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 Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 224 yards and one score, but
Green Bay's defense turned in a dominant performance, leading the
Packers to a 17-3 victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday
afternoon at Levi's Stadium.
Green Bay (4-0), coming off a seven-sack game Monday night against
Kansas City, sacked 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick six times and
held San Francisco's offense to 196 net yards.
Packers linebacker Nick Perry had two sacks, while linebackers Clay
Matthews, Jayrone Elliott, Julius Peppers and Mike Neal each had one
at Levi's, which will host Super Bowl 50 this season.
"They always say defenses win championships," Perry said. "As long
as we're all playing on all cylinders, we can't be beat. We're going
to take it one game at a time and focus on our next opponent and
we'll get there."
The 49ers (1-3) lost their third straight game, having been
outscored 107-28 during that stretch.
"I think we just have to keep growing as a group," 49ers fullback
Bruce Miller said. "We have a lot of new faces. We've got new guys
in there and we're trying to build chemistry. We're still learning."
The Packers (4-0) had lost four straight games to San Francisco,
including playoff defeats in the 2012 and 2013 seasons in which they
had no answer for Kaepernick.
Rodgers completed 22 of 32 passes with no interceptions. Wide
receiver James Jones caught five passes for 98 yards, and running
back Eddie Lacy carried 18 times for 90 yards.
"It was a grind out there," said Rodgers, who was sacked three
times. "We had a good first drive and we kind of stalled for a
little while. Defense played incredible. I thought we ran the ball
pretty well."
Kaepernick completed 13 of 25 passes for 160 yards and one
interception. Running back Carlos Hyde gained just 20 yards on eight
carries. Wide receiver Torrey Smith caught two passes for 54 yards.
"We're an offense that can run the ball and throw the ball," Smith
said. "We're not doing either well right now."
Kaepernick was 3-0 against the Packers before Sunday. He passed for
412 yards during a regular-season win on Sept. 8, 2013. He ran for
181 yards and two touchdowns in a playoff victory on Jan. 12, 2013.
This time, the Packers held him in check.
"I think we just continue to get better as a defense, really,"
Matthews said. "The personnel is better too, the guys we have out
there. And guys are maturing and getting better. And at the same
time, we understand what type of player he is.
"If the read's not open he's going to tuck it and try to get that
first down and extra yardage, so it really requires guys to be
disciplined in their rush lanes. But it's a lot easier when they're
winning up front and being the ones to create that pressure as
opposed to on the back end having to cover up."
The Packers led 7-3 at halftime and made it 14-3 with 7:10 left in
the third quarter on fullback John Kuhn's 1-yard touchdown plunge.
Green Bay drove 61 yards in nine plays.
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On third-and-7 from the 49ers' 46, Rodgers hit Jones along the left
sideline for 38 yards, giving Green Bay first-and-goal at the 8.
Jones got half a step behind cornerback Kenneth Acker, who never
looked back for the ball, and got both feet down after grabbing
Rodgers'
After a holding penalty moved the Packers back 10 yards, Rodgers
scrambled 17 yards around right end, and Kuhn did the rest.
"It ain't going to be pretty all the time," Jones said of the win.
"Just keep working. You're going to have games like that. It was a
grinder."
The Packers forced a quick punt as Matthews sacked Kaepernck on
third-and-4 from the 49ers 26. Rodgers marched the Packers to the
San Francisco 13, and Mason Crosby drilled a 31-yard field goal,
increasing Green Bay's lead to 17-3 with 45 seconds left in the
third quarter.
Green Bay took the opening kick and drove 80 yards in 12 plays for a
touchdown, Aaron Rodgers zipping a 9-yard scoring pass to tight end
Richard Rodgers.
The 49ers cut Green Bay's lead to 7-3 with 4:25 left in the first
half on Phil Dawson's 33-yard field goal. The 49ers had marched to
Green Bay's 5, but back-to-back sacks by Perry and Elliott moved
them back to the 22.
"Offensively we slugged it out," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.
"We knew it was going to be that kind of football game and we would
need to hold up against their pass rush.
"Our defense played lights out. I think it's our best performance so
far this year."
NOTES: TE Vernon Davis (knee) was inactive for the 49ers. Backup
Vance McDonald started in his place. ... Packers DT Letroy Guion was
added to the active roster and serving a three-game suspension for
violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. ... Packers WR Davante
Adams (ankle) was inactive. James Jones started in his place. WR
Jared Abbrederis was signed off the practice squad. ... San
Francisco RB Reggie Bush, who missed the previous two games with a
calf injury, was active against Green Bay.
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