Four 49ers to Watch Against the Packers
A week after scraping out a last-minute victory over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers return to Levi’s Stadium for their third-straight home game and third prime-time game in four weeks.
The 49ers (9-1) currently hold the best record in the NFC with the visiting Green Bay Packers (8-2) not far behind. A win on Sunday would not only go a long way toward making the playoffs, it would put the 49ers in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A loss, albeit not devastating, would leapfrog the Packers over the 49ers in the NFC home-field race.
George Kittle (or Ross Dwelley if Kittle is out)
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Packers have surrendered the third-most fantasy points to tight ends. Fantasy football numbers are not that important when it comes to deciding who wins this game. Yet, the better stats that San Francisco tight end George Kittle can put up on Sunday, the more likely the 49ers come out on top. There may not be a non-quarterback more important to their team’s success than Kittle.
The 2018 Pro Bowler is not just a glorified receiver. Kittle’s availability has a direct correlation with how successful the 49ers are on offense. San Francisco has posted its two lowest rushing totals in the two games he’s been inactive. His double-threat ability as a blocker and receiver have been sorely missed in the 49ers’ offense. The question is not whether Kittle will have a huge impact on this game, it’s whether he can play.
In the event Kittle is a no-go, Ross Dwelley will have another grand opportunity to prove his worth as a legitimate NFL tight end. Dwelley caught his first two career touchdowns last week against Arizona, and if he makes his third career start on Sunday, he could set a new career day. Whoever lines up at tight end for San Francisco, Dwelley or a possibly healthy Kittle, expect quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to feed them at a high-volume.
Mike McGlinchey
The 49ers’ offensive line has faced quite the pass-rush gauntlet in recent weeks. In a three week span, the 49ers faced the NFL’s sack leader, Arizona’s Chandler Jones, twice and were ravaged by Seattle’s pass rush. Things don’t get much easier from here on out, especially on Sunday. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey and the rest of the line will be tasked with stopping Green Bay’s revamped pass rush.
The Packers chose to move on from franchise stalwarts Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, opting to sign two free agents, Preston Smith (10 sacks, nine TFLs) and Za’Darius Smith (8.5 sacks, eight TFLs) instead. That change paid off big time for Green Bay as both hold spots inside the top-10 of NFL sack leaders.
If the line, specifically McGlinchey (57.8 PFF), can hold off the pass rush long enough for Garoppolo to find the open man, the 49ers’ offense should have their way with the NFL’s fifth worst defense in yards allowed.
Damontre’ Moore/Julian Taylor
As the 49ers possibly welcome back one talent (Kittle), they lose another. Edge rusher Dee Ford exited the Arizona game with a hamstring injury, which presented an opportunity for two reserves. Damontre’ Moore and Julian Taylor made their presence known with impact plays. Taylor had two tackles-for-loss and Moore forced a late fumble. It’s one thing to perform against a less-than-stellar Arizona team. It’s another to do so against a top-flight Packers team.
Green Bay will always pose a threat through the air with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but something newly attained is the elite running game. Running back Aaron Jones has suddenly forced his way into the MVP conversation with his 11 rushing and three receiving touchdowns. He only has two 100+ rushing games all season, but that’s not how he hurts you. Jones feasts when opposing defenses are backed up against their own goal line. All 11 of his rushing touchdowns have come from inside the 20, which is a big factor on the Packers’ 68.6 touchdown success rate in the red zone.
The 49ers know they can count on DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa to wreak havoc in the backfield, but if you factor in potential fatigue that comes from long drives, the 49ers might have to count on Moore and Taylor to hold Jones in check inside the red zone. Another component is Rodgers’ ability to earn “free plays” by drawing defensive linemen offsides with his hard count. Moore was drawn offsides last week against Arizona, but the 49ers were not burned by that mistake. Rodgers will surely take advantage of any mistakes by the 49ers’ line.
Jimmie Ward
Rodgers might not be an MVP candidate yet this season, but there’s still plenty of time to change that. After Sunday, Rodgers has two porous defenses (Giants and Redskins) and three division games to close out his season. With the return of Green Bay’s Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams, who missed four games, a 400-yard and four touchdown performance is not out of the question. A win over the excellent 49ers’ defense could propel Rodgers into the MVP debate.
Rodgers will surely love some revenge against the team that passed on him in the 2005 draft. The 49ers will have to do their best to limit Rodgers’ deep ball, especially to Adams. Cornerbacks Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley have all had great seasons thus far, but they’ll need help from their safeties this week. Free safety Jimmie Ward’s discipline will be tested by Rodgers’ arm strength, escapability and ingenuity. Ward must be careful not to bite on pump fakes as Rodgers tries to draw him in. He’ll be needed over the top whenever Rodgers attempts his iconic deep shots.
The last time the 49ers faced an NFC North team on Sunday Night Football was 2014, when the Chicago Bears welcomed Ward (who surrendered three touchdowns) to the NFL (and christened Levi’s Stadium) with a 28-20 loss. Numerous injuries and position changes have marred Ward’s career since then, but he has quietly turned in a very productive 2019 season, posting a 78.1 grade (PFF). The NFL is a “what have you done for me lately?” league. If Ward can stay healthy and demonstrate his form on national television, the soon-to-be free agent could position himself for a nice payday.
