San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne (No 38) runs with the football against Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker Audie Cole (No 57) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

AFP/San Francisco

Australian rugby league convert Jarryd Hayne endured a difficult debut for the San Francisco 49ers before the National Football League giants overpowered the Minnesota Vikings 20-3 on Monday.  
Hayne, who only switched sports earlier this year, was a surprise inclusion in San Francisco coach Jim Tomsula’s starting lineup at the Levi’s Stadium for the long-awaited season-opener.  
But the 27-year-old’s dream debut turned into a nightmare with his very first touch in the second quarter. He fumbled what should have been a straightforward punt return near the 43-yard line to concede a turnover.  
Hayne was only a fleeting presence thereafter, upstaged by fellow running back Carlos Hyde, who rushed for two touchdowns to finish with 168 yards from 26 carries. Hayne finished with 13 yards from four carries. Nevertheless, the Australian star put a positive spin on his display.
“I just prepared the best I could and I’m definitely going to learn from this game,” Hayne told reporters.  
“It was my first professional game. It started a bit shaky but it was good to get out there and get a couple of runs.”
Hayne said his fumble came about after he was distracted by the oncoming Minnesota rushers. “As the ball was coming down I just looked where their rushers were,” he said. “I was in emergency mode, trying to make a play, make a catch, and it didn’t happen.”
Veteran 49ers kicker Phil Dawson—the second oldest player in the league at 40 years old—contributed the rest of San Francisco’s points with the boot, including two field goals.  
Minnesota’s lone score came through a Blair Walsh field goal in the fourth quarter from 37 yards. It was a disappointing night for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, anxious to make a big impression on his return to the game after missing most of last season through suspension for beating his son with a tree branch.  

Falcons hold off Eagles to give coach Quinn first win
Building a big lead behind top receiver Julio Jones, the Atlanta Falcons held off a second-half Philadelphia rally to beat the Eagles 26-24 at the Georgia Dome on Monday and give new coach Dan Quinn his first win.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan threw two touchdown passes to Jones in the first half, and kicker Matt Bryant connected on four field goals, including a go-ahead 47-yarder with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles had two more chances but kicker Cody Parkey missed from 44 yards out and quarterback Sam Bradford threw his second interception of the game on Philadelphia’s final drive. Jones finished with nine receptions for 141 yards, including a 44-yard reception that set up Bryant’s last field goal.
Trailing 20-3, the Eagles grabbed the momentum early in the third quarter on safety Walter Thurmond’s interception of Ryan, which led to running back DeMarco Murray’s first touchdown as an Eagle, an eight-yard sweep. Bradford led scoring drives of 95 and 80 yards, and the Eagles took the lead, 24-23, on a one-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Mathews.
Bradford, in his Eagles debut, finished 36 of 52 for 336 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Murray gained just nine yards on eight carries but scored one touchdown on the ground and another on a five-yard reception.
Ryan completed 23 of 34 passes for 298 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Atlanta rookie running back Tevin Coleman produced 80 yards on 20 carries.
The Falcons dominated the first half, stymieing the Eagles’ defence and moving the ball on the ground and through the air. Philadelphia managed only eight yards on the ground, and Bradford and his receivers rarely looked on the same page.
Meanwhile, Ryan and the Falcons’ offence was rolling.
Jones took a quick screen pass from Ryan and twisted his way into the end zone from four yards out to put the Falcons up 10 with 10:44 to go in the second quarter. He caught his second touchdown pass of the first half with 45 seconds remaining, sending Atlanta to the locker room up 20-3.
It could have been worse for Philadelphia but linebacker Kiko Alonso made a leaping, one-handed interception in the end zone to thwart Atlanta in the first quarter.
The offseason saw Eagles coach Chip Kelly retool his roster ahead of his third season in Philadelphia.
Quarterback Nick Foles was sent to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for Bradford. Running back LeSean McCoy was traded to the Buffalo Bills for Alonso, and Murray was signed from the Dallas Cowboys. The Falcons hired Quinn, the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 and 2014, to replace coach Mike Smith.
Both teams are trying to bounce back from missing the playoffs last season.
The Eagles seemed to be in control of the NFC East for much of last season but folded down the stretch, while the Falcons, thanks to a weak NFC South, were in the playoff hunt until getting blown out by the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.