Official Week 4 Green Bay vs SF Thread

[eyecatcher]

It's time to talk SF.

The Green Bay Packers take their second road trip of the season to face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.

• The Packers are 3-0 for the first time since 2011 when they started 13-0. It is the third 3-0 start under Head Coach Mike McCarthy (4-0, 2007). The Packers are one of seven teams still undefeated this season.
• For the third time in the last five seasons, Green Bay has scored over 95 points in its first three games (96 in 2013 and 2015, 99 in 2011). From 1970 to 2010, the Packers only surpassed 95 points in their first three games once (115 in 1996).
• Dating back to 2014, the Packers have won five or their last seven road games during the regular season.
• Green Bay’s 41 road wins during the regular season under McCarthy are the second most in the NFC (Philadelphia-42) and the fifth most in the league since 2006 (New England-51 / Dallas-43 / Indianapolis-43).
• Dating back to 1970, the Packers have played the 49ers (30) the second most (St. Louis, 31) among teams it has not been in a division with (including playoffs).
• This will be the first time the Packers will play at Levi’s Stadium.
• Four of the last six contests between Green Bay and San Francisco have been decided by eight points or less (including playoffs).
• Since 1990, the Packers are 9-2 during the regular season in California (49ers / Raiders / Chargers / Rams), including 2-1 under McCarthy.
• Under McCarthy, the Packers are 7-5 in games played the week after appearing on Monday Night Football, including wins in five of the last seven.
• This will be just the fifth time Green Bay has played a road game the week following a game on MNF since 2006. The Packers are 3-1 in the previous contests.
• QB Aaron Rodgers has started against San Francisco six times (including playoffs), completing 147 of 221 passes for 1,712 yards, 13 touchdowns, three interceptions and a passer rating of 103.7.
• Rodgers’ six starts against San Francisco are tied for the most he has made against a non-division team (Seattle).
• The 49ers have won each of the last four matchups (including playoffs), but the Packers had won the previous eight against San Francisco.
• The series against San Francisco started in 1950 and is the ninth oldest for Green Bay (Arizona, 1921 / Chicago, 1921 / Detroit, 1930 / New York Giants, 1928 / Philadelphia, 1933 / Pittsburgh, 1933 / St. Louis, 1937 / Washington, 1932).
• Including playoffs, this will be the fifth meeting between the teams since 2012.
• Next week, Green Bay returns home to Lambeau Field to play the St. Louis Rams.

WITH THE CALL

• FOX Sports, now in its 22nd season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game to a regional audience.
• Play-by-play man Joe Buck joins color commentator Troy Aikman and sideline reporter Erin Andrews.
• Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in five states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) call the action. McCarren first joined the team’s broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 21st season calling Packers’ games. McCarren has four times been voted Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 17th season of broadcasts together.
• Compass Media Networks will air the game across the country. Matt Smith (play-by-play) and Brian Baldinger (analyst) will call the action and Jon Rothstein will host the pre, half, and post game shows.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed) as part of the network’s NFL Sunday Drive.
• DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 715.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• Green Bay is looking to start 4-0 for the first time since 2011 (13-0) and for the third time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy (2007, 4-0).
• The Packers’ offensive line has only given up three sacks in the first three games of the season (tied for sixth fewest in the NFL). It is the fewest a Green Bay offensive line has allowed in the first three games since 2010 (three).
• Dating back to 1982, the Packers have allowed four or fewer sacks through the team’s first four games twice (three in 2004 / one in 2003).
• Since Week 10 last season, Green Bay has allowed just 12 sacks, the second fewest in the NFL over that span (Baltimore, eight).
• Green Bay has registered a sack in 39 consecutive regular-season games, a franchise record and the longest current streak in the league.
• In the last two weeks, the Packers defense has held running backs Marshawn Lynch (41 yards on 15 carries) and Jamaal Charles (49 yards on 11 carries) to under 50 yards rushing each.
• If the Packers score 25 or more points, it will be just the second time (dating back to 1921) that Green Bay has recorded 25-plus points in each of its first four games of the season (2011).

