Live Updates: Packers Lose to 49ers 24-21 After Love’s Interception
Jordan Love is leading the Green Bay Packers into Saturday’s NFC Divisional playoff game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Can the Packers punch their ticket to the NFC Championship Game? Follow along all night for updates.
Final Score: 49ers 24, Packers 21
Here is our game story.
Fourth Quarter
49ers 24, Packers 21 (34 seconds remaining)
With the game on the line, Jordan Love on third-and-2 checked it down to Luke Musgrave for a gain of 3 with a timeout at 51 seconds. That would be it. Love, so exceptional during the second half of the season, made a horrendous decision by running right and throwing it across his body to Christian Watson, who wasn’t open at all. The ball was underthrown and intercepted by Dre Greenlaw.
49ers 24, Packers 21 (1:07 remaining)
Christian McCaffrey’s 6-yard touchdown run has given the 49ers the lead. The Packers have all of their timeouts to drive to a game-tying field goal.
It is Jordan Love's time.
Packers 21, 49ers 17 (14:56 remaining)
Jake Moody’s 52-yard field goal cleared the crossbar with not much more distance to spare to make it a four-point game. It’s a win for Green Bay, though, with the 49ers starting the drive at Green Bay’s 48 following Dre Greenlaw’s interception.
Fourth Quarter
Packers 21, 49ers 17 (6:18 remaining)
The Packers are sinking or swimming with Anders Carlson. The rookie made his first two field-goal attempts of the day but was wide left from 41 yards on a kick that would have made it a seven-point game. It was a wasted drive, with Aaron Jones’ 53-yarder putting the Packers in instant scoring position. Tight end Tucker Kraft, receiver Dontayvion Wicks and right tackle Zach Tom had key blocks, and Jones ran through a tackle to tack on about 35 yards.
Packers 21, 49ers 17 (9:37 remaining)
Brock Purdy made a sensational pass to Jauan Jennings for a gain of 21 on third-and-10. The ball got just over Keisean Nixon to Jennings, who took a big hit from Anthony Johnson. That was a great throw; on the next third-and-10, Purdy had Ray-Ray McCloud open but was off-target. Darnell Savage made two big plays to set up third-and-long, with an exceptional open-field tackle on Christian McCaffrey and tight coverage against George Kittle.
Packers 21, 49ers 17 (13:22 remaining)
On third-and-2, Jordan Love could have run for the first down but felt he had a better option with a checkdown to Aaron Jones. The pass was behind Jones and almost intercepted.
Third Quarter
Packers 21, 49ers 14 (2:02 remaining)
Jordan Love had thrown one interception over his last 10 games. However, on third-and-11, he threw high and behind Tucker Kraft. The ball glanced off Kraft’s fingers and was intercepted by Dre Greenlaw, who made a nice scoop of the ball and returned the ball to Green Bay’s 48.
Packers 21, 49ers 14 (3:43 remaining)
Brock Purdy probably should have been intercepted by Keisean Nixon but the defense got a three-and-out. A massive drive awaits for Green Bay.
Packers 21, 49ers 14 (5:23 remaining)
Keisean Nixon was unable to replicate his All-Pro success from 2022 in the regular season. However, with the 49ers having recaptured the lead, Nixon struck. He took what looked like a middle return to the left. Corey Ballentine had a pancake block, and Nixon outran kicker Jake Moody to get down the left sideline. Around the 49ers’ 30, Nixon cut the ball back inside but had the ball stripped. Hustling linebacker Eric Wilson saved the day with a diving recovery at the Niners’ 30.
Four plays later, the Packers were in the end zone. Jordan Love took a hit from Nick Bosa but connected with Romeo Doubs for 15 yards. On second-and-goal from the 2, Love hit tight end Tucker Kraft, who was open in the flat, for the go-ahead touchdown. Coach Matt LaFleur went for two, and Jones made a leaping grab of Love’s pass.
49ers 14, Packers 13 (7:39 remaining)
A big story entering this game would be the Packers’ ability to tackle the 49ers’ playmakers. On third-and-6, Brock Purdy hit George Kittle for 32 yards. Jonathan Owens’ missed tackle allowed Kittle to rumble for 19 additional yards. On the next play, Christian McCaffrey forced Darnell Savage – with a career’s worth of bad tackling on his resume – to whiff on a 34-yard touchdown.
Packers 13, 49ers 7 (9:27 remaining)
The Packers survived the potential double-up and have taken the lead. On third-and-1, Ambry Thomas tackled Bo Melton on Jordan Love’s bomb. The result was a 41-yard gain for pass interference. On the next play, Love looked right for a receiver screen. The 49ers’ secondary took the bait, dropping coverage on Melton for a wide-open, 19-yard touchdown.
