The 49ers have played a bunch of games against Green bay, and their outcome has been decidedly one-sided in recent memory. The 49ers have lost 8 straight at Lambeau Field. 6 regular season games, and 2 playoff games. Their last win being way back in 1990 in the last of Joe Montana’s healthy years as the starting Niner QB. GB’s QB was the semi-effective Don ‘Magic Man’ Majkowski, 2 years before Niner killer Brett favre joined the Pack.So it’ has been a while.
Enough about that. Yesterday’s game was a triumph of scheming by the 49ers coaching staff. The offense used it’s newfound WRs to great use. Randy Moss wasn’t on the field much (maybe 15 plays) but he had 4 catches for 47 yards, including a 14 yard TD (his 16th in Lambeau). Manningham had 4 catches for 29 yards. Crabs, 7 for 76 yards. the 15 passes for 132 yards to WRs is something the Niners couldn’t even dream of last year. Smith hit pretty much everything he threw, and ended up 20-26 and 211 yards, and no picks. Smith late in the game, passes Steve Young for most passes (185) without a pick. Frank Gore put his stamp on this game with tough runs all day. He sliced and pounded his way to 112 yards on 16 carries and one late TD.
The defense did very well themselves. In the 1st half, the Niners stuffed the run every try, and kept everything in front of them in the passing game. The Pack managed one good drive, scoring midway through the 2nd quarter. With the miraculous 63 yard FG by David (BOOOIIIIINNNGGG!!!!) Akers closing out the 1st half at 16-7, the Niners went into a scheme reminiscent of the Mike Nolan Big Sub days to start the 3rd quarter. They ran a 3-1-7 package that put their best player, Patrick Willis on the sidelines. The only linebacker in there was Navorro Bowman. It was effective through the 3rd quarter, as the 49ers built onto their lead with the 6 yard TD pass from Smith to VD, and the game was seemingly in hand.
That is, until the refs decided to give the Pack a gift TD. Barely 4 minutes into the 4th quarter, the 49ers punted from their own 14 yard line. Tex Cobb then took the punt 75 yards for a score. His reaction was classic as he then noticed a flag on the play. Replays showed at least 2 illegal blocks in the back. One on Larry Grant, and one on Anthony Dixon. Dixon said he was near the ref that made the call, and the head ref talked him out of making that call (ESPN got a chuckle out of it by saying none of the 6 illegal blocks were called on the play). After the 2 point conversion, suddenly, the Niners were only up by 8. After a quick 3 and out (and a very questionable spot by the refs on Gore’s 3rd and 2 run), Green Bay had the ball back with plenty of momentum. That is, until Navorro Bowman snuck back into coverage on a pass Rodgers was attempting to throw over the middle to Grag Jennings and picked it off for a 1st down on Green Bay’s 23 yard line. Gore then took the 1st play from scrimmage around the right side for a 23 yard score, and the Niners seemingly in comand again at 30-15.
At this point, the Niners were rushing 3 linemen, and usually one DB or LB when they switched back into their 3-2-6 package. This drive, though, they only rushed their 3 linemen and dropped everyone else into coverage. Giving Rodgers time is a recipe for disaster, and he picked apart the secondary going 6-6 for 82 yards and a touchdown to James Jones in a span of 2:36. The Niners next possession started promisingly with a nice rollout and lob pass to Bruce Miller for 15 yards. However, after Gore rush for no gain, and a 7 yard sack, the drive stalled, and Green Bay had the ball, down by 8, with 3:37 left.
This drive started with the same scheme of only rushing the linemen. Rodgers marched the Pack to the SF 45 yard line, and the tension was ratcheting up. Finally, Fangio brought in more linemen and rushed 4 and 5 guys. This led to an incomplete pass with Rodgers under heavy pressure, and a sack to bring about 4th and 10. Rodgers went deep for Nelson, but the pass was batted down on excellent coverage by Chris Culliver. End of game.
