SB Nation - Aubrayo Franklin

Who Would You Take From The San Francisco 49ers?

Andrew602 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:01:25 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Adding Patrick Willis to the Cardinals would bring more leadership and vastly improve the Cardinals run-defense.

With the Monday night match up not far ahead, we can start preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers. It may sound difficult to want any players from a division rival on the Arizona Cardinals, but in all honesty, the 49ers are filled with talent. Their 5-7 record may not show it, but the 49ers have one of the best defenses in the league and are starting to gel on offense. Remember that who you pick can be a young or older player, a starter or a back up, etc. You can also take their current contract status into consideration, as if we were actually signing the player. Also look at who may be leaving our team after this season. Here are some of my picks.

Before you look over the list, head over to Niners Nation to check out who they have interest in taking from our very own Cardinals and make sure to voice your opinion if you feel they're overlooking some certain players.

Patrick Willis, LB: This had to be the easiest/most obvious pick from the 49ers. He's a tackling machine(123 tackles leads the league) and has really developed to be one of the best linebackers in the league. Willis is a smart defender that can play the run(as their 5th ranked 95.4 rushing yards per game shows), and he's improving in coverage(6 PD, 2 INT). The former rookie of the year is only 24 years old, and with the uncertainty of Karlos Dansby returning next season, adding Willis would fill a tremendous need.

Vernon Davis, TE: As much as it pains me to say, I would like to have Vernon Davis as a Cardinal. He seems to have turned a new leaf this season and it's showed on the field. Already being a dominant run-blocker, Davis has turned it up a notch at the receiving end and is currently tied with Larry Fitzgerald with a league-leading 10 receiving touchdowns on the year. Adding Davis would surely fix our tight end situation and give us a young receiving/blocking tight end for years. Doesn't it seem like most teams have better tight ends then the Cardinals?

Aubrayo Franklin, DT: Franklin has gradually developed into one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the league. He's also one of the more underrated defenders on the 49ers. The 49ers have had much success stopping the run and much of that stems from Franklin's ability to fill the defensive gaps. He seems to be ever-improving all facets of his game, as he's recorded 2 sacks on the year and also has 1 interception. With Bryan Robinson's age becoming a liability, and the uncertainty of Alan Branch and Gabe Watson, adding Franklin would leave no Cardinals fans worried about the defensive tackle position.

Joe Staley, OT: Staley returns to action this upcoming Monday and the former 1st round pick has been missed by the 49ers. Although Barry Sims has filled in with solid play at tackle, he's not as well rounded as Staley has been the last two seasons. He's still developing but his pass-protection would be greatly welcomed in Arizona. In the seven games this year, Staley has only allowed 2 sacks and hasn't committed any penalties. With how Levi Brown and Mike Gandyhave fared this season, adding Staley would fill a large void.

Honorable mentions: Nate Clements, Justin Smith, Manny Lawson

Ok so that's my list for this week. Don't forget to see what the Niners fans are saying and who they'd pick over at Niners Nation. Who would you take from the 49ers and why?

Max Unger in the Trenches; Josh Wilson on the Sideline

John Morgan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:49:27 -0000

It's hard enough to get a read on a corner in quarter, but when that corner subs out, it's impossible. Jordan Babineaux played left cornerback and Marcus Trufant right. Lawyer Milloy substituted for Babineaux at safety. So it was for most of the quarter. Josh Wilson made one important play, contacting Josh Morgan on a short pass on third and 10, and throwing Morgan out bounds to end the drive and stop the clock.

Unger didn't have anymore big moments during the half, but at least he was getting snaps. He single blocked twice to open the next drive. He held on both plays and on the first, finished by chucking his man right. Power, the missing component in Unger's game. He moved left with the pocket on the next play and controlled the left defensive end. Unger struck the nose tackle, lost the block, recovered and buried him on a run up the middle that went nowhere. Chris Spencer helped double the nose on Matt Hasselbeck's long pass to Nate Burleson, a pass that fell one yard short of awesome and one yard long of interception.

Unger has improved as a pull blocker. He is no longer driven back. He doesn't struggle to release or release too late. Unger pulled forward and engaged Patrick Willis, but Willis stood tall and kept the struggle in the hole. Justin Forsett ran left for five.

The 49ers blitzed on the next play, and with superior numbers and overloading the edges, caved the exterior pocket and threatened a group sack. Unger let Ray McDonald achieve a stride on him. McDonald slashed around Unger's right shoulder and towards Hasselbeck, but as the pocket warped and collapsed around him, Hasselbeck stepped forward and negated the entire rush. Unger shadowed McDonald and cleared as Hasselbeck stepped up and scrambled for 23. Moments like this remind that Seneca Wallace may have the legs, but smarts make smart quarterback scrambles.

The entire Seahawks line surged left and Spencer blew back Aubrayo Franklin. Unger never got a chance. The cutback lane tore open to the offensive right, but Julius Jones skipped the hole and hit the pile. The run went for two.

Hasselbeck pumped and scrambled himself into pressure on the next play. It was ugly all around, but Unger kept his head in it and his quarterback clean.

The drive ended with Unger reading and picking up a defensive end stunt. To his left, Michael Lewis exploded through the line untouched and forced a fumble. It was a curious play to say the least. Spencer pointed left, identifying the blitzer. Then Hasselbeck looked like he was audibling and Forsett shifted from left to right. It's the second time we've seen Forsett on the wrong side attempting to pick up a blitz. The announcers commended him for it the first time. He didn't luck into a recovery this time.

There wasn't much more of the quarter to speak of. Seattle regained possession, but managed little before running out the clock. Unger released well on the screen attempt right, but the rest of Seatle's line was AWOL. Jones slipped out of bounds for a loss of two. Unger controlled his man on another nice looking deep route by Deion Branch, but the pass sailed nowhere and luckily to no one. Unger finished with a good block on McDonald. McDonald, you might remember, owned Unger in week two.

Max Unger Bullies Dre Bly as Justin Forsett Charges By

John Morgan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:14:36 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

It took a lockdown by Chris Spencer, a cut by Rob Sims and pancake by Max Unger to score Seattle's second touchdown.

Browse more photos »

As Fox would have it, my broadcast didn't start until the second quarter. It's Seattle ball, third and one on the Seahawks 22. As fate would have it, the Seahawks drove down the field and scored to pull ahead 14-7.

Max Unger mostly did yeoman's work. He started with a modest single block. The next play he pulled out with better release than previously shown and was able to cut across the field and lead block for Julius Jones on the right. Unger ran a long way but never did block anyone. On the third play of the quarter, he single blocked the left defensive end and again held his ground. Seattle had converted two firsts on three plays and gained 26 yards.

Unger was uncovered. Chris Spencer took on the nose and Ray Willis the left defensive end. Unger pulled out and attempted to block out Takeo Spikes, but Spikes started right of center and read and reacted to the play before Unger could pull out and engage him. Spikes capped the hole and took part in the tackle of Just Forsett after a gain of one.

