Podcast: 49ers & NFC West Free Agency Updates →
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports


Anticipating Changes the Packers Offense will make from Week 12‘s Loss to the 49ers

Jan 18, 2020 at 1:35 PM3


In Green Bay's Week 12 drubbing at the hands of the 49ers, the game was effectively over at 23-0 before their offense was able to put any points on the board. The Packers will need to have a radically different game plan this time around. Here are some adjustments I'm expecting Green Bay to make for the NFC Championship game.

The Packers can get a lot more creative with Davante Adams. Adams is far and away the most dynamic Green Bay receiver; he led the team with 83 catches this season, while no other wide receiver had more than 35. And that's with him missing four games. Adams was targeted 12 times in the Week 12 encounter but was able to turn those targets into only 43 receiving yards. The 49ers were able to keep Adams from getting behind them for a big play, largely due to the their pass rush being so effective in hurrying Rodgers and not allowing him the time to drive the ball down the field. The personnel matchup in the trenches will be essentially the same as Week 12 now that the 49ers front is fully healthy, so Green Bay will need to design ways to get Adams into space.

It will be fascinating to see how the 49ers choose to deploy Richard Sherman in this matchup. They typically like to leave him on the left side of the defense and not have him shadow the opposing team's #1 wideout, but with such a extreme gap in ability and experience between Adams and the rest of the Green Bay receiver corps they may want to reconsider that strategy depending on game flow. On the Packers' part I expect them to move Adams to the left flank of their formations, away from Sherman, whenever possible. Opposite corner Emmanuel Moseley has played very well recently, but there's still an enormous gap in experience between the future Hall of Famer Sherman and the relatively inexperienced Moseley. It also would not surprise me if Green Bay puts Adams in motion more frequently and uses him from the slot, to ensure Adams gets a clean release and the 49ers defense can't double him. The Packers scored their first touchdown of the game in Week 12 on a jet sweep to a motioning Adams, and I expect them to employ more play concepts like that with him this time around.

Green Bay will need to do something to slow down the 49ers pass rush, which completely overwhelmed it in Week 12, sacking Rodgers five times. One countermeasure the Packers can employ is to get Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams more involved in the screen and passing game, and even for them to be in the backfield at the same time in screens involving misdirection. The 49ers linebackers are some of the fastest in the league, especially with the explosive Kwon Alexander healthy, but they comprise the most inexperienced area of the defense. I anticipate Green Bay will try to confuse them and get them out of position, using screens and draws to pull them towards the line of scrimmage and then using the aforementioned Adams out of the slot to get in behind them.

Regardless, it's the Green Bay offense that needs to make adjustments to attack the 49ers defense, not the other way around. That's an ideal position to be in, making the other team change what it does best in order to play you, and shows the tremendous job the front office has done in building a complete roster.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.


3 Comments

  • GM
    49ers front is not “essentially the same.” Dee Ford makes everyone on the line better exponentially. Although Jones was lost, Mitchell started before Jones, is rested and did an admirable job against the Vikes. Cook is a better player than A Jones and the 49ers shut him down completely. Expect the same results.
    Jan 19, 2020 at 8:24 AM
    0
  • PJNiner
    49ers best Chiefs in the Super Bowl, 42 to 31! Book it!
    Jan 19, 2020 at 8:09 AM
    0
  • JJ37
    The Niners are NOT completely healthy on defense. Dee Ford is back and that will be big, but their starting nose tackle, DJ Jones, who blew up the Packers last time, is out for the year as is his back up Julian Taylor. The position was a disaster after both went down, but has been better since they resigned Earl Mitchell. None-the-less, if the Packers can run the ball (and Aaron Jones has had a pretty good year), the impact of the pass rush will be mitigated. Everything else you say makes sense, but it's all secondary to this.
    Jan 18, 2020 at 3:41 PM
    1

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



Jason Kelce: 49ers adding Javon Hargrave "not going to make it any easier" for Eagles

By David Bonilla
Mar 19

Adding Javon Hargrave was a huge (and shocking) addition by the San Francisco 49ers. While it seems like a perfect fit and addresses a significant team need, no one saw it coming. The Niners didn't have considerable salary cap space, so signing Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million deal was unexpected. The former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle, nicknamed "Grave Digger," joins a defensive line that includes NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, bolstering the middle of that unit. One of the defender's former teammates is happy for Hargrave and his financial good fortune. However, he also knows the loss could be problematic for the defending NFC champions in the upcoming season. "I'm happy for my man, Grave Digger," Eagles



Packers sign former 49ers DB Tarvarius Moore

By David Bonilla
Mar 17

The Green Bay Packers have reportedly signed former San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tarvarius Moore, an unrestricted free agent. The #Packers have signed former #49ers safety Tarvarius Moore.— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 17,



Packers' Christian Watson: 49ers QB Trey Lance has "everything that it takes"

By David Bonilla
Mar 23

Trey Lance entered this past season as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. However, a season-ending ankle injury during Week 2 ended his 2022 campaign, opening the door for Jimmy Garoppolo and, eventually, rookie Brock Purdy. Purdy, the last overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, showed that he could play at the pro level. The first-year passer entered the game for an injured Garoppolo, leading the 49ers to a Week 13 win over the Miami Dolphins, followed by seven consecutive victories as a starter. Had Purdy not suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he would likely be the undisputed Week 1 starter for the 2023 season. Of course, the 49ers



Assessing the 49ers roster and needs after one week of free agency

By Kirk Larrabee
Mar 17

The first wave of free agency has come and gone, and the 49ers have had to say goodbye to a number of familiar faces while welcoming a few new ones. There's been a good amount of shuffling over the past week, but one thing remains clear -- the 49ers still have one of the best rosters in the NFL. There's still more players to be added in the weeks ahead, both in the draft and in free agency. The 49ers still need depth and competition in a few areas, and maybe a new starter in a key spot on special teams. But with the way things look now, the 49ers could be looking at a fairly complete roster with very few weaknesses once they're done with their offseason moves. Here's a look at where things stand by position as of March 17, along with some thoughts on where the


Featured

More by Erik Utter

More Articles

Share 49ersWebzone