All in all, a huge win by the 49ers. Given the opponent, the location, and the horrific officiating, the 49ers overcame a ton of obstacles. Two minutes into the game, I thought Jim Harbaugh’s head was going to explode after CJ Spillman was called for an illegal block in the back. Seeing as he wasn’t a BLOCKER on the play, and he pretty much ran down the field untouched, the call was beyond terrible. This was followed up by an unsportsmanlike call on Aldon Smith for taking his helmet off after sacking Aaron Rodgers. Thing is, Smith was kicked in the facemask during the sack, and Smith’s chinstrap ended up crunching into his nose. He took his helmet off to get the strap off his face. Harbaugh again tried to talk sense to the refs, but they would have none of it. Seeing how the refs picked up the flag on the obvious block in the back on the punt later in the game only made these non-overturns even more terrible. By the time they picked up that flag, Harbaugh was laughing on the sidelines.
If those awful calls had determioned the outcome of this game, there would be serious issues. Much like the Seattle game, where the refs game Seattle 4 timouts in the 2nd half to try and score late in the game. For wat it’s worth, the shit call didn’t affect the outcome, but it very well could have.
Forty Niners Forever 
I’ll try it again. I wondered why my post got hung up. Chuck was posting new thread at the minute. So apologies for the double post.
A great post by Just RB. I couldn’t have written it myself. I wish I had.
Niners didnt get to the NFC championship game last year by accident , the cobb run back was given to him by the refs two blocks in the back that clearly gave him the corner. Then a soft 3-4 zone read for arron rodgers for a score in the (4TH Q), defense shut him down the whole game till we lightened up on him , get a clue theirs a new sheriff in town and it aint a Cheese head, congrats to the niners alex smith and the smash you in the mouth and ask questions later DEFENSE………
Have the same problem sometimes: posts are delayed or some just disappear after logging into WP. Dunno…
The thing is, I liked the fact that the refs didn’t call ticky tacky shit on pressures to QBs and WRs, but the obvious missed calls were horrible. These guys are fucking high school and D III refs. They have no business being out there. The punt return pick-up, and the penalty on Aldon Smith would not have been called by the real refs, but I think a lot more PI calls would have been made on both sides of the ball, and 2 or 3 hits on the QBs would have been called.
Who’s Just RB?
Oh, I was just reading the Smack talk on Yahoo Sports for a change of pace after watching ESPN’s highlights and analysis of the rookie QBs in their first NFL games. RG III on the UFO Coyotes was graded an A. I think that’s a fair assesment. A guy I wanted the Niners to trade up with the Pats to get (he would up going #7, so I didn’t have a clue on that one), had a pretty darn good game in his first ever Game 1 NFL start, though he’s not a rook. Christian Ponder.
Did you happen to see what Rex Ryan did with Tim Tebow? I know it’s the Bills and all, but the Jets set their franchise record for opening game offensive points. Rex had Timmie on the field as a receiver on the opening play. Then shuffled him off and on the field for the rest of the game.
Funnier than hell. The guy on ESPN debating Jaworski said “I’m going to make you think about the Kitty Kat and then I’ll let Sanchez play”. Something like that.
I won’t ruin Alex’s parade. Just enjoying my team’s victory and checking out the league.
Niners beat GB in 98, the T.O. Catch.
Heck of a game yesterday and a great start to the season.
Oops, you said at Lambeau.
NP. Yeah, I liked the one play that Cappy got yesterday on the 17 yard scramble to set up the 63 yard FG.
I think we’ll get stuff like that all year.
Great to see them being creative in the passing game, looks like they finally took off the training wheels, the game wasn’t as close as the score ended up.
Well, that’s a testament to WRs that can get open. They’ve been Crabs and squat for a while now. Morgan was OK, but losing him last year hurt the team pretty badly.
And, to answer Dennis prop bet on Crabs, he would have lost (10.5 yards for the gain) . The 1st pass to Crabs was a 15 yard slant. The SECOND pass was a 6 yard out.
Packer talking bulldust. Laughable.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000060381/article/packers-jarrett-bush-says-49ers-really-didnt-beat-us
Too funny, Snarkk:
Alex Smith was essentially flawless. Frank Gore ran wild through the Packers defense. Late in the Green Bay Packers’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers, we thought the Packers were lucky just to be in the game.
