Packers Facing Highly Watered-Down 49ers Offense

Look at all the firepower that was on the field for the NFC Championship Game that won't be present on Thursday night.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the Green Bay Packers, Thursday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers was supposed to be the game of the year.

The 49ers walloped the Packers twice last season, including a 37-20 blowout in the NFC Championship Game. There’s no way the Packers can get a measure of revenge on Thursday. After all, a regular-season game isn’t the same as a game with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. But it would provide a litmus test to see if the Packers had made up any ground in the championship race.

Instead, the 49ers’ roster has been dismantled by injuries and, now, COVID-19. According to ManGamesLost.com (subscription required), the 49ers have been the most-injured team in the NFL both in terms of number of total games lost due to injuries and the value of those players on the sideline. One of those players is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who could miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

And if that wasn’t enough, receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19. Bourne and two “high-risk” close contacts, left tackle Trent Williams and receiver Brandon Aiyuk, won’t play on Thursday.

“Yeah, it's tough, but I think our guys are doing a great job and staying positive and confident with the guys that we have,” Garoppolo’s replacement, Nick Mullens, told 49ers beat reporters this week. “You know, there’s really no reason not to be confident. We believe in our teammates and you’ve just got to keep going. I think that’s the biggest thing. The NFL’s tough, you’re going to be dealt a different hand of cards every year. You’ve got to take it, run with it and just keep going. And that’s the locker room's mind-set.”

Mullens beat most of Brett Favre’s records at Southern Miss. but went undrafted in 2017. He has proven he belongs. In 13 career games, he’s thrown for 3,129 yards with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions; in 10 career starts, he’s averaged 282.0 yards. This season, he’s started two games and played extensively off the bench last week. He’s completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 852 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

“You can’t be a great leader if you’re not making plays,” he said. “I think you earn guys’ respect by the way you play, by the way you handle your business. I think that's how it comes first. And then, my college coach always told me it's positive influence. Just making guys better, no matter how you do it, how you relate. That's the biggest thing. And so, I think we have a great group of guys in the locker room. They're fun to be around and I'm just going to bring energy, attitude and just a little bit of grit and ready to get after it and ready to play.”

Mullens will be one of eight new starters on offense compared to the starting 11 the 49ers fielded for the NFC Championship Game.

NFC Championship Game Starting 11

QB Jimmy Garoppolo: Garoppolo suffered his second ankle injury of the season last week. He’s on injured reserve and is contemplating surgery, which would end his season.

RB Tevin Coleman: Coleman, back after missing five games with a knee injury, will miss a few more weeks after re-injuring the knee last week against Seattle. He averaged just 2.4 yards per carry in his three games. Here are the replacements, led by Jerick McKinnon.

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FB Kyle Juszczyk: Juszczyk has been selected for the last four Pro Bowls. He’s an adept receiver and superb blocker.

WR Deebo Samuel: As a rookie last year, Samuel had two catches for 50 yards with a 41-yard touchdown in the regular-season game and two catches for 46 yards in the NFC title game. After missing the first three games of the season, he’s out again with an injured hamstring. On top of that, he was deemed a “high-risk” close contact of receiver Kendrick Bourne, who has tested positive for COVID-19, and wouldn’t have been able to play, anyway. Richie James, a seventh-round pick in 2018 who has 15 career receptions but zero in 33 offensive snaps this season, is the presumptive replacement. He had a 26-yard punt return against the Packers in the title game.

WR Emmanuel Sanders: Acquired at the trade deadline last year, Sanders helped push the 49ers to the Super Bowl. He signed a two-year, $24 million deal with the Saints in free agency. First-round pick Brandon Aiyuk has been a sensation as the new starter. The receiver the Packers had targeted, he’s caught 28 passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also was deemed a “high-risk” contact of Bourne and has been placed on the COVID-19 list. Trent Taylor, who has nine catches for 77 yards, will take Aiyuk’s place. He did catch 43 passes as a rookie in 2017.

TE George Kittle: Kittle, perhaps the best all-around tight end in the NFL, is on injured reserve with a small fracture in his foot, an injury that might sideline him for the rest of the regular season. He dominated last year’s regular-season matchup with six receptions for 129 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown. He leads the Niners with 37 receptions for 474 yards. Ross Dwelley, who has six receptions for 70 yards, is the next man up.

LT Joe Staley: A six-time Pro Bowler in 13 seasons, he retired in April. The 49ers upgraded by acquiring Trent Williams from Washington for a couple of draft picks. He’s allowed four sacks, according to Pro Football Focus, but ranks eighth among offensive tackles in its pass-protection metric. Now, Williams is out, deemed a close contact of Bourne. Justin Skule will get the start. He was torched for six sacks in eight starts at left tackle last year as a rookie.

LG Laken Tomlinson: Tomlinson is the only member of the team to play 100 percent of the snaps from scrimmage. He ranks 45th out of 54 guards (50 percent playing time) in PFF’s pass protection metric.

G Ben Garland: Garland started the first five games but is on injured reserve (calf). Hroniss Grasu, a third-round pick in 2015 who has been released five times, has started the last two games.

RG Mike Person: Person was released in April and retired. Daniel Brunskill has taken his place in the lineup and played almost every snap. An undrafted free agent in 2019 who walked on at San Diego State as a tight end, he’ll make his 16th NFL start. He ranks 43rd out of 54 guards (50 percent playing time) in PFF’s pass protection metric.

RT Mike McGlinchey: The ninth pick of the 2018 draft has played all but four snaps this season. He’s allowed two sacks and 17 total pressures.

Other Three Who Played 10-Plus Snaps

RB Raheem Mostert: Coleman started but Mostert stole the show with 29 rushes for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. He’s on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.

TE Levine Toilolo: The towering tight end signed with the Giants in free agency.

WR Kendrick Bourne: Bourne, who has played the most snaps of the Niners’ receivers, was ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19. He has 25 receptions for 352 yards and one touchdown this year. He had one catch for 6 yards in the championship game and two catches for 27 yards in the regular-season game.