OFFENSE

• If QB Aaron Rodgers throws for 300-plus yards, it will be the 42nd 300-yard passing game of his career during the regular season.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rodgers (10) joined Peyton Manning (12 in 2013) as the only QBs in NFL history to throw 10-plus touchdown passes and no interceptions in the first three games of the season.
• Rodgers has recorded a passer rating of 100-plus in each of the first four games of the season once in his career (2011, first 12 games).
• Dating back to 2014, Rodgers has not thrown an interception in 16 of the last 19 regular-season games, including the last five. The Packers are 15-1 in those games.
• Rodgers has recorded a passer rating of 100-plus in 14 of the last 19 regular-season games.
• WR Randall Cobb needs one reception to extend his streak of consecutive regular-season games with a reception to 44.
• After recording a career-best three touchdown receptions against Kansas City, Cobb looks to register multiple TD receptions in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
• Cobb and WR James Jones have each registered four touchdown receptions so far this season. Dating back to 1960, they joined Carroll Dale (1968), Keith Jackson (1996), James Lofton (1983) and Ed West (1989) as the only Packers to record four receiving touchdowns in the team’s first three games of a season.
• Dating back to last season (with Oakland in 2014), Jones has registered a touchdown reception in five of the last six games. He has totaled six touchdown receptions over that span.
• If Jones records a receiving touchdown, it will be the first time in his career he has registered one or more touchdown receptions in four consecutive games. He has recorded a touchdown reception in three consecutive games four times in his career (2011, twice in 2012, 2015).
• Cobb and Jones are the first duo in team history to both have four TD catches in the first three games of the season.

DEFENSE

• LB Clay Matthews recorded two sacks in the win over Kansas City. It was his 13th career game with two or more sacks. He is one shy of tying Tim Harris (14, 1986-90) for No. 3 in team history (Reggie White, 16; Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, 15).
• Matthews aims to register multiple sacks in back-to-back games for the fourth time in his career (2010, 2012, 2014).
• Including playoffs, Matthews has 4.5 sacks in the last three games against the 49ers.
• LB Julius Peppers is tied with DT Mike Daniels for the team lead with 2.5 sacks this season. Dating back to last season (including playoffs), Peppers has seven sacks in the last seven games.
• Over the last two games, LB Jayrone Elliott has recorded a sack, a forced fumble and an interception.
• CB Sam Shields looks to record an interception in back-to-back weeks for the first time in his career.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• K Mason Crosby (274) is four field-goal attempts short of surpassing Ryan Longwell (277) for the most in team history. In Week 2, Crosby (1,065) passed Longwell (1,054) for the franchise career scoring record.
• WR Ty Montgomery is tied for No. 3 in the NFL in kickoff return average this season (31.5). In Week 1, he recorded a kick return of 46 yards, the longest kick return by a Packer since a 70-yarder by S Micah Hyde vs. Pittsburgh on 12/22/13.
  

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. 49ers:

• Regular season, all-time:30-27-1
• All-time postseason:4-3
• All-time, at San Francisco: 11-18-1 (includes 2-2 in postseason)
• Streaks: The 49ers have won four straight, but the Packers have won 13 of the last 18 (including playoffs).
• Last meeting, regular season: Sept. 8, 2013; 49ers won, 34-28, Candlestick Park
  

COACHES CAPSULES

• Mike McCarthy: 104-55-1, .653 (incl. 7-6 postseason); 10th NFL season
• Jim Tomsula: 2-2-0, .500, 1st NFL season
• (served as interim head coach for one game in 2010)
• Head to Head: 0-0
• vs. Opponent: McCarthy 3-4 vs. 49ers; Tomsula 0-0 vs. Packers

MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his 10th year as the Packers’ 14th head coach.

• Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
• Led the Packers to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance last season, joining New England as the only two NFL teams to do so over that span. Has also led the team to seven playoff appearances in the last eight years (2007, 2009-14).
• Has guided the Packers to top-10 finishes in scoring each of the past eight seasons (2007-14), joining the Patriots as the only other team to accomplish the feat; Packers finished first overall in scoring in 2014.
• His .661 winning percentage during the regular season (96-49-1) ranks No. 3 among active NFL coaches (min. 60 games).
• Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.

