Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers: 2013 Game 1
Unfiltered game day blog post of comments, observations and first impressions.
GAME NOTES:
All eyes (or at least these) will be on the Packers offensive line. Can they keep the 49ers away from Aaron Rodgers or create some running lanes for Eddie Lacy? They are my key to the game on the field.
Off the field, Mike McCarthy has to show he and his coordinators can hang with Harbaugh and his guys. MM had his lunch absolutely handed to him by Harbaugh twice last season. Let’s see what you have, Mike.
Of the two players listed as “questionable,” Morgan Burnett is out and Brad Jones is in. Would gladly reverse those two…
Inactives for today:
Green Bay Packers
29 CB Casey Hayward
42 S Morgan Burnett
51 LB Nate Palmer
58 LB Sam Barrington
65 G Lane Taylor
86 TE Brandon Bostick
93 DE Josh Boyd
With Burnett out, 22 S Jerron McMillian and 43 S M.D. Jennings will be the two starting safeties.
San Francisco 49ers
5 QB B.J. Daniels
13 WR Chris Harper
23 RB LaMichael James
48 FB/DT Will Tukuafu
56 LB Nate Stupar
78 G Joe Looney
84 WR Jon Baldwin
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Mike McCarthy Pregame Show on 620 WTMJ:
Camp: I feel like we were able to get through a lot of different concepts and packages.
Happy with young players: It’s about a football game, about the 46 we’re going to dress, it’s going to be emotional and chippy, we have to stay above that stuff.
How long to have a fee of your team: If you have the same group lining up every game, you know by the first quarter of the season who you are.
injutries: Morgan unfortuante thing that popped up late in the week, casey, Dr,. McKenzie hasn’t givenb us a timetable.
MD and McMillian – they’ve played a bunch in the preseason. Morgan has been our quarterback back there so they have to step up.
young players on OL: Well, I’m extrenmely confortable witrh them – they’re all starting today.
CK & read/optin: Colin is one of the young studs at the QB position. he can make the throws to every quadrant and of course, we’re aware of his mobility . Read/option will frankly be a non-issue today.
returnes; Be amart. With Burnett out, we’ll take Micah Hyde out of that equation.
run game: I’m tired of talking about the run game. At the end of the day, it’s about scoring points.
I think this going to be a heck of a football game in all three phases.
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Packers vs. 49ers – First Impressions – First Half:
First play of the 2013 NFL Season – a handoff to Eddie Lacy.
Second play of the 2013 season – Rodgers is sacked. Bakhtiari executing a cut block, which means it’s supposed to be a quick pass. Rodgers does not unload the ball (will have to look at the tape to see why) and is sacked as he trips trying to avoid the rush.
Still real early, but Packers OL opening no holes for Eddie Lacy. They are, however, looking decent in pass protection.
Starting out, looks like Jolly, Raji & Pickett in base, Neal and Jones in nickel.
Overall, I like the aggressiveness the #Packers D is showing, although the end result was still a TD from CK to Vernon Davis.
CK looked at Davis the whole way on that TD.
Lacy with the big gain on a screen pass. Best looking #Packers screen in forever and not because of Lacy. OL actually got out in front and downfield as a group. You just never see that from GB.
Masthay kicks off instead of Crosby, and makes a one-on-one open field tackle. Impressive.
Score after 1 quarter: Packers 7 49ers 7
They’re hurting in the secondary, but whatever happens, I like the aggressiveness the Packers defense is playing with. they’re not playing “soft,” that’s for sure.
Packers defense much more aware of CK’s scrambling. I’ve always said that’s what really killed them in the playoff game, more than read option.
Clay Matthews, what the hell are you thinking? Gotta be smarter.
Boldin owning the middle of the field with McMillian and Jennings at safety.
Matthews on the bench for the Packers defensive series…
Watching the Packers OLBs’ it’s obvious their first responsibility is not pass rush – it’s contain and keeping CK in the pocket.
On that note, Nick Perry is doing what he’s been asked to do – and doing it very well…
Oh, Jermichael…
Matthews back in, and Neal gives Perry a rest at LOLB.
Packers DL bringing it. Nowhere for SF to run. Now if the secondary could just keep track of Anquan Boldin.
Mike Neal looking good at OLB, as he did in preseason…
what? #Packers screwed by a mis-enforcement on the double penalties? Should have been 4th down instead of replaying the down!
The only thing wrong with the #Packers D so far is Casey Hayward and Morgan Burnett not being there. Seriously…
Score after 1 half: Packers 14 49ers 14
Packers vs. 49ers – First Impressions – First Half:
If you have Anquan Boldin on your fantasy team, you’re probably winning this week. Continuing to single-handedly kill the Packers.
On the bright side, Boldin is sure to collapse from exhaustion soon.
Capers critics need to take a seat today. Only problem for #Packers is no Burnett and Hayward…
The only time #Packers have made any yardage on the ground today, the OL was penalized. Telling.
While knocking the Packers OL for their poor run blocking, let’s commend them on their pass protection today. they’ve done the job.
Matthews close to a taunting penalty. He is JACKED UP!!!
Score after 3rd quarter: Packers 21 49ers 21
49ers finally get pressure on Rodgers from both DEs – Rodgers has no where to go and takes a sack.
Would love to see the #Packers force a fumble here. That was sorely missing last season…
Johnny Jolly on the ground… Get up Johnny! Get up!
Anquan Boldin on the ground. Stay down, Anquan!, Stay Down!
Sam Shields shows that great recovery speed on a long pass – and he needed it – beaten soundly.
Jordy Nelson, how does he make those sideline catches and keep those toes in bounds?
Jeremy Ross has been a disaster today returning kicks. Bad decisions.
Vernon Davis 1st down catch is the type of creative play that doesn’t seem to be in MM’s playbook.
Packers should feel good about their effort . Last season and this, I’ve felt SF was the best team in the league.
Final Score: 49ers 34, Packers 28
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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
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What was Bush doing out on the field so much?
Besides the two turn overs, Ross’ poor decisions to run the ball out of the end zone really hurt. They should just put someone with good hands and good sense back there to field the kickoffs.
I think we need to see how the secondary does when Burnett and Hayward come back.
If they come back and we are still getting torched in the air then we have serious problems.
Wow, our pass D really sucked! Once again, no in game adjustments by DC
Harbough will out spit and out whine MM everytime. Kaperdink is a pussy and needs to be driven to the turf hard…
I didn’t get to see any of the game…was flying all day. I have the following observations and questions based upon seeing the box score and some replays on ESPN…
1. Time of possession was almost two to one in favor of the 49ers. Did the defense get gassed because of all the time on the field and is this an unintended consequence of running a no-huddle offense?
2. On CM3’s “out-of-bounds” hit on CK…was CK still in the field of play when CM3 launches to hit him? This is something I have seen over the past three-four seasons and the defender is always called for a personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct. It’s a BS call.
3. Did Ross handle punt returns and kickoff returns? Was he better at one than the other? Remember when Jordy Nelson handled PRs and KRs. He was tolerable at KRs but not as good at PRs.
4. Was Masthay really as good on kickoffs as it sounds?