Field Level Media
Nov 24, 2019
The San Francisco 49ers' defense held Aaron Rodgers to just 104 yards passing while sacking him five times en route to a 37-8 rout of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
The 49ers solidified their spot atop the NFC pecking order with a 10-1 record, while sending the Packers back to Green Bay at 8-3.
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns on just 20 attempts, completing 14 of them. His 145.8 passer rating was about double that of his counterpart, Rodgers, who had too little time and too few open receivers.
Rodgers finished 20 of 33 with a touchdown, posting the lowest yards-per-attempt (3.15) in any start in his career and his second-lowest yardage total in a start in which he wasn't injured. He was pulled for the final five minutes of the game.
San Francisco's powerful defense, which entered the night ranked No. 1 against the pass and No. 2 in points allowed, dominated from the start. On the opening possession, blitzing linebacker Fred Warner sacked Rodgers and knocked the ball loose, with defensive end Nick Bosa scooping up the loose ball and giving the 49ers the ball at the 2. Tevin Coleman pounded it in on the next play.
San Francisco didn't allow a single third-down conversion until the final seconds of the game, as the Packers opened 0-for-15.
The 49ers tacked on two chip-shot field goals to lead 13-0 late in the first half before Garoppolo hit rookie receiver Deebo Samuel for a 42-yard touchdown. A third field goal by Chase McLaughlin, this time from 48 yards, made it 23-0 as the half expired.
Helped by three defensive penalties, the Packers finally got on the board late in the third quarter on Rodgers' 2-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams.
San Francisco wasted no time in answering, as Garoppolo hit tight end George Kittle for a 61-yard touchdown two plays later. By that point, the Pro Bowl tight end, who had missed the previous two games with ankle and knee injuries, had 129 receiving yards, while the Packers had 112 total yards.
When Garoppolo hit receiver Kendrick Bourne for a gain of 13 on third-and-10 with 9:59 remaining in the game, it was the first third-down conversion for either team. The Packers were 0-for-13 while the 49ers were 0-for-6. The Niners then converted three third downs on that possession, with Raheem Mostert punctuating the drive with a 15-yard touchdown.
Green Bay, which was coming off its bye, fell into a first-place tie with Minnesota in the NFC North. The Packers play in Minneapolis in Week 16.
San Francisco, which was without left tackle Joe Staley and running back Matt Breida, stayed a game ahead of Seattle in the NFC West. The 49ers play at Baltimore next week and at New Orleans the following week.
--Field Level Media