Forget 15-1. Forget all your hopes of making a Week 1 statement with an emphatic victory over who Green Bay should have played in last year’s NFC Championship. The pipe dreams are over. Time to get serious.
Green Bay lost for two reasons:
- Their ground game is horrible.
- They lost the turnover battle.
These reasons have been the reasons the Packers have lost any of their games over the last three seasons. When things are going well, the Packers grab an early lead, force their opponent to the air, pick off a pass or two and let Aaron Rodgers pick apart the opposing defense. And when things aren’t going well…
San Francisco happens. Alex Smith finished 20-26, 211 yards, 2 touchdowns and zero interceptions while 49er runners gained 186 yards on 32 carries. In the battle of opposing styles (grind it out vs. air it out), San Francisco won handily.
An early second quarter Randy Moss touchdown followed a first quarter David Akers field goal to make the game 10-0. Aaron Rodgers connected with Jermichael Finley from one yard out with 4:40 remaining in the first half to bring the game within three points before two Akers kicks in the final minute made the game 16-7 at half. Akers kick at the end of the first half traveled 63-yards, tying an NFL record. The kick needed all of Akers’ leg as it bounced on the crossbar before ricocheting beyond the bar.
Green Bay did not score in the third quarter. Second-year man Randall Cobb returned a fourth quarter punt to the end zone with 11:16 remaining. The play was initially flagged for a block in the back that was eventually waved off. Reviews of the play shed light on another Green Bay block, that went uncalled, that clearly came from behind.
The Bay teams traded touchdowns following Cobb’s score and the game came down to a final Green Bay drive with the home Packers down eight. The effort came up short, however, and the Packers matched their regular season loss total from 2011 in 15 less games.
Outside linebacker Clay Matthews finished with 2.5 sacks and Charles Woodson appeared comfortable in his new safety role. Rookie outside linebacker Nick Perry finished with 8 tackles and played well. Rodgers threw an uncharacteristically poor interception, but performed well, finishing 30-44 for 303 yards and two touchdowns.
San Francisco is the perfect team to beat the Packers. They focus on ball possession (33:00 in Week 1), winning the turnover battle (+1) and running the ball well (5.8 ypc) while stuffing the run on defense (3.2 ypc for Green Bay).
So what should a Green Bay fan take from Week 1?
- The pass rush looks strong. Four sacks against San Francisco is no easy task. Clay Matthews played extremely well against 49ers left tackle Joe Staley, a 2011 Pro Bowler. Charles Woodson also recorded 1.5 sacks. The hope is that a consistent pass rush will create turnovers in future games.
- The run game might be worse than last year. The Packers offensive line simply does not open holes. The problem is not the absence of James Starks (toe) or a poor performance from Cedric Benson (9 carries, 18 yards). The problem is that Green Bay’s offensive line cannot run block and they played a very strong run defense. The run game, Green Bay’s biggest weakness, is the reason they struggle in games against the NFL’s best teams. Green Bay is nearly unbeatable when playing on their terms. When they get down early to a team that controls the ball, they become predictable offensively and tired defensively.
Green Bay Player of the Game
Interior linebackers A.J. Hawk recorded 14 tackles, a game high. Hawk’s activity in the middle prevented San Francisco from breaking a play bigger than 29 yards.
San Francisco Player of the Game
Frank Gore gained 112 yards on 16 carries, including a touchdown. Gore’s 7.0 yards per carry paced a consistent 49ers offense.
The Packers face a short preperation period before hosting Chicago on Thursday night. The 49ers will head home and prepare for the Detroit Lions and Sunday Night Football.
The Big Guy
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