Despite rumors that this game would not happen due to COVID-19 diagnoses across the board, the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers will play Thursday night in California.
The Packers come in off of consecutive losses and hope to find their way back into the win column. They opted not to acquire anybody at the trade deadline, meaning that other than Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have many game-breaking weapons on offense. Green Bay hasn’t been known as a team to be aggressive with trades, and the narrative hasn’t changed. However, they do have a favorable matchup here with a very short-handed 49ers squad.
A quick glance at the 49ers’ injury report shows a laundry list of injuries. They are without Jimmy Garoppolo for the next six-to-eight weeks, while George Kittle will also miss extended time. They are down several running backs, and three of their top receivers are either sick or injured. With the decimated roster, head coach Kyle Shanahan will need to get extremely creative in this game to give his team a chance.
The Packers are 7.5-point favorites, the over/under set at 48.5.
Green Bay Seeks to End Skid
After a few tough defeats, Green Bay is looking to get back on track. They couldn’t stop Dalvin Cook at all last week, as he amassed 163 yards and three rushing touchdowns, plus 63 receiving yards and another score . The loss to that 1-5 Vikings club is one they will look back on with great disdain, especially if it affects their playoff positioning.
The Packers are a bit short-handed in their own right. They are down four running backs, with Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Jamaal Williams, and Tyler Ervin sidelined due to injuries and COVID-19 protocol.
Dexter Williams will get the start in their stead. Williams, who has five carries for 11 yards in his NFL career, will have some pressure to perform, but he is catching passes and taking handoffs from one of the best. Rodgers has dealt with offensive injuries before, and gets the most out of those around him.
Allen Lazard is expected to return, taking a little pressure off Davante Adams. The offense should be fine, and defensively, stopping the run is the top priority.
49ers Look to Climb Back Over .500
The Niners were in the Super Bowl in 2019 but have struggled to replicate that success. They have a lot of questions to answer, especially about the long-term answer at quarterback, given Garoppolo’s difficulty staying healthy and on the field.
San Francisco’s players are missing games left and right, and the fact that they are at .500 right now is truly incredible. Nick Mullens will be starting for the injured Garoppolo, but with Kittle, Tevin Coleman, and Deebo Samuel all ruled out, there aren’t many healthy players left to involve in the offense.
Defensively, the 49ers will win if they can stop the run and limit Adams’ effectiveness. San Francisco is allowing the sixth-fewest yards per game and ranks in the Top 10 in fewest points allowed per game.
Pack Win Big
The Pack is back! Even with the lack of a backfield, the Packers offense should still light up the scoreboard. Green Bays defense dials it up against a fractured 49ers offense and comes away with the win.
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