He put a glancing block on the nose tackle when the Seahawks line shifted left. Matt Hasselbeck rolled right and released before Unger could factor further. Hasselbeck found Burleson for eight and a new set of downs. Forsett ran behind right guard on the following play, and Unger teamed with Spencer to turn the nose guard. Seattle fought hard for three.

Finally we see Unger get beat, but unlike previous weeks, Unger wasn't beat back, discarded, thrown or knocked over. Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin bested him off the snap, but Unger recovered, showing the tenacity he showed at Oregon, and getting stout when it mattered. Franklin pushed no further.

He double teamed the left defensive end on the next two plays. In the first, he attempted to slide off Isaac Sopoaga and block into the second level but never found his man. He held ground but didn't factor otherwise on the second play. Jones attempted a cut block on Manny Lawson, succeeded only in bouncing off Lawson, scrambled to his feet and caught Hasselbeck's outlet pass. The play went for -2.

Forsett curled, caught and unwound towards the end zone to score six and give Seattle the lead. He was in before a defender could touch him. Spencer pulled out immediately and wormed into Willis' body. Last season, Spencer slammed Willis but Willis slammed back, separating and tackling Jones after eight. This time, Spencer stayed with Willis, not attempting the knockdown block, but keeping on him, staying square and jogging the All Pro into the end zone. Sims pulled late but cut Mark Roman on a crucial backside block. Unger pulled cleanly, found Dre Bly and threw a schoolyard beatdown on the former Pro Bowler. He squared, coiled and blocked Bly into the air and onto his back. Touchdown.

2010 Pro Bowl Ballot: Your 49ers need you

Fooch — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:14 -0000

Consider this your daily reminder to vote for your San Francisco 49ers on the 2010 Pro Bowl ballot. Remember that you can vote for as few or as many positions on the ballot as you want. So if you just want to vote for Vernon Davis, Aubrayo Franklin, Patrick Willis, and Andy Lee among others, it's quite simple to do. Most days it will be a simple FanShot, but for today I thought I'd put together the cases for a few of our favorite 49ers. I realize most people aren't all that interested in the Pro Bowl game itself, but national recognition is always welcome, especially when the players truly deserve it.

Vernon Davis: Davis continued his breakout season with 6 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville. On the season, Davis has 57 receptions, 670 yards and 9 touchdowns. Those numbers in the NFC for respectively third, first and first. Davis also has 10 catches for over twenty yards, which is also good for first in the league. There are bigger national names (Gonzalez and Witten), but I really think Davis is having the best year of any NFC tight end.

Patrick Willis: What else needs to be said about Mr. Consistently Great? Even as the defense around him improves, Bamm Bamm continues to put up obscene tackle totals, while make big plays across the field, all game long. Among linebackers, Willis is second in the NFC with 107 total tackles, tied for eleventh with 3 sacks (tied for most among NFC ILBs), tied for first with 8 pass deflections, second in interceptions, is one of two NFC ILBs with a touchdown, and also has forced a pair of fumbles. The man remains an absolute playmaking beast.

Andy Lee: Andy Lee for MVP indeed. Lee's leg is a freakish weapon for the 49ers. We'd all like more offense, but if the offense stalls out, we know Lee will more likely than not pin a team back. Jacksonville even elected to take a 5 yard penalty at the end of a return rather than let Lee have a second chance to pin them deep. Among NFC punters, Lee is first in gross and net average, and this comes on a league-leading 66 punts. Not a great stat for the offense, but it shows an amazing level of consistency from Lee. He's second with 10 downed punts, and fourth with 20 punts inside the 20. On returns, opposing teams are only getting 5 or so yards per, showing an ability to not out-kick his coverage.

Aubrayo Franklin: Franklin has quietly (outside of the Bay Area it's quiet) put together an immensely entertaining season. A nose tackle in the 3-4 is expected to do a lot of the dirty work, but Franklin has stepped up to become a playmaker for this defense. It's hard to truly assess his work because a lot of time his play involves opening holes for the inside linebackers to make plays. Individually, Franklin has 28 tackles (5 for a loss), 2 sacks and a huge redzone interception against Chicago. However, on top of that is the fact that one could argue he's been a key in the 49ers ability to stuff the inside run. The 49ers have given up 3.6 yards per carry (tied for 2nd in the NFL), and most rushing damage has come outside the tackles. Franklin has either plugged up the middle, or provided space for Willis and Spikes to shut down the middle. Some argue it's a walk-year performance, but he really began building this early last season.

One guy I didn't include, but probably deserves more recognition than he gets is Justin Smith. Smith has 40 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles on the season but doesn't get much publicity for the Pro Bowl. The problem for him, like a guy like Aubrayo Franklin, is that a 3-4 defensive end isn't exactly a glamor position. However, every game Justin Smith does something that stands out as a huge play. I think he's a guy worth including on your Pro Bowl ballot. So, when you get a chance, head over and submit your Pro Bowl ballot, multiple times if you'd like. Remember that you don't need to fill out every single position.

49ers-Jaguars: Thursday Injury Report

Fooch — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:57:39 -0000

Hope everybody is having a good Thanksgiving. We've got our Thanksgiving open thread if you want to chat about any of today's games. I wanted to get this posted before the food coma completely overwhelmed me. We've got the injury report here, followed by OC Jimmy Raye's post-practice press conference transcript.

We had some interesting comments from Jimmy Raye, including the fact that Isaac Bruce will not be active Sunday and Brandon Jones will be. Jones will be backing up Crabtree at the X position, but will also be the spot guy when Morgan comes off the field. Also, the third question addresses the shotgun statistics. I'm curious what people will have to say about that.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Arnaz Battle (ankle)
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
DT Aubrayo Franklin (not injury related)
S Michael Lewis (quadricep)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Limited Participation in Practice
CB Marcus Hudson (back)

Full Participation in Practice
G David Baas (ankle)
CB Tarell Brown (knee)
S Reggie Smith (abdomen)
OT Adam Snyder (shoulder)
LB Patrick Willis (shoulder)
S Curtis Taylor (knee)

Jaguars
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Rashean Mathis (groin)

Full Participation in Practice
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee)
WR Mike Sims-Walker (knee)

OC Jimmy Raye's press conference transcript after the jump...

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Practice - November 26, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On which receivers play where with Isaac Bruce down:

"Basically, it gives Josh Morgan a transition when we go three-wide and that would bring Brandon Jones as the spot player. He would back up X. Jason Hill would be the back up Z. [Michael] Crabtree would stay at X. So, we would get the addition of Brandon Jones."

On who starts where:

"[Michael] Crabtree starts at X, [Josh] Morgan starts at Z. Jason Hill backs up Z. Brandon Jones backs up X. Then three wides, Josh transitions from Z to X and Jason Hill becomes the Z."

