Green Bay Packers: 3 Mistakes they won’t make again Vs 49ers
The Green Bay Packers got whooped by the San Francisco 49ers earlier in this season. Here’s what they’ll do differently this time around.
The last Green Bay Packers’ loss came at the hands of the 49ers in San Francisco roughly seven weeks ago. And this wasn’t just any ordinary loss. It was an old-fashioned whoopin’. The Packers fell behind very early in the game and were never able to make it a contest, as they lost 38-7.
It was the second time this season Green Bay had traveled across county to California and gotten beat.
Fortunately, the Packers haven’t lost since that day on November 24th. They’ve rattled off six straight wins including an away game against the Minnesota Vikings and last weekend’s NFC Divisional Round victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Green Bay has a lot of reflecting to do heading into this matchup. Although both teams are 14-3 on the season, the 49ers are heavy favorites. San Francisco has looked like one of the best teams all season long and there’s no reason that will change at this point. In order for Green Bay to pull of the upset, they must avoid making these three mistakes from their first game:
Allow Pressure
Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers was flustered in the first game. The 49ers vaunted pass rush harassed him all day and made him see ghosts often enough. In the end, Rodgers was sacked five times, but was pressured far more often than that.
David Bakhtiari struggled mightily against the likes of Nick Bosa and company while Bryan Bulaga left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury. Bakhtiari has regained his dominant form in recent weeks and Bulaga should be back and healthy for the rematch. With the offensive line in tip-top shape, the Packers should be able to do a better job keeping Rodgers upright.
Allow Jimmy Garoppolo to get comfortable
On the other end of the spectrum, the Packers must make 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo uncomfortable in the pocket. Green Bay’s pass rush has been on another level this season and that seems like the most logical way to get Garoppolo out of his groove.
Another way is to mix up schemes and confuse the quarterback. If the Packers can force Garoppolo into a few mistakes, it will go a long way in determining the outcome. He was far too comfortable in their first game when he completed 70 percent of his passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns.
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Save Aaron Jones
For some reason, the Packers elected not to feature Aaron Jones in their first matchup. Jones only had 13 touches-all coming on handoffs-for 38 yards. In comparison, Jamaal Williams touched the ball 18 times (11 rushes and 7 receptions) for 80 yards.
Although Jones’ 38 yards was not inspiring, it’s always best to give him more opportunities. He’s a sparkplug for this offense and can break a big play at any times. The more opportunities the better.
It’s highly unlikely head coach Matt LaFleur will make the same mistakes twice. He’s scouring over the film once again and will find out how to fix his flaws from the first time around. If he can continue to push the right buttons and make the right calls, this game will be closer than a lot of people think.