The San Francisco 49ers began the season with a victory over the New York Jets on Monday night.

The reigning NFC champions defended home field against a team with a lot of hype across the country. The Niners proved dominant once again and impressed early on. What were the most important factors that San Francisco showed on Monday?

3. Offensive line is elite

It was announced prior to Monday night’s game that Christian McCaffrey would be sidelined with an ankle/Achilles injury. This had been a lingering problem all offseason and it kept the All-Pro running back out for Week 1. The good news is that Trent Williams was back and this made all the difference.

The offensive line for the Niners got its anchor back and it led the way on a pounding rushing attack. Even without McCaffrey, San Francisco ran the ball effectively for four quarters led by 148 yards by Jordan Mason. He proved to be a tough runner with the ball in his hands but the offensive line created consistent holes for the runner. The line pushed around a Jets’ front that was expected to be among the best in the league.

2. Front seven explosive

The Niners came into the season with one of the best defenses in football. Nick Bosa is healthy and comes off the edge of a very talented defensive line. Fred Warner is the leader in the middle of the defense to complete a front seven that’s among the best in the league.

The front seven was as explosive as ever, especially attacking the run game. The defensive line did not get to Rodgers much but this was due to a quick-passing attack from the Jets. They did not let Rodgers hold the ball long in the pocket. San Francisco made up for it by attacking and slowing down Breece Hall. Even off the ball, you could see the explosive nature of this defensive line for the Niners. It is going to be a problem for opponents all season long.

1. Kyle Shanahan dominated

Any negative connotation around Kyle Shanahan is lazy. Yes, he has not won the big one yet but San Francisco continues to be a power in the NFC. On Monday night, he showed his powers on the sideline.

Shanahan completely outcoached the staff of the Jets. He schemed the game plan perfectly to dominate a high-flying defense for the Jets. Hassan Reddick was sidelined and Shanahan took advantage. The Jets could not get pressure against and could not stop the run.

Shanahan saw early that the run game was working and stayed with it over the course of the game. There was no reason to get away from it and Shanahan knew that he was in control. It was a clinic put on by the head coach on Monday night.