On why the statistics are better from the quarterback in the shotgun:

"I don't think that it is a coincidence. I know the time we did it, the score was 23-3. The quantity of the yards and quality of the yards has to be measured by the score and the time in the game. I don't think the formation per se had a whole lot to do with it. The fact that we were in a semi-rally mode because we were down by four scores had something to do with it. We converted third downs, which meant we got more plays. After the first drive in the game, we went three-and-out three straight times, and when we looked up, the score was 20-3, which totally changed the complexion of the game and the thought process and plan of the game. Then, the play prior to the two-minute warning, we could have kept them off the field on 3^rd-and-7 and we didn't convert. Then they went back and got another score to make it 23-3. So, there wasn't really any reason to be in ‘21' personnel and having the quarterback operating from under center. So, the score of the game and flavor of the game kind of dictated that. If you recall in that game, the first drive in that game, we were 3^rd and less than one in a position to score, and none of those plays were out of the gun. We missed and opted to kick the field goal to make the score 3-3. From that point on, offensively, it was downhill."

On whether the offense is in transition:

"I think this offense has been in transition since I've been here. You name a week that we haven't been in transition, from an injury standpoint, from a runner standpoint, a receiver standpoint, an offensive line standpoint. The thing we have been is in transition. I don't know what exactly your question is, in terms of this offense being in transition, but in terms of continuity and players, it's been a constant flow of transition."

On Alex's next step:

"I think Alex so far, his maturation in the 14 quarters, has been very good. I would anticipate going forward that as we improve in other areas of our play offensively, his growth will continue. He's become a little more assertive. You've got to remember that as he and the offense become more compatible and friendly, I think the less anxiety he'll have as he anticipates and knows the players he's playing with, and not thinking about the calls he makes, but he has internalized that. I am hopeful his growth and maturation will be something that will be very good."

On what he means by Alex being assertive and whether he tells him what he likes:

"I don't think that's a measure of assertion. He [Alex] plays and we coach. He has the opportunity to ‘red line' his wish list. The quarterbacks get a wish list at the beginning of every week. They get to list in priority the things they like and the things they don't like. They get to red line things they don't want or don't feel comfortable with, or they can suggest things they'd rather have. As I tell them and all of the players, it's democratic, but it's not 50-50 because they don't spend as much time looking at it or preparing as we do. So, their suggestions are all listened to, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll all be used. That's not just him, but that's all of the offensive players. His mannerisms and assertion, in terms of his leadership with the players he's in the huddle with, and his presence in the meeting room and film sessions, all of that has been a win-win. Alex is a very bright individual. As he gains confidence, the more his intelligence plays to his physical ability. I hope that is what we're witnessing. Only winning and time will tell that."

On the percentage of plays Alex red lines during the week:

"It varies. There are some things that are lengthy call-wise or protection-wise that may be a little queasy that when we worked them in practice, he didn't get the look that we had shown him or he anticipated or he didn't feel as good about dialing them in the game, as he does some other things. It's not a vast change. It's nothing like John Brodie, where he was going to run what he wanted to run and the hell with the plan because he called his own plays back then. It's enough to know and have a feel for what calms the anxiety in certain calls and where he feels most comfortable with things. We try not to have a whole lot of variance of new things so he doesn't have the anxiety of that."

On whether he can recognize body language from his viewpoint during the game:

"Sure. I'm learning him. I know this having coached long enough and called plays enough to know when you go 1-to-1 pass, you're an accident waiting to happen. So, if any play caller, even with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, you start dialing the pass repetitively, 1-to-1, something is going to happen. You have to try to sense the protection and sense the spacing in the passing game I'm speaking of. Whether he's getting hit because getting hit is more difficult for a quarterback than getting sacked. So, you have to gauge the protection, and if he's getting hit, you have gauge the coverage element and how much pressure you're getting by down and distance and how close you are to 1-and-1 and try to keep him out of a situation where something bad could happen, as far as turning the ball over. So, yeah, I can sense that."

On when things will click for Alex and the team waiting for the quarterback for everything to come together:

"I think if the team is waiting on the quarterback, then they have missed the boat. If they're waiting on the quarterback, then we're way off whack. The quarterback play has been very good, and at times, has even tilted towards being outstanding. So, if that is what the team is waiting on, the quarterback, then we're going down the wrong road. The team, as we're going forward in this drive and in this run to win the game this Sunday, the team needs to do the best that they can individually and the pieces will fit if we execute, and it won't be because of the quarterback."

On Alex Smith showing signs that he can be good player in the NFL:

"I think that he has demonstrated that. What you have to understand, if you go back and look at the development of some of the outstanding quarterbacks in this league, he's in his fourth or fifth year with a two-year hiatus where he didn't play at all. He's had four or five different systems, but he demonstrates in portions of games. You don't find many quarterbacks that throw three touchdown passes in second halves of games, be it behind or be it in the league. Once you do that, you do it. It has nothing to do with the score or the team or the opponent or if they're playing bend don't break or any of that. Once you do that, you do it and he has demonstrated on several occasions that he is capable of scoring points with the ball and that's the function of the position and throwing it. So, I would say that yeah, he's well on his way if his maturity and all of the other things that it takes to play the position - he's tough enough, he has escapabilty, he can ad-lib a play, he kept a play alive in the third quarter- got a first down with his feet and legs running the ball - so he has those things. It's his confidence that we're continuing to expand to let him be the best that he can be. Now, whether that will be good or in the upper echelon of the NFL, I don't know, but he certainly has a chance to be good enough."

On his observation of Smith's performance against Green Bay defense in the second half:

"Well, I think that they were trying not to give up the strike over the top ball, but became vulnerable to the deep ball with the style of secondary coverage that they were playing. Then they had to shift gears and try to pressure him and see if they could get the ball to come out quicker to negate [TE] Vernon Davis' speed and [WR Michael] Crabtree's verticalness up the field, so they tried to pressure him. When they tried to pressure him, he hit them. When they tried to defend, he hit them. So, then they got to a point where they mixed the pressure and mixed the coverage and he was still able to move the ball and I think that the last score that we went in on, there was 5:48 left in the game and they were in a different mode on their boundary - totally different, because they hadn't figured out a way to curtail what he was doing."

Golden Nuggets: Gonna be a good day

Ninjames — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:00:18 -0000

Good morning everyone! It's gameday, as I'm sure you know.. I'm writing this just after rewatching UFC 106 and man am I tired. I'm also pumped at the same time, which is a weird feeling. I'm stoked because the fights were good and now everyone in my house is hyping up the game tomorrow. I should have a good amount of links tonight though I'm writing this before checking, I bet I'll have a bunch of previews and the like, probably some notes and quotes and all that good stuff. I'll be participating in the gameday thread for the first time this season so I mean.. with some star power such as myself.. should be a good thread, right?! Anyway, as you can probably tell I'm incredibly tired so I'll get right to the links before I completely embarrass myself. Enjoy 'em all, and as always... Go Niners!!