49ers 7, Packers 6 (13:28 remaining)
The Packers got a huge three-and-out, so they emerged unscathed from a potential second quarter/third quarter double-up. On third-and-4, Rashan Gary beat right tackle Colton McKivitz and clobbered Brock Purdy to force an incompletion on third-and-4.
Halftime
49ers 7, Packers 6
The Packers had no problem moving the ball against the 49ers. However, it was Mission Impossible in the red zone. The Packers went 0-for-3, with a pair of 29-yard field goals by Anders Carlson sandwiching a failed fourth-and-1 sneak.
So, despite Jordan Love’s 115 passing yards including completions of 38 and 22 yards to Romeo Doubs and 27 yards to Jayden Reed, the Packers trail at halftime.
Both quarterbacks are 10-of-16 passing; the difference is Brock Purdy’s 32-yard touchdown to George Kittle.
The 49ers will get the ball to start the second half.
Injury update:
49ers WR Deebo Samuel officially is questionable with a shoulder injury but he is not in pads on the sideline s the second half begins.
Second Quarter
49ers 7, Packers 6 (5 seconds remaining)
In a huge play to end the first half, Colby Wooden blocked Jake Moody’s 48-yard field goal to keep it a one-point game. Brock Purdy converted a third-and-2 with a short pass to Jauan Jennings but his third-and-2 pass before the block sailed over Brandon Aiyuk’s head.
49ers 7, Packers 6 (4:09 remaining)
The best goal-to-go offense in NFL history couldn’t get it done on first-and-goal at the 9. A middle toss to Aaron Jones was stopped for no gain and a checkdown to Jones lost 2. On third-and-goal from the 11, Love essentially threw it away while under pressure. Anders Carlson made a 29-yard field goal, thanks to Daniel Whelan getting down a bad snap by Matt Orzech. The big play was a 22-yard completion to Romeo Doubs on third-and-7. Love was under pressure, so he extended the play to the left and hit Doubs at the sideline. The throw and the route were superb.
The 49ers will get the ball to start the second half so, needless to say, an absolutely enormous possession awaits.
49ers 7, Packers 3 (8:42 remaining)
On third-and-5, Brock Purdy rainbowed a pass to tight end George Kittle for a 32-yard touchdown. Kittle beat safety Darnell Savage at the line of scrimmage and Savage couldn’t recover. A couple plays earlier, Purdy should have been flagged for intentional grounding on a deep pass that landed in the middle of nowhere.
The Packers will lose if this is the formula: third-and-1, sneak for a first down; third-and-1, handoff to McCaffrey for a first down. After those two plays, Purdy completed passes for 16 and 10 yards.
Injury update: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder) is questionable.
Packers 3, 49ers 0 (14:30 remaining)
The big play of a promising drive came on third-and-6. Romeo Doubs was matched on cornerback Charvarius Ward. Ward slipped on the wet turf, leaving Doubs wide open for a catch-and-run gain of 38 yards that included 16 yards after the catch. Next, a one-man screen to Emanuel Wilson gained 11, with Tucker Kraft delivering a key block but getting injured on the play. At the start of the second quarter, Aaron Jones was stuffed on third-and-1 and a “Love Shove” quarterback sneak was stopped just short by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
Injury update: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel does not have a concussion and is back in the game.
First Quarter
Packers 3, 49ers 0 (4:09 remaining)
After a quick pass to Deebo Samuel gave the 49ers a first down – the 15-yard gain included 19 yards after the catch – Brock Purdy threw one right to safety Darnell Savage. Savage had a pick-six at Dallas last week and probably should have had one on this play, as well, but he dropped the pass. The Packers got off the field, though, thanks to excellent coverage turning into a sack by Preston Smith and Kenny Clark.
Injury update: 49ers WR Deebo Samuel is questionable (evaluated for a concussion).
Packers 3, 49ers 0 (7:22 remaining)
The Packers rolled the dice on the coin toss – scroll down for more on that – and were rewarded with a 29-yard field goal by Anders Carlson. Aaron Jones converted a third-and-1 with some power running and Ambry Thomas grabbed Romeo Doubs on a corner route on third-and-6, resulting in pass interference for a gain of 13 to the 13. The Niners limited the damage to a field goal. Jones was stuffed on first down and NFL pass-breakups leader Charvarius Ward broke up a third-and-8 pass to Doubs.
Jordan Love is leading the Packers into a divisional-round playoff game at the 49ers.
