Green Bay traveled to San Francisco this week for a highly-anticipated Sunday Night Football match-up and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint! The Packers managed to pull off a huge clutch win in the final seconds to beat the 49ers by two points.
Whether you missed the game or just want to relive the exhilarating victory, here’s a quick breakdown!
First Quarter
The Packers’ opening drive began with a bang, as Aaron Rodgers found wide receiver Allan Lazard 43 yards downfield. But after reaching the 49ers’ 15-yard-line, the drive soured. Nick Bosa batted down a pass, drew a crucial facemask penalty against Yosh Nijman (who’s filling in at left tackle for the injured Elgton Jenkins), and notched a tackle-for-loss. Green Bay was forced to settle for a 54-yard Mason Crosby field goal.
A solid defensive stand by the Packers quickly got the ball back in Rodgers’s hands. He didn’t wait long to burn the 49ers once more, throwing a 48-yard bomb to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Just a few plays later, Rodgers found his favorite target, Davante Adams, in the end zone for a short touchdown pass. Green Bay made the seven play, 80-yard drive look easy.
As the score makes clear, the Packers dominated the first quarter of football. Rodgers was masterful through the first two drives, going 9-for-9 with 127 yards and a 155.8 rating.
End of Q1:
Packers 10 49ers 0
Second Quarter
Jaire Alexander got the first big play of the night for the Packers defense, picking off 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. This interception put Green Bay in scoring position but the offense couldn’t capitalize, missing a red zone 4th & 1.
While the 49ers moved downfield, linebacker Jonathan Garvin combined with a few teammates to earn a big sack. Chandon Sullivan was injured in coverage against San Francisco’s George Kittle, leaving an already-thin Packers secondary in even worse shape. Krys Barnes also left the game with a concussion. Green Bay was able to stop the 49ers’ promising drive and force a punt.
With a few minutes remaining in the second quarter, Rodgers led his team toward the end zone. Nine plays and 87 yards later, Aaron Jones rushed for a short touchdown.
Then, the Packers’ special teams gave up a huge 68-yard kickoff return with just one minute left, bringing the 49ers all the way down to the GB 32. San Francisco brought in Trey Lance, their first-round draft pick, to run it in for the 49ers’ first score of the night.
Green Bay doubled the 49ers’ time of possession and nearly tripled their total yardage throughout the first half. Despite that, San Fran entered the locker room with all the momentum.
Halftime:
Third Quarter
The 49ers got the ball to start the second half and they didn’t waste any time marching their way downfield. Green Bay’s defense couldn’t get any stops, with Garoppolo eventually finding Brandon Aiyuk for a touchdown pass. The Packers – once 17 points ahead – were suddenly holding onto their three-point lead for dear life.
For the remainder of the quarter, Green Bay and San Francisco mainly traded defensive stands, keeping each other from scoring. Time expired as the Packers were mounting an impressive drive, reaching the 49ers’ 18-yard-line.
End of Q3:
Packers 17 49ers 14
Fourth Quarter
On a critical 3rd & 4, Green Bay found itself in desperate need of a momentum shift. Rodgers and MVS delivered, connecting for an incredible pass-and-catch in the back corner of the end zone. This TD extended the Packers’ lead to 10.
The 49ers responded with a commanding drive of their own, which ultimately resulted in a rushing touchdown. Back to a three-point game.
At this point in the quarter, the referees started to make some baffling calls. They failed to flag the 49ers for a helmet-to-helmet hit against a defenseless Davante Adams that left him on the ground for several minutes, but hit the Packers with several nitpicky penalties.
Kenny Clark came up with a massive defensive play, forcing a Garoppolo fumble, but the Packers couldn’t manage a touchdown. Green Bay had to settle for yet another field goal, giving the ball back to San Francisco as a one-possession game.
The 49ers drove downfield in two minutes, scoring a touchdown with 37 seconds left to go up one point.
But even 37 seconds is too many to leave behind for Aaron Rodgers. In just a few plays, Green Bay miraculously managed to reach field goal range. That left Crosby with the weight of the world on his shoulders to either win or lose the game for his team. But of course, our beloved and ever-reliable kicker hit the 51-yard field goal for a heart-stopping walk-off Packers victory!
Final Score:
Packers 30 49ers 28
Green Bay is now 2-1 on the season and in first place in the NFC North division. The Packers will host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lambeau Field next week.
[pickup_prop id=”12679″]
For More Wisconsin Sports Content:
Follow me on Twitter at @mal__allen and follow us @WiSportsHeroics! For the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here.