This debate will probably never be settled, even if Alex Smith continues to bust and Aaron Rodgers continues to impress. What is the best way to handle a rookie quarterback? Sit and learn 'im or start him right away. Also, I will strike anyone who actually assumes "learn 'im" was anything but completely intentional and not an actual part of my vocabulary. (SacBee.com)

Here's the scouting report from Barrows, a pretty good breakdown on what's going to happen today. (SacBee.com)

If you can't watch the game be sure to check out the game center at NFL.com. Interestingly enough, at the time of writing this the poll for "who will win today" is 50/50 right now. (NFL.com)

The 49ers have been showing balance from the shotgun formation, being surprisingly productive at running the ball from it. (PressDemocrat.com)

Here's a preview from the Chronicle. (SFGate.com)

NFL.com also has a video preview which I keep forgetting about. (NFL.com)

The 49ers should definitely use their franchise tag on Aubrayo Franklin if they can't get him extended. (Examiner.com)

Another preview from a site I'm not really fond of, but you may like. (SportingNews.com)

And another one from a site I've never even heard of. (GearUpForSports.com)

Huh.. in this preview they clearly state that the 49ers have a better defensive line and then say "Advantage - Packers." I also think that the 49ers have better linebackers, and it's not even close. (JSOnline.com)

Curious to know what games you'll be getting in your area on Sunday? I've always found this site to be incredibly helpful. Well, I have Sunday ticket now... but yeah. (The506.com)

The 49ers links are done for now (couldn't find as many links, surprisingly) but I found this little gem while browsing our resident Broncos blog today... I think we can all smile and feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside that our bay-area rivals picked a wide receiver over Michael Crabtree who happens to have a negative column named after him--mostly due from being the star of said column. Give it a look see. (MileHighReport.com)

49ers-Packers: The World According to Madden

Ninjames — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:00:12 -0000

Aaaand, I'm back on for the Saturday Simulation of the Sunday games. Fooch sent me an email and my replacement er... needed a replacement, so you're back to reading my colorful commentary! Basically I put in Madden NFL 10 for the Xbox 360 and set it to All-Madden and spectate a game in its entirety and provide commentary. Now, Madden isn't a perfect simulation, but it is a step up from past installments and this is just an interesting take on things as opposed to a raw simulation.

The latest roster update for the game actually occurred either late last night or early this morning and I've got it. I took the liberty of moving a few players out of the lineup and switched around some of the depth to make it more accurate. For instance Nate Clements was still in the lineup, now he's off the depth chart. The WRs were a bit out of order but after #1 and #2 it's hard to distinguish who goes where anyway. Currently I have Isaac Bruce at #3 and Jason Hill at #4. Arnaz Battle will likely only see the field on returns.

Before I begin let me just express my gratitude to the folks who do the roster updates, the big guy Aubrayo Franklin got his second boost in as many updates! When Madden NFL 10 shipped Aubrayo Franklin was rated a measly 66 overall, the lowest starting NT in the game. An average starter is around 76-78. With the update a few weeks ago Franklin got some recognition and went up to 79, and much to my (awesome) surprise when I got on today Franklin was updated all the way to 88! Lets see how he performs...

49ers First Drive The Niners win the toss and elect to receive. Robinson takes it and downs the ball for a touchback. Alex Smith leads the 49ers out to the 20-yard line. It's a handoff to the right side and Frank Gore takes it with superb blocking 12 yards before being taken down. 1st and 10 and the team lines up in I formation. Gore takes another handoff and looks to be good for another ten yards but FB Moran Norris misses a block and Frank is dragged down after five yards bringing up 2nd and 5. From the offset I formation Vernon Davis motions to the right side and it's another handoff to Frank Gore... nope, it's a play action pass as Smith avoids a sack and delivers a high ball to WR Michael Crabtree who goes up and snags it between two defenders and gets a couple YAC. After the 30-yard gain the 49ers set up 1st and 10at the Packers 33 yard line.

The next play is a run to the left side but Gore is hit in the backfield for a one yard loss. On 2nd and 11 Vernon Davis motions out wide and Smith takes the snap. After about six seconds the coverage refuses to break down and Smith takes off running before getting hit and fumbling the ball! It's a pile and it takes a good ten seconds for everyone to get up to reveal Frank Gore at the bottom with the ball. The 49ers maintain possession which takes us to 3rd and 11. From the shotgun Smith takes the snap, stands in the midst of pressure and delivers a promising strike to WR Isaac Bruce .The ball is thrown perfectly and goes right into Bruce's hands... and right out of them. Incomplete pass, which brings on the 49ers field goal unit on the Packers 34 yard line. Kicking with the wind, Joe Nedney belts the 51-yard field goal and the Niners are up 3-0.

Packers First Drive Joe Nedney kicks off and the ball is taken in the end zone by Packers WR Jordy Nelson who gets it to the 28-yard line before being brought down by Marcus Hudson. Aaron Rodgers takes the Packers first snap and stands in the pocket, the 49ers get instant pressure but Rodgers still manages to find WR Greg Jennings who turns a 13-yard reception into a 19-yard gain bringing up a Packers 1st down. From 1st and 10 HB Ryan Grant takes the handoff to the right side and gets hammered in the backfield by LB Patrick Willis for a two yard loss. From second down, Rodgers hits WR Donald Driver on a quick inside slant for 15 yards and a Packers first down.

Once again on first down the Packers handoff to Ryan Grant who is hit first by Patrick Willis on the right side before being put on his back by LB Manny Lawson for a 3-yard loss bringing up 2nd and 13. At this point the 49ers secondary needs to make some adjustments. This play is another run, a HB draw which at first looks to be succesful before Justin Smith snags ahold of Grant and Takeo Spikes lays him out with a big hit after being wrapped up. With the 2-yard gain the Packers get to 3rd and 11.

Rodgers takes the 3rd down snap and hits TE Jermichael Finley on the inside slant. It is an 8-yard gain as he is tackled immediately bringing on the Packers field goal unit. They nail it, 51 yards the same as the 49ers and the game is tied at 3-3.

Next Possession The Packers kick off and once again HB Michael Robinson kneels for a touchback. From the offset I formation Vernon Davis motions to the right side and the Packers adjust their coverage, from the get-go it's clear the 49ers are running it and the Pack' throws extra men to Vernon's side knowing his blocking skills, but the 49ers run a misdirection and Frank Gore takes off to the left side, breaking tackles from both Collins and Harris he runs down the sideline 30-yards before being brought down from a good angle at the 50-yard line setting up a 49ers 1st down.