Photo by Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports Images
Under-Center Offense
It’s interesting to see how the Packers’ offense has changed. With former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers played mostly out of shotgun. And that’s how it’s been for most of this season, as well. However, the Packers have morphed into an under-center attack.
These numbers, courtesy Zebra Sports, are fascinating (just not to coach Matt LaFleur):
Jordan Love passing vs. Dallas
Under Center – 7/8 for 167 yards and 1 TD
Shotgun – 9/13 for 105 yards and 2 TDs
Aaron Jones rushing vs. Dallas
Under Center – 18 carries for 107 yards and 2 TDs
Shotgun – 3 carries for 11 yards and 1 TD
Aaron Jones (2023 season)
Under Center – 67 carries for 313 yards and 1 TD
Shotgun/Pistol – 75 carries for 343 yards and 1 TD
Aaron Jones (2022 season)
Under Center – 95 carries for 465 yards and 1 TD
Shotgun/Pistol – 118 carries for 656 yards and 1 TD
Jordan Love (2023 season)
Under Center – 77/106 for 946 yards, 6 TDs/2 INTs
Shotgun/Pistol – 295/471 for 3213 yards, 26 TDs/9 INTs
Aaron Rodgers (2022 season)
Under Center – 71/104 for 903 yards, 10 TDs/3 INTs
Shotgun/Pistol – 279/436 for 2792 yards, 16 TDs/9 INTs
“Where’s all these under-center questions coming from?” LaFleur said. “It just depends. It totally depends. It depends on who we’re playing. I obviously put a lot of thought into it when we’re generating the gameplan. I think you guys are making a big deal out of nothing, quite frankly, but maybe not.”
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich was more willing to discuss on Wednesday.
“You kind of give the illusion of more of a run sell, things like that,” he said. “You can tie in your play-actions, all that stuff. Everything, basically, our offense is built on that, tying in the run game with the play-actions and the keepers and stuff like that. It kind of allows you to be able to work all of those with the formations and all that.”
Packers-49ers Inactives
Critically and as expected, cornerback Jaire Alexander is active for the game. So is linebacker Isaiah McDuffie; he was being rotated in with De’Vondre Campbell alongside Quay Walker at Dallas.
Only running back AJ Dillon is inactive among key players.
For the 49ers, linebacker Dre Greenlaw is active; he was questionable with an Achilles injury. Their inactives list includes a bunch of players you might never have heard of.
Coin Flip
If the 49ers win the toss, they will defer their choice to the second half and kick the ball to Green Bay to start the game. If the Packers win the toss, they might opt to take the ball to start the game.
That’s what the Packers did in last week’s victory over Dallas. Coach Matt LaFleur’s calculated gamble paid huge dividends with the Packers driving right down the field for the opening score.
“I think the guys just feed off it,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “The confidence the coaches have in the players, their confidence, their excitement to go get the ball and go get going. Anytime you can start fast and get seven points on the board in that first drive, I think that sets the tone for the entire game.”
The risk-reward is obvious. The reward is striking first and seizing some early momentum. The reward is punting, watching the 49ers strike first and having to play from behind. And then still being behind when the opposition gets the ball to start the second half.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he hasn’t deferred outside of a preseason game. Why?
“Just to kind of lap them. That’s the advantage,” Shanahan said. “If not, I think it usually plays out even. But you’ve got a chance to get an extra possession. I didn’t used to know this or think it, but just listening to people for the last 15 years. I didn’t think about it all growing up or when I first got into the league, but watching it all now and really studying it since I was in Atlanta, I just feel pretty strong about it.”
The 49ers have scored on their opening drive in 12 of 17 games, with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. On the other hand, dating to last season, the Packers have not allowed a touchdown on an opening drive in 20 of their last 22 games.
Packers-49ers Matchups
One phase we didn’t address in our pregame package of stories is special teams. Neither unit is very good. In Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings, the Packers finished 29th and the 49ers finished 25th.
Both kickers are rookies; San Francisco’s kicker, at least, has been almost automatic on extra points.
“They got two really good return guys in Ray-Ray (McCloud) and Deebo (Samuel) on the back end. Their punter has the ability to put the ball in multiple places and multiple different ways. They’ve got a rookie kicker that’s played well for most part of the year and has had some good plays and had some misses as well. I think we’ll get some chances for some returns in the game, as well as they will.
Jordan Love is the hottest quarterback on the planet. He’ll face a strong 49ers pass defense.
Aaron Jones is the hottest running back on the planet. The 49ers’ run defense is solid but not great.
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy led the NFL in passer rating and yards per attempt. He’s good; his supporting cast is great. Can the Packers match up?
Fresh off a bye week, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey should be at full speed to attack a Packers defense that is always susceptible to the run.
