A year ago, the New York Jets were 1-0 but had yet to suffer a season-ending Achilles injury to quarterback Aaron Rodgers. All things considered, their current 0-1 start actually feels better than last season, according to coach Robert Saleh.

“You know what? Unfortunately, it is,” Saleh said Tuesday, hours after being dominated by the San Francisco 49ers in a 32-19 loss at Levi’s Stadium.

The 40-year-old Rodgers emerged unscathed from his first extended action in 20 months, perhaps the lone bright spot in a loss best described by wide receiver Garrett Wilson: “They beat us up, and that’s the reality of it.”

After being outclassed by his previous team, the 49ers, Saleh tried to put a positive spin on the Jets’ situation, insisting the offense was better than it looked and vowing to turn around the defense — the team’s hallmark.

“It’s definitely going to be resolved,” Saleh said. “I’m not discouraged in any way. It’s clear that they’ve done a lot better than us, and we’re going to be better for it.”

The Jets, who now host the 0-1 Tennessee Titans, have allowed eight consecutive scoring drives. It’s a stunning collapse for a proud defense that ranked third in yards allowed in 2023. It hasn’t allowed that many consecutive scoring drives in at least 45 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Thrown off balance by the 49ers’ pre-snap motion and deception, the Jets were mauled for 147 rushing yards by Christian McCaffrey’s understudy, Jordan Mason. Afterward, Saleh and the players were quick to praise the 49ers and their scheme.

“They’re a good football team,” said cornerback Sauce Gardner, who missed nine snaps because the wind was taken out of his sails. “You know, they just played in the Super Bowl.”

The Jets, with eight returning starters on defense, brought Super Bowl aspirations into the season. Other than a seven-minute touchdown drive in the first quarter, they were completely outclassed — a wake-up call, some players said. They missed 18 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, and generated little pass rush without holdout edge rusher Haason Reddick.

The offense was also to blame, as it couldn’t sustain drives. It held the ball for just 21 minutes and 20 seconds, the fewest possession times in Rodgers’ 225 career starts. Rodgers threw an interception, Breece Hall fumbled and Allen Lazard dropped a third-down pass — one of the biggest blunders.

The Jets appeared out of sync, perhaps because none of the starters played in the preseason. Saleh insisted that “there’s a lot of confidence on that side” of the ball, adding, “Our offense can be really good this year.”

It can only go up from last season, when they produced a league-low 18 touchdowns. On Monday night, the starting unit generated just two touchdowns, including a 12-play, 70-yard drive that lasted longer (7:07) than any drive of all time last season.

“I think our offense is in a really good place,” Saleh said. “I thought it was a good first time, considering the quarterback hadn’t played in so long. But there were a lot of encouraging things, and I know it’s going to be a lot better if we can balance this team out.”

Rodgers (13-for-21, 167 yards, one touchdown) wasn’t happy with his performance but was grateful to be back on the field. The team echoed that sentiment, especially after last season’s devastating injury.

“There’s definitely no panic in him,” Saleh said of the future Hall of Famer. “He was a calm force on the sideline, and I think (Monday) night gave him a lot of closure in terms of finishing the game and finishing it out.”

Actually, Rodgers was pulled late in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. But at least he was able to walk off the court.