On the next play the 49ers go singleback with four wide receivers out on the field. Crabtree and Hill on the right side with Bruce and Morgan on the left, Alex Smith takes the snap. It's a pitch to Gore on the right side! Hill and Crabtree have already taken a few defenders with them to the left side of the field and Gore runs east and west for a few seconds to give... what?! RG Chilo Rachal time to run out and make a crushing block in space on a Packers defender at which point 21 turns upfield and looks to be gone before Atari Bigby makes an ankle tackle after 11-yards. The 49ers set up at the Packers 39-yard line.

Off of first down Alex Smith hits TE Vernon Davis in stride over the middle who takes off upfield on the left side being chased by two defenders. Once again the angle prevails and the Packers force him out of bounds. Davis took a 5-yard reception and turned it into a 24-yard gain. 1st and 10 at the Packers 14-yard line. The 49ers handoff to Gore on first down who pushes a pile of tacklers four yards bringing up 2nd and 6. The next play is a two yard run by HB Glen Coffee to the right side for some reason. 3rd and 4 to go now. From a two tight end set HB Michael Robinson is out on the field. Alex Smith takes the snap and has plenty of time. Vernon Davis is causing havoc in the end zone and Delanie Walker is blocking fiercly. WR Michael Crabtree is open for a split second and that causes the Packers SS to panic and strafe in that direction leaving... HB Michael Robinson open near the first down marker, whom Alex Smith promptly hits and leads out of bounds at the 4-yard line for a 1st and goal!

QB Alex Smith takes the snap and Frank Gore stays in and picks up a defensive end blitz. Smith has just enough time to find TE Vernon Davis between three defenders in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown pass. The extra point is good and the 49ers lead the Packers 10-3.

Next (Packers) Possession The ball is downed in the end zone after the kickoff and the Packers set up at their own 20-yard line. Rodgers takes the snap from the shotgun and once again makes use of the inside slant, this time hitting WR James Jones for 13-yards before getting a yard and tackled by CB Tarell Brown. 1st and 10 and Rodgers hands off the Ryan Grant from the I formation, who picks up three yards before being tackled by LB Takeo Spikes. The next play is a run to the left after motion goes that way, and Grant picks up one yard before being smothered by Justin Smith.

The next two plays are passes to WR Jones who gets the first down on the first pass on the right sideline with nobody around, and the second is a two yard gain before getting hit very hard by CB Shawntae Spencer. The Packers set up with 2nd and 8. With six seconds left in the quarter Rodgers takes the snap before his line completely crumbles and LE Isaac Sopoaga breaks through and gets the first sack of the game. Rodgers fumbles the ball, but it is picked up by the lineman Tauscher. At the end of the first quarter the 49ers lead 10-3.

2nd Quarter

Starting the quarter at 3rd and 9 Rodgers takes the snap out of the shotgun. As soon as the play starts I know they're going to pick up the first even before he throws the ball to Nelson for an 11-yard pickup over the middle. Ryan Grant gets his biggest run of the day on first down as he turns his total rushing yards of the game into seven with a 6-yard pickup to the left side. Grant then takes the ball up to the right inside of the line and looks to be just short of the first down. The chain gang comes out to measure and the Packers are about two feet away from the first down, bringing up 3rd and 1. Off of the play action, Rodgers makes short work of the 49ers secondary by, what do you know, a 13-yard gain on an inside slant to Donald Driver bringing up a 1st and 10. Make that 1st and goal after a ten yard reception by James Jones and the Packers are threatening to score.

Demetric Evans makes the stop on the first down run to Ryan Grant which goes nowhere. Off of the play action the Packers hit FB Kuhn on the flat who is immediately hit by CB Tarell Brown... who apparently forgets how to tackle and lets the FB score on a 4-yard touchdown. The Packers get the extra point and the game is tied again at 10-10.

Next Possession Michael Robinson takes this kick from the back of the end zone and gets to the 21-yard line before going down after not trying too hard to avoid a tackle. Alex Smith leads the offense out there once again and hands the ball off to Frank Gore who gets two yards on the right side on the run blitz. From the shotgun Smith hits Isaac Bruce for a couple of yards but the play is called back after Frank Gore is called for holding. The Niners now face 2nd and 18. Smith takes the snap and drops back, the protection is good but starts to break down, Smith steps up in the pocket and the line adjusts and keeps him protected. Smith has a man downfied and throws a bomb before getting hit hard. The ball travels about 50 yards through the air and is brought in by WR Isaac Bruce! Bruce didn't have his defender beat, he just had better hands. The Niners set up with 1st and 10 from the Packers 33 yard line.

The next play Alex Smith takes the snap and stares down a receiver. He looks good, and then remembers that he's Alex Smith and decided to pretty much throw a shovel pass right into the hands of Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly who gets the interception and goes down instantly. Amazing.

After The Turnover... From their own 36 yard line the Packers set up shop. Rodger takes the snap and throws a short pass to Lee for a 3-yard gain. The next pass is to James Jones for a five yard gain before being brought down by CB Shawntae Spencer. On the next play Ryan Grant picks up the first down on a four yard run. Rodgers calls an audible on the next play and yet another tackle is missed after FB Kuhn once again catches the ball. Dashon Goldson wraps up air and Manny Lawson is forced to drag him down from behind after the FB picks up 20 yards.

On the first down pass Driver gets 10 yards and another first down. After a short pass the Packers get 2nd down. On the next play Aaron Rodgers throws a pass right to S Dashon Goldson in the end zone who drops the pick! 3rd down with 8 to go. Lee once again gets a reception off the slant and the chain gang has to come and measure but the Packers get the 1st. Another 10-yard gain and the Packers get ANOTHER first down off the slant. 1st and goal.

Kentwan Balmer stuffs Ryan Grant for no gain on 1st down. On second down Rodgers throws to Driver in the end zone but he can't stay in bounds. On third and two it's FB Kuhn once again off the play fake in the flat... for a touchdown. Packers lead 17-10 with 2:25 to go in the half.

Next Possession The kick goes through the end zone and the 49ers set up at their own 20 yard line. Off the play action to Gore, Smith passes to the very same, Gore for 9-yards over the middle. After the two minute warning it's Isaac Bruce over the middle for a gain. Alex Smith from 1st down tucks it,, runs, and slides down... for a loss of one. 2nd and 11 with 1:40 to go. The next pass is incomplete and doesn't even go near a wide receiver. Alex was virtually unpressured on the play. 3rd down and 11 to go. On the next play it's WR Michael Crabtree between two receivers who gets the first down and more, taking it to the Packers 46-yard line before being tackled. The 1st down pass is complete, but for no gain as Frank Gore goes out of bounds. 1:11 to go in the game on 2nd down and it's... a false start on TE Vernon Davis. 2nd and 15 not from their own 49-yard line. On a big five step drop Alex Smith steps up into the pocket and delivers a huge strike through the air over the middle. He's got WR Jason Hill deep who is being covered by a linebacker, Clay Matthews. Jason Hill catches the pass in stride and runs in for the 51-yard touchdown. The extra point ties the game at 17-17.