The Packers feel differently.
“We beat ourselves. They really didn’t beat us,” cornerback Jarrett Bush said after the game, via the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “We just have to hunker down and make sure we’re gap sound and get on the same page. Obviously, small things being miscommunicated on the field become big things, so they exploited us and that’s what happened.”
Oh boy. If any of this sounds familiar, let’s replay some comments from Clay Matthews this offseason about Green Bay’s playoff loss to the New York Giants.
“The fact is, (the Giants) didn’t beat us; we beat ourselves,” Matthews told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports.
Give us a break. The Giants and 49ers pushed the Packers around. Green Bay has lost three of its last five games. Their defense was generally awful for all of last season.
We’re starting to think Green Bay’s attitude that no team can actually beat them is part of the problem.
GB = Finesse team
Others weren’t quite so dumb about it:
“You have to give the 49ers credit, they won the game, you have to just respect that,” Packers safety Morgan Burnett said. “But don’t beat yourself up too hard about it because it’s early in the season, one game, and we have a quick turnaround.”
Aaron Rodgers take:
“It’s one game,” Rodgers said. “This is a team that was in the NFC championship last year. It’s a good team. Hopefully we see them down the road in the playoffs.”
Rodgers is generally a class act. I would expect nothing less from him. A Niners/Packers championship game at the Stick, I’m fine with that. We’ll roll ’em again…
Pretty much, 12th. Only the refs kept the Packers in the game. This should have been a little easier, but a win is a win. Especially in Green Bay,
Yeah, I’d love to see that, Snarkk. The Thursday Bears/GB game suddeny becomes huge for Green Bay. They could fall 2 games behind the Bears 2 games into the season. They could have more losses in 2 weeks of 2012 than they did all last season.
I definitely held my breath on the desperaton 4th down pass at the end- it wasn’t interference but I could sure see those refs calling it that way..
Also, I admit to caling Harbaugh a dumb ass for going for the 63 YD. FG that I thought had “block, TD the other way” written all over it….
Tom Jackson actually did his spiel on the game afterwards and managed to avoid even mentioining Alex..
Makes you shake your head since that’s always the story of the day when we play GB, Smith v Rodgers. Smith played superbly. I think he’s the Rodney Dangerfield of QB’s.
Just watched the game again, it looks even worse for GB when the game is dissected, they were mauled both sides of the ball and as for Jarrett “got burned” Bush he has the least reason to say we beat ourselves, he got beat so bad all game.
Alex was in his comfort zone all day, I only saw one play he missed which was he didn’t see Crabs alone in the corner end zone. That is playing at a very high standard, near perfect. Looks like he took the step we all hoped he would in the offseason. Run game, same as it ever was. Also, what a difference a training camp makes, Crabs and Alex on the same page at last, chemistry is good and looks to build over the season.
V.D. was V.D., Manningham = chain mover, Randy “freakin” Moss, nuff said.
D was awesome, can’t say I cared for the 3 man rush but big picture was it worked well enough.
Team confidence has to be brimming, there is no longer any question this team can go anywhere and play anybody and not only hope but expect to win.
And now get ready for Handshake Bowl II: “I’ve got your Schwartz!”
May the Schwartz be with you, funny movie.
I didn’t like that 3 man rush when they moved down the field and scored. I can’t remember the last time I yelled at the TV so loud. Wait, yes I can It was the last time we used the prevent. But, we had used that tactic earlier when GB had the ball and it worked, Thank God they went back to some blitz packages in the end.
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What a hardnosed game that was, I am so happy for the whole organization. I don’t care what anyone says to win in GB is something. We played 49er football yesterday and the great thing about it is it looks like we will keep getting better.
Yes, I think the biggest difference was the fact that Smith has WRs that can get open. And the fact that Smith HIT them. Yeah,. i noticed that play to Moss where the DBs all converged on him and laft Crabs wide open. No matter, as Smith threw the TD to Smith on the next play.
Threw to VD on the next play. It was also the fifth possession in a row we scored on, that’s some ball movement. 3rd down not the best but like you said, so many times we didn’t get to 3rd down.