."