Next Possession Joe Nedney kicks off and Jackson runs it out of the end zone and is tackled at the 21-yard line. With 58 seconds left and all three timeouts the Packers offense comes out to the field. Looking for some YAC, the Packers throw a short pass to Lee but he is brought down immediately by Patrick Willis. They let the clock roll down as they are going to receive at the half, but have to get another play in without a kneeldown. From the shotgun, Rodgers takes the snap with 12 seconds left and hits WR Greg Jennings for ten yards.. and then the Packers take a timeout? McCarthy doesn't seem to understand the concept of running out the clock but whatever, with five seconds to go Rodgers takes the snap and throws another pass to Lee, which is picked off by Patrick Willis who is brought down immediately to end the half.

HALFTIME Aaron Rodgers is playing great football, he didn't miss a pass in the first quarter and only threw three incompletions in the entire first half. Alex Smith posted a better QB rating though with more yards on less completions. They both has a 2:1 TD to INT ratio with Rodgers last second pick. The Packers, as I figured, have yet to get a running game going. Missed tackles are a huge problem for the 49ers so far with a FB shredding them like it's no problem and getting 2 TD to boot. The Packers are 6-7 on 3rd downs, almost all of them being converted on the inside slant. The 49ers will kick off to start the half.

2nd Half

3rd Quarter With another touchback the Packers again set up at the 20-yard line. Ryan Grant takes a handoff to the left side with a four yard run, followed by another of the same gain. On the inside slant... you guessed it, Lee picks up the first down, followed by ANOTHER first down to Donald Driver off of... an inside slant. Christ almighty the 49ers can't do anything against that pass. 1st and 10 at the 49ers 48 yard line. Or can they? Rodgers steps back and almost lazily throws a strike to James Jones over the middle. Patrick Willis looked to be dropping to the right side but had his eyes on Rodgers the whole time and steps up nicely in front of Jones for his second interception of the game. Rodgers saw Spikes initially on Jones and thought he'd be fine.

After The Turnover... The Niners are at their own 47-yard line. On the right side Frank Gore picks up six yards on the outside. The 49ers give up their first sack of the game on second down to Aaron Kampman. On 3rd and 10 Smith drops back, has plenty of time but the coverage refuses to break down. He is brought down from behind on what is technically a 1-yard gain and the 49ers set up to punt.

After The Punt It goes through the endzone for a touchback and the Packers handoff to Ryan Grant, who gets hit for a one yard loss by Justin Smith. The next play is a screen to Grant but he is blown up by S Dashon Goldson for a three yard loss. From their own 16-yard line the Packers go from 3rd and 14. From the shotgun, Rodgers forces a throw to WR Donald Driver but CB Shawntae Spencer jumps the route and snatches the high pass out of the air for the 49ers third interception of the game.

After The Turnover... With excellent field position Alex Smith fakes to Frank Gore to the left side before turning and hitting WR Michael Crabtree on the inside slant, who proceeds to break a tackle and get a few extra yards before being brought down at 1st and goal after gaining 23 yards. From 1st and goal the Packers stack the line and Smith is hit as he throws and it falls incomplete. 2nd and goal from the 4 yard line and it's another fake to Gore. Smith stands with pressure in his face and throws high to TE Vernon Davis who snags it in his huge hands for his second touchdown of the game. The extra point is good and the 49ers lead 24-17.

Next Possession Nelson returns the kick to the 22-yard line. Ryan Grant gets four yards on the left side run and then loses a yard on an even wider left side run bringing up 3rd and 7. On the third down pass Jennings catches an inside slant but is cracked hard by Patrick Willis and drops it, making it incomplete. The Packers line up to punt. Brandon Jones gets about eight yards on the return.

After The Punt From the 41 yard line Smith drops back to pass and throws a pass right to a Packers defender, but he drops it and it falls incomplete. On the run to the right side Frank Gore is hit in the backfield and breaks two tackles. What should have been a five yard loss ends up being a 2-yard loss, but a loss nonetheless. Gore make up for it after catching a pass over the middle and converting the 3rd down. On third, Alex Smith rolls out and panics--he clearly has at least one receiver open but he caves and tucks the ball for a 9 yard sack from two Packers defenders. The 49ers exchange punts.

After Yet Another Punt The punt again goes through the end zone and Aaron Rodgers handsoff at the 20 yard line, but holding is called and the Packers line up at the 11. Greg Jennings catches on two 49ers defenders and picks up the 1st down and nothing more. Grant breaks a few tackles on the next handoff and gets six yards. Michael Lewis almost picks off a pass and the Packers get 3rd and 4. Rodgers is pressured badly on the next play and throws a deep incompletion. The Packers again punt.The 49ers line up to block it and almost get there. Jones muffs the punt but picks it up and gets to the 27-yard line,

Punts Punts Punts The first play is a 5-yard completion to Isaac Bruce and closes out the third quarter.

4th Quarter Alex Smith is sacked on the first play of the quarter by Williams, bringing up a 3rd and 11. It's a handoff to Gore for some reason and it looses one yard. The 49ers punt. Nelson gets it to the 30-yarrd line.

OMG STOP PUNTING IT I'M BORED Ok, not really, I hope the Packers have to punt here but after the first play, an inside slant for nine and a half yards I'm getting worried. Grant gets the carry up the right side and the chain gang confirms the first down. I think it was a generous spot. Grant then gets his biggest carry of the game, nine yards on the right side. 2nd and 1. Rodgers then hits Jones over the middle bringing up another first down.

Spencer almost picks off this next ball, but it's incomplete. Rodgers is hit hard by Manny Lawson but his pass is caught on the ground by Donald Driver... for a four yard loss. Manny Lawson comes back on the next play on third down and gets his first sack of the game for a loss of six. Packers punt, the wind catches it and it goes out at the 28-yard line.

Scared Me A Bit There, Next Possession Alex Smith has great protection but the receivers can't get any seperation, he tucks it, runs and slides for five yards. The next pass is incomplete, and the third is... picked off by defensive lineman Johnny Jolly, who goes a couple yards before fumbling it but the Packers fall on it.

After The Turnover... The Packers have good field position and off a fake to Grant complete a pass to James Jones to bring up first and goal which is followed by a touchdown pass to WR Nelson. The extra point is good and the Packers tie it again 24-24.

Next Possession Robinson takes the ball out of the endzone to the 24-yard line. The 49ers offense goes out on the field with 6:42 left in the game. The fist pass is a 19-yard completion to Vernon Davis over the middle, followed by Josh Morgans first catch of the game for 11 yards. On the next first down Alex Smith throws a high pass to WR Michael Crabtree for another first down. The Niners are putting together an impressive drive.

Frank Gore breaks by my count four tackles before being brought down after a two yard run to the left side on first down. TE Delanie Walker gets his first reception, for 9 yards and a first down. From 1st and 10 Alex Smith takes the snap and throws a perfect pass right into the hands of WR Michael Crabtree who picks up his first touchdown on the season. It is a 21-yard TD. The extra point is good and the 49ers lead again 31-24.

