Packers Gained Redemption from 2019 in Win Against 49ers

Thursday night football produced another victorious Packers team, who extended their record 6-2 in Levi’s Stadium against the 49ers.

Aaron Rodgers would be returning to a familiar part of the country as he was born and raised in Chico, California, and spent his college football career at the University of California, Berkeley.

Rodgers would hope this meeting in Northern Cal would prove successful as he has not had much good fortune on west coast turf as of late.

The 49ers were unsure of their own fortune as a lengthy amount of their most skilled position players remained missing from play due to injury. Among those on the Injured Reserve list is 49ers captain Jimmy Garoppolo, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and running back Tevin Coleman. Safe to say last night, things weren’t looking up for the 49ers on offense.

Granted, since most of these injuries had come in September, San Francisco was given a few games to adjust. However, the 49ers toughest opponents up until this point had been the Seattle Seahawks. They knew they were up for no walk in the park with this Aaron Rodgers matchup.

Packers would begin the game with the ball. Aaron Rodgers would feed running back Aaron Jones for back to back first down completions. Ultimately, it would be wide receiver Davante Adams who would make the long catch downfield for 36 yards and the Packers first touchdown of the game. Green Bay had been successful in every opening drive this season. This would make number eight! Crosby would follow with the extra point.

San Francisco was finally able to create a bit of momentum at the end of the quarter, implementing running back Jerick McKinnon to bring in crucial first downs. The 49ers would have to settle for a field goal after a touchdown by wide receiver River Cracraft was reversed. Robbie Gould would make the kick from the 22-yard line, and it was good.

The 49ers would forfeit another scoring opportunity early in the second quarter. A crucial first down by wide receiver Richie James would be meaningless as San Francisco would turn over the ball under four minutes into play. Safety Raven Greene would come up with the interception after
outstanding pressure to the 49ers’ offense by Preston Smith.

Packers weren’t going to waste any created opportunities. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan would make the smart call to challenge a first down ruling and would be rewarded with the ruling reversed. Green Bay would take the timeout. Even now 4thand 1, this would do nothing but stint future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. With his back against the wall, Rodgers would indeed convert, bringing in the necessary 4 yards for the first down! A touchdown was in sight.

Rodgers would find tight end Marcedes Lewis for six! Lewis would break away, creating complete isolation for himself after the snap, and leave behind a huddle of scrambling players who would soon realize just how much they had messed up. This play couldn’t have been designed more perfectly! This Rodgers Lewis connection was like taking candy from a baby.

At under five minutes left of play, 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett would come up with an interception for his team. It would add no gain, however, as San Francisco was charged with a defensive penalty for too many men on the field, giving the ball back to Green Bay.

Green Bay, who would begin their new drive with favorable field position, wanted to play it smart. Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur would call a timeout with just over four minutes left in the second quarter. After a scramble, Aaron Rodgers would convert on third down bringing his team to the two-minute warning. Just a matter of seconds after the snap, Rodgers would put on a show releasing a bullet to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling deep down the middle for a 52-yard touchdown!

It was a picture-perfect touchdown. Rodgers would connect to Valdes-Scantling like a dart to a target as he spun into the end zone for the catch. Crosby’s field goal was solid, and the Packers would bring their lead to 21-3.

With a minute left on the clock, San Francisco wasn’t able to come up with anything but a wise timeout call by Shanahan, as an attempt to deny Green Bay another scoring opportunity, and an Aaron Rodgers sack by 49ers defensive end Jordan Willis. This was all good and dandy but still fairly meaningless in lieu of the current scoreboard.

The 49ers would have no answers, only questions to end the half.

Despite receiving the ball first to start the second half, 49ers weren’t able to make anything happen.

Packers would continue to dominate the ball with a six-minute drive that would indeed produce another touchdown. Jones and Adams would set it all up after bringing in key yardage and downs for their team, but it would again be Valdes-Scantling as the target for Aaron Rodgers now third touchdown pass.

The ball zipped straight into the chest of Valdes-Scantling like a magnet as if it were meant for him. Verrett, the 49ers defender, had no chance of a stop. All he could do was sit and watch Aaron Rodgers magic happen.

On the following drive, the 49ers would fumble the ball as quarterback Nick Mullens would take a costly sack, and with the Packers recovery provided them great field position.

At 5’10 192 lbs., running back Tyler Ervin would shoot out from the pack collecting 24 yards for his team. Ervin and Adams would put their team in easy field goal position to which they would have to settle after not converting on the drive’s final 3rddown. Crosby again was good from the 19.

Despite a gorgeous connection from Mullens to Richard James for a 47-yard catch, the 49ers would still struggle to add any extra points to the board to end the third quarter.

Things were not looking up for San Francisco.

On the Packers next drive, Adams would receive a deep right pass from Rodgers to gain 34 yards and the first down. Once brought down on the Packers sideline, Adams would continue to roll on the ground almost in excitement of the victory he knew was ahead for his team.

At this point between plays, you could see a smiling Aaron Rodgers who was probably thinking about how he would cap off his successful night in a plush California King to celebrate his inevitable west coast win.

Rodgers would soon check out of the game, allowing backup QB Tim Boyle a few touches at the ball. Rodgers would be spotted smiling and hugging Boyle on the sidelines before he would enter the game, almost saying it’s all you now.

With a little over six minutes left of play in the 4th quarter, Green Bay would add another field goal. This time from the 53-yard line, Crosby’s farthest kick of the game. Crosby would continue his season streak of no missed kicks and add another three on the board for his team. The score was now 34-3.

In the final five minutes of the game, the 49ers would finally come up with two touchdown drives. Richard James would be rewarded for his efforts fighting through an ankle injury and all receiving a beautiful deep dime downfield for 41 yards. McKinnon, who had been one of Mullen’s main targets throughout the night, would bring in the final TD of the game.

49ers would stop the game from being a complete blood bath, but not before leaving the final score 34-17 and a pleased Aaron Rodgers with restored good fortune to his roots in the west.

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