JIM TOMSULA…Is in his first year as the 49ers’ 19th head coach.

• Spent the previous eight seasons (2007-14) coaching the defensive line with the 49ers. Also served as the team’s interim head coach for the final game of the 2010 season.
• Since 2007, the 49ers rank fourth in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (98.4) and rushing average (3.72). San Francisco’s defense also ranks third in the NFL in points per game allowed (19.4) and fourth in yards per game allowed (320.9).
• In 2011, San Francisco set the NFL record by not allowing a rushing touchdown in its first 14 games of the season. The team surrendered just three rushing touchdowns all year, the fewest allowed in the NFL since the league went to a 16-game schedule in 1978.
• Joined the 49ers after serving as the head coach for Rhein Fire of NFL Europa in 2006, where he was the youngest head coach in NFLE history at age 38. Tomsula served as the Berlin Thunder’s defensive coordinator for two seasons, winning World Bowl XII in his first season with a defense that ranked first in the NFLE against the run.

THE PACKERS-49ERS SERIES

• Originally dating back to 1950, the series featured two games per season from 1953-66 with the teams trading dominant stretches.
• San Francisco won 13 times in a span of 15 games between 1950-58, while the Packers won 10 of 11 games between 1959-64.
• In more recent times, the series has been noted for its postseason clashes, including several defining moments in Packers history. Green Bay’s 27-17 triumph in the 1995 NFC Divisional playoff was considered the breakthrough victory that established the Packers as an elite team for the next several years. The Packers also won the next two postseason meetings, a 35-14 home victory in the 1996 NFC Divisional playoff en route to the Super Bowl XXXI title, and a 23-10 win at San Francisco in the 1997 NFC Championship game.
• The two teams met in the playoffs for a fourth straight season in 1998, with the 49ers winning 30-27 on QB Steve Young’s last-second TD pass to WR Terrell Owens.
• Both squads faced off in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2012-13), with San Francisco coming away with wins in both.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers HC Mike McCarthy was San Francisco’s OC in 2005...Packers asst. OL coach Mike Solari served as the TEs/asst. OL coach for the 49ers from 1992-06 and the OL coach from 2010-14…Packers QB Scott Tolzien was on San Francisco’s 53-man roster in 2011-12...Packers off. quality control coach Luke Getsy was a UDFA and spent the preseason with the 49ers in 2007…Packers VP/general counsel Ed Policy’s father, Carmen, worked in San Francisco’s front office in the 1980s and 1990s, including time as president and chief executive officer…Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is from Chico, Calif., and played collegiately at Butte College in Oroville, Calif., and the University of California…Other Packers with connections to northern California include WR Davante Adams (Palo Alto), T David Bakhtiari (San Mateo), OL coach James Campen (Sacramento), WR James Jones (San Jose; San Jose State), WR Ty Montgomery (Stanford), TE Richard Rodgers (Martinez; University of California), and def. quality control coach John Rushing (Merced)…Packers LB Clay Matthews’ grandfather, Clay Sr., played DL for the 49ers for four seasons (1950, 1953-55)...49ers QB Colin Kaepernick was born in Milwaukee, Wis. ...49ers LB Nick Bellore is from Whitefish Bay, Wis. ...San Francisco’s special asst. to the HC Bill Nayes was the asst. athletic dir./dir. football operations at the University of Wisconsin…49ers strength, conditioning and nutrition asst. Kurt Schmidt earned his degree from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, and also played LB there…49ers OC Geep Chryst coached for Wisconsin-Platteville (1987) and Wisconsin (1988) and is a native of Madison, Wis. …Chryst was on the Bears coaching staff from 1991-95 while Packers TEs coach Jerry Fontenot was a player…Chryst served as the OC/QBs coach for the Chargers while Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry was a player in 1999…Chryst was the TEs/off. quality control coach for the Panthers from 2006-10 while Packers LB Julius Peppers and Packers DL coach Mike Trgovac were with the team…49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell served as Green Bay’s def. coord. from 2000-03…49ers DC Eric Mangini served as the HC for the Jets in 2006 while Packers RBs coach Sam Gash was the asst. special teams/asst. RBs coach…49ers off. asst. D.J. Boldin was an UDFA in 2009 with the Lions while Gash was the RBs coach…49ers WRs coach Ronald Curry worked alongside Perry while the two were with the Raiders in 2008…Curry played football and basketball with Peppers at UNC…49ers WRs coach Adam Henry and RBs coach Tom Rathman worked alongside Perry while the two were in Oakland from 2007-08…Rathman was also a FB for San Francisco from 1986-93 while Solari was the TEs/asst. OL coach from 1992-93…Rathman played for the L.A. Raiders in 1994 while Packers assoc. HC/LBs Winston Moss played LB…49ers special teams coord. Thomas McGaughey Jr. was a part of the Chiefs coaching staff from 2001-02 while Solari was the OL coach…49ers secondary coach Tim Lewis was selected as the 11th overall draft pick by the Packers in 1983 and played for Green Bay from 1983-86…Lewis coached the secondary for the Panthers while Trgovac and Peppers were with the team…Lewis served as the DBs coach for the Steelers while Packers special teams coord. Ron Zook and Packers college scout John Wojciechowski were with the squad…San Francisco’s asst. OL. coach Eric Wolford coached the OL while Zook was the HC for the University of Illinois from 2007-08…San Francisco’s QBs coach Steven Logan served as the RBs coach for the Buccaneers while Packers QBs/WRs coach Alex Van Pelt was the QBs coach from 2010-11…Packers RB Eddie Lacy and 49ers S Eric Reid were teammates at Dutchtown (La.) High School…Packers C Corey Linsley blocked for 49ers RB Carlos Hyde while the two played at Ohio State…Other college teammates include Packers S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and RB Eddie Lacy and 49ers WR DeAndrew White and DT Quinton Dial (Alabama), Packers LBs Clay Matthews and Nick Perry and 49ers CB Shareece Wright and C Marcus Martin (Southern California), Packers G Josh Sitton and 49ers FB Bruce Miller (Central Florida), and Packers TE Andrew Quarless and 49ers LB NaVorro Bowman (Penn State).
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON

• Sept. 8, 2013, at Candlestick Park, 49ers won, 34-28
• QB Aaron Rodgers completed 21 of 37 attempts for 333 yards and three TDs (102.6 passer rating).
• WRs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both hit the 100-yard mark as they hauled in seven receptions and a TD each.
• QB Colin Kaepernick hit 27 of 39 pass attempts for 412 yards and three TDs (129.4 passer rating).
• WR Anquan Boldin notched 13 catches for 208 yards and one TD.

Read more: http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-dope-sheet/article-1/Packers-travel-to-San-Francisco-to-play-the-49ers/1cde964d-89a0-4428-9184-c097a39f4106#ixzz3nEf9fxnI

 

[Sixty_Six_Ray]

I look for 4 in a row, next

 

[Defensewins]

This is a classic "gotta beat the teams you should" for us. The 49ers are looking horrible but we are banged up.

The Adams injury ,looking like a high ankle sprain, I'd sit him till after the bye week actually if only to get him right. If it truly is a high ankle sprain one or two weeks won't due it and our next 3 are all games we should win even without him. Though Rams do concern me but that one's at Lambeau and we strait up roll over people at home.

Gotta believe Mathews in the middle will do wonders slowing down Kaep but he'll still make a few plays with his legs.

The concern going forward is we have zero deep threat outside of free plays. But that's just something we'll have to deal with going forward unless Adams gets his ankle right and his route running improves enough to open up the long ball or Janis somehow becomes the guys that everybody but me apparently thinks he can become.

All in all we're in good shape and the next 3 weeks are just about taking care of business and winning the games you should. No guarantees in the NFL though

 

[ReasonablySober]

The Niners look bad.....like 4-12 bad. That said, Capers has never been able to draw up an adequate game plan against Kaepernick, so until he does, I'll still be worrying in the back of my mind that he's going to run for 100+ on us. Granted, he looks absolutely terrible right now, so I'm still expecting us to shut him down.