Next Possession Jackson gets the ball to the 29-yard line on the kickoff. The Packers go out with 3:52. They pick up nine yards on the first down pass but Rodgers goes down to a sack on the second down pass play by Aubrayo Franklin. 3rd and 9 with 2:50 left in the game. Rodgers is under pressure and gets hit before checking down to Donald Driver who loses five yards on the pass. At 4th and 13 the Packers have no choice but to punt, trusting in their defense. Jones breaks a tackle and gets the ball to the 46-yard line.

After The Punt Frank Gore picks up seven yards on the first down run to bring up the 2-minute warning. FB Moran Norris gets the call on the next play and gets two yards. On third down Frank Gore goes up the middle and picks up the first down just barely. The Packers spend a timeout. Gore picks up three yards and the Packers spend another timeout. Gore breaks a tackle on his way to another first down and the Packers are defeated. WIth 1:30 left the 49ers take a knee and then lineup for another. At 45 seconds it's a run from frank gore and then a kneeldown on third down. The 49ers win 31-24.

Final Score - San Francisco 49ers 31, Green Bay Packers 24

49ers		Packers
403	Total Offense	299
102	Rushing	45
301	Passing	254
2 (+1)	Turnovers	3 (-1)
4-10 (40%)	3rd Down Conv.	7-13 (53%)
2-15	Penalties	1-10
18:58	Posession Time	13:02

QB Alex Smith 19/26 323 YDS 73%, 4TD, 2 INT, 122.3

QB Aaron Rodgers 30/39 269 YDS 76%, 3TD, 3 INT, 88.5

HB Frank Gore 18 carries, 99 YDS, 5.5 AVG

HB Ryan Grant 19 carries, 45 YDS, 2.4 AVG

WR Michael Crabtree 5 REC, 106 YDS, 21.2 AVG, 1 TD

TE Vernon Davis 4 REC, 50 RDS, 12.5 AVG, 2 TD

WR James Jones 7 REC, 79 YDS, 11.2 AVG

LB Patrick Willis 7 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 INT

DT Aubrayo Franklin 1 SACK, 1 TFL, 3 TKL

LB Aaron Kampman 3 TKL, 1.5 SACK

Player Of The Game Near the end of the game Madden picked LB Patrick Willis as the player of the game. Willis was consistently pressuring when not in coverage and had two picks and one tackle for loss as well as having 7 solo tackles and being in on another. Willis also forced two incompletions out of the hands of WR Donald Driver.

Post Game This game was a slugfest, it was high scoring but still managed to be a strong defensive matchup. The 49ers played like the 49ers and the Packers played like the Packers, which is always a good thing. Not saying this is how it will go exactly on Sunday but some players who I figured would play well played well. The 49ers played strong run defense but gave up a whole lot of first downs. Rodgers stood in the pocket, only rolling out once or twice and the 49ers defensive line played a great game. Crabtree had a breakout game and Vernon Davis showed why he is a huge endzone threat, both literally and figuratively. I said it'd be high scoring before, and it was to a decent degree. I hope you've enjoyed this sim and as always, GO 49ERS!

Friday Injury Report: 49ers at Packers

Brandon — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:26:28 -0000

It's a long list for each team this week. The Green Bay Packers have 17 players listed, and the 49ers 13. But most of the injuries are not serious, and nearly everyone is expected to play.

For the Packers, it's been a rough week of practice. Both RT Allen Barbre and OL Evan Dietrich-Smith were injured during practice, and I'm not expecting either of them to play. C Scott Wells reported a concussion on Wednesday, though the injury likely happened during the game last Sunday. Mike McCarthy expects Wells will start. RB Ahman Green injured his groin late Thursday during practice, and it's not clear whether he'll play. Every other player should be available to play, including three guys who didn't play last week: LB Brandon Chillar, TE Jermichael Finley, and RT Mark Tauscher.

Tauscher will start the game, but he will rotate with OL T.J. Lang, depending on Tauscher's endurance.

For the Niners, only CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley are out. Those are two of their big name players, but they missed last week's game too. Fooch said their replacements have played really well. The only other player who could miss the game is LB Takeo Spikes who's day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

Overall, both teams are relatively healthy and injuries shouldn't play a major role. The complete injury list for both teams is after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Allen Barbre	T/G	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Desmond Bishop	LB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Not Inj. Related	Limited Participation	N/A
Evan Dietrich-Smith	G/C	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Jermichael Finley	TE	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Ahman Green	RB	Groin	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Johnny Jolly	DE	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Brad Jones	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
John Kuhn	FB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Clay Matthews	LB	Jaw	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Charles Woodson	CB	Hip	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Isaac Bruce	WR	Ankle & Elbow	Full Participation	Probable
Nate Clements	CB	Shoulder	Out	Out
Glen Coffee	RB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Crabtree	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Demetric Evans	DT	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Aubrayo Franklin	NT	Not Inj. Related
Michael Lewis	S	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Robinson	RB	Not Inj. Related	Did Not Participate	Probable
Mark Roman	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Justin Smith	DT	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Adam Snyder	T/G	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Takeo Spikes	LB	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
Joe Staley	T	Knee	Out	Out

Niners at Green Bay Packers: 5 Questions With Niners Nation

Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:15:11 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

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Fooch runs the fantastic SB Nation site for the 49ers, Niners Nation. I asked him 5 questions about the 49ers.

Brandon: So are you an QB Alex Smith believer, or won't he ever live up to his No. 1 overall status? His 2009 stats look very similar to his 2006 stats.

Fooch: I remain, unfortunately, somewhere in the middle. I think he has sufficient talent to turn into a quality NFL quarterback. The last two seasons he was knocked out by injuries and so he never really had a chance to continue a normal progression. At the same time I don't know if he'll ever be a franchise quarterback for this team. The upside to his promotion this season is that 49ers fans can finally get some kind of idea of what Smith can bring to the table. I think the 49ers will finally get their answer by the end of the season and can finally decide whether to fish or cut bait with him.

Brandon: Usually a high ankle sprain lingers, but RB Frank Gore seems to have gotten over it and he's looked great over the past 3 weeks. Is he 100%? How about your other injuries - are CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley going to be out on Sunday? Who's filling in for them?

Fooch: Gore is more or less 100%. For the last few weeks he's been practicing like normal and carrying the load. In fact, this past week their primary backup was out and the 49ers went with two running backs (and one fullback), with Gore getting plenty of touches.

As for the other injuries, Clements and Staley are out for several more weeks, so there's no chance they'll be active on Sunday. The 49ers promoted Barry Sims to left tackle and he's been playing really well. In fact, it's been surprising how well he's played to date after struggling much of last year. As for Clements, the 49ers actually demoted Clements to the #3 cornerback against the Colts, with Tarell Brown starting in his place. Clements was injured that game and hasn't played since. So right now the 49ers are rolling out Shawntae Spencer, Tarell Brown and Dre Bly as their 1, 2, 3.

