Packers "redeem" themselves after bad loss to the Vikings with a "redemptive" win against the 49ers

 

After last Sunday’s loss to the previously 1-5 Vikings which saw the Packers allow 21 unanswered points while losing the ball on downs twice, Aaron Rodgers and company were in need of inspiration, and what better opponent but a 49er team that had blown them out twice last season, including in the NFC Championship game. Jimmy Garoppolo was out with an ankle injury, and in was Nick Mullens, who wasn’t exactly a nobody--he started eight games as a rookie in 2018, and threw for 414 yards in a game against the Seahawks--so it was still going to be at least a mental challenge for the Packers to win this “road” game on national television on a Thursday night.

Jamaal Williams was out because of COVID-19 concerns, but Aaron Jones was back and looked like he was just trying to get back in game shape. Rodgers was on target for the most part, hitting on 25 of 31 for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns. He could have been even better, save for another drop or two by Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who nonetheless atoned for it by holding onto to a floater with no one in sight for a 52-yard touchdown. Davante Adams caught 10 passes for 173 yards, and after the game he declared that in his humble opinion he was the best receiver in the NFL; unfortunately he is not the best receiver in the game when he’s not playing, because of his habit for injury.

The Packers were more or less on cruise control for three-and-a-half quarters, with the defense forcing multiple turnovers in a game for the first time all season. This would have been their most lopsided result if it hadn’t been for the defense taking a break and allowing a couple of long pass plays on one late drive, and then on the next allowing the 49ers to run practice plays to score as the clock ran out, to make it a more “respectable” final of 34-17.

This was a good “bounce-back” win for the Packers, although it should have been more a quality road win against a quality opponent on what looked like on paper a tough stretch on their schedule. Or rather a tougher stretch, because things won’t be that much easier the rest of the way, with two games against the Bears and games against a Titans team that at least started out 5-0, and the Colts improving with a rejuvenated Philip Rivers.