Their "confidence" in knowing they haven't lost to us in the last 3 years is irrelevant seeing as that was with guys like Willis, Borland, Justin and Aldon Smith, Frank Gore, Crabtree, etc. All of whom aren't on the team anymore.

W 34-17

 

[ChampionshipBelt]

Protect AR and he will have a field day against this secondary. Arizona and Carson Palmer had a field day. Palmer is good but not AR good.

If Raji and Daniels keep playing at their level then Hyde should not do anything. Make Kap throw to win and we should get a TO or two.

W 38-24

 

[BratsnBeers]

The Niners look bad.....like 4-12 bad. That said, Capers has never been able to draw up an adequate game plan against Kaepernick, so until he does, I'll still be worrying in the back of my mind that he's going to run for 100+ on us. Granted, he looks absolutely terrible right now, so I'm still expecting us to shut him down.

Their "confidence" in knowing they haven't lost to us in the last 3 years is irrelevant seeing as that was with guys like Willis, Borland, Justin and Aldon Smith, Frank Gore, Crabtree, etc. All of whom aren't on the team anymore.

W 34-17

Don't you think we'll handle Kapernick/Hyde to probably about the same extent we handled Wilson/Lynch? Or do you see something different that Kap does that makes him harder for us to stop than Wilson et al? I haven't seen SF play in a long time.
I think this D has come a long way from the squad that he ran wild on- we're getting pressure while keeping contain, guys are flying to the ball without over-pursuing, we're much stouter up front, and we're not getting completely destroyed when trying to cover TEs, etc.

 

[Da-news-now]

Green Bay — The Green Bay Packers were without a handful of players at practice Wednesday during their first dose of work to prepare for the San Francisco 49ers.

- Wide receiver Davante Adams was absent as he continues to rehab an injured ankle.
- Right tackle Bryan Bulaga remains sidelined after tearing cartilage in his left knee.
- Safety Morgan Burnett is still unable to practice due to a lingering calf problem.
- Defensive back Demetri Goodson is dealing with a hamstring issue.
- Linebacker Jake Ryan missed his first practice of the season with an unknown injury.
- Tight end Andrew Quarless did not practice after suffering a sprained knee against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Continue reading...

 

[GBP4EVER]

If the Packers can limit Kaepernick from having huge plays like he has in the past against them the Packers win this one 31-20.

 

[rpiotr01]

From Bob McGinn's article on their roster:

San Francisco's turmoil in 2015 includes retirements by right tackle Anthony Davis, defensive end Justin Smith and inside linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, and the departures of wide receiver Michael Crabtree, guard Mike Iupati, running back Frank Gore, defensive end Ray McDonald, outside linebacker Aldon Smith, cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox and punter Andy Lee.

Every one of those guys was an impact player. 49er D has given up 40+ in their last two (albeit road) games. KC's front 7 is much better than SFs but they had no answer for GB in the secondary. 49er front 7 is nowhere near that and their secondary also has no answer for what GB can do on offense. GB should have no trouble scoring some points.

On D our OLB need to contain Kaepernick and prevent him from scrambling outside. Their interior OL is not good and Raji, Daniels and Guion should be able to get pressure and create some havoc in there. Boldin has always been a thorn in our side and Torrey Smith is a good receiver. Hyde is a tough RB but after holding Lynch and Charles to about 50 yards each we should be able to handle him.

The one wild card, of course, is home versus road performance. Every year is different, and we only have one road data point so far this year so can't draw any conclusions really based on one game - likewise for SF and their one home game. Road games are just tougher, and GB loses the crowd/offsides home advantage that they enjoyed for the past two weeks. On paper GB should win running away but still too early in the year to say that with much confidence.

 

[realitybytes]

...

• Green Bay’s 41 road wins during the regular season under McCarthy are the second most in the NFC (Philadelphia-42) and the fifth most in the league since 2006 (New England-51 / Dallas-43 / Indianapolis-43)...

for some reason i thought dallas was in the nfc.