Brandon: The Packers special teams have been awful this season. Especially their kick and punt coverage. Do the 49ers have a dangerous return game that could cause them some problems?

Fooch: The 49ers return game is rather dreadful. Since cutting Allen Rossum, the 49ers have not had anything remotely resembling an explosive return game. RB Michael Robinson has been their primary kick returner and WR Brandon Jones has been their primary punt returner. Robinson hasn't been too bad, but nothing spectacular. And Brandon Jones? Well he's been pretty atrocious.

Brandon: Football Outsiders has the Packers D ranked No. 1 and the 49ers D ranked No. 2. I'm surprised by it since the Packers pass defense has allowed 17 passing TDs (4th worst in the NFL) and only recorded 18 sacks. Are you surprised by the 49ers high ranking? What is the biggest problem area on their defense?

Fooch: I'm not shocked by the ranking, although it certainly wasn't something I expected so quickly. The 49ers have a swarming defense that has been very solid against the run, while a bend-but-don't-break style against the pass. The biggest problem with the 49ers defense is consistency. They've had issues with the pass rush at times, and they've had issues with the secondary (particularly the safeties) at times. And yet, through all of this, they've had games where they put together impressive performances. For example, they held Peyton Manning without a passing touchdown in Indy. The problem is the consistency. If they could generate a solid pass rush, and get solid help from their secondary on a consistent basis, they could have an amazing defense.

Brandon: The Packers have surrendered a league leading 41 sacks. The 49ers have only recorded 17 sacks. Something has to give here. How are the 49ers going to attack the Packers pass protection? Do they have any speed rushers off the edge, or is their defensive line just going to bring the bull rush?

Fooch: The 49ers pass rush is questionable at best. Their two outside linebackers were meant to be the big sack guys, but those two have combined for 3.5 sacks. At the same time they've done a solid job at times getting pressure and forcing quicker throws, so it's possible they could break through for some sacks against Rodgers this week. The defensive line will force pressure as well, although again, it's not the most consistent in the world. One guy to keep an eye on throughout the game is NT Aubrayo Franklin. He's quietly put together a very solid season. He's a bigger threat in stopping the run, but he can get to the quarterback on occasion as well.

Preview: 49ers at Green Bay Packers

Brandon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:21 -0000

by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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Despite the big win last week, it would be easy for the Green Bay Packers to suffer a let down. The 49ers have an outstanding defense, and it won't be easy to run the score up against them. If the 49ers can keep the score close, and then come up with a big play or two, they could easily pull off the upset.

The league rankings, by yardage, from NFL.com:

Team	Run Offense	Pass Offense	Run Defense	Pass Defense
Packers	12	11	4	6
49ers	22	25	3	29

Those rankings are fair, except as to the 49ers pass defense. They are not that bad, and are actually one of the better units in the NFL. Their opponents have attempted 338 passes against them, currently tied for 3rd most in the league, but they've only allowed 9 TDs and grabbed 11 INTs. Though their INT stats are inflated by the 5 INTs surrendered by QB Jay Cutler last week. On the other hand, the Packers have 13 INTs on the season and only 4 of those came from Cutler.

RB Ryan Grant should not be expected to do much on the ground against the 49ers excellent run defense. The Packers have played a collection of mediocre to awful run defenses this season, with the notable exception of the outstanding Vikings run defense. In his 2 games against Minnesota, he combined for 81 yards on the ground and he wasn't given the ball often, though the Packers were playing from behind. The bigger problem is that C Scott Wells may miss the game due to a concussion, and rarely used G Evan Dietrich-Smith may take his place. He'll be lined up NT Aubrayo Franklin, who's having an outstanding season as the anchor of their run defense. It's hard to see how Grant will have a big game.

The Packers' passing attack has struggled lately. Rodgers threw 3 INTs against the Buccaneers, and the offensive line has allowed 10 sacks in the past 2 games. WR Greg Jennings was limited last week by a knee contusion, which appears to be bothering him again this week, though he isn't listed on the injury report. The news that RT Mark Tauscher will return, in a rotation with rookie RT T.J. Lang, is good since it keeps RT Allen Barbre on the bench. I wish they would bench LG Daryn Colledge too. The inexperience of Dietrich-Smith won't help here either. The 49ers have only managed 17 sacks this season, but the pass protection hasn't held up against any team. For example, the Buccaneers have only managed 11 sacks in their 8 non-Packer games, but they had 6 sacks against them two weeks ago. The return of TE Jermichael Finley should add some firepower, but it seems unlikely Rodgers will have a big game either. Unless the pass protection finally shows up, and he has time to throw.

RB Frank Gore has a gaudy 5.2 yards/carry this season, but his success rank according to Football Outsiders is only No. 27 overall, which indicates he's a boom-or-bust back. He's tied for 2nd in the NFL with 3 carries over 40 yards, but he's only averaging 78 yards/game. If the Cowboys couldn't run against the Packers last week, I doubt the 49ers will do much either.

But Gore is also a dangerous receiver: he's 2nd on the team with 26 receptions. Their leading receiver is TE Vernon Davis, but he's been unpredictable this season. His big games came against the Vikings, Texans, and Titans, but he's been held to 51 yards or less in the other 6. Also, those big games came against teams with poor to awful pass defenses. WR Michael Crabtree has been productive in his last 3 games, but his lengthy holdout must mean he's still learning the offense. Former No. 1 overall pick QB Alex Smith has emerged from Mike Nolan's doghouse and regained the starting job. He was outstanding in relief of QB Shaun Hill four weeks ago, but his QB rating the last 2 weeks has been under 70, despite playing against the awful Bears and Titans pass defenses. The Packers have held their opponents to a QB rating of 76.2. Still, the 49ers should have some success throwing the ball, so long as they can protect Smith.

The X-factors of the game are penalties and special teams. Though the Packers still lead the league with 74 penalties, the 49ers are not perfect either, and they've had 60 penalties. The Packers continue to have the worst special teams in the NFL, currently ranked No. 32 by Football Outsiders, but the 49ers aren't great either, ranked at No. 22 overall. P Andy Lee is having another outstanding season, he currently has a net average of 41.7 per punt, which is hiding how awful the rest of the 49ers special teams have been. Neither area is a place where the 49ers should expect a major advantage.

A key to the game will be whether the Packers' pass rush can sack the QB. When the rush was getting to QB Tony Romo last week, their offense did nothing. But once their protection improved in the 4th quarter, their offense was able to move the ball. If they can't protect Smith, I don't know how the 49ers can expect to score. But the Packers can't expect anything more than 2 or 3 good drives against the 49ers defense.

It should be a low scoring game, but the Packers' advantages on offense should give them the victory. Packers 20, 49ers 10.