Keys to a 49ers win against the Packers

SANTA CLARA — They’re so close.

The 49ers just have to beat the Packers to make the Super Bowl. And the 49ers already beat the Packers less than two months ago. Beat them by 29 points. The 49ers are the better team. They know it. The Packers know it. You know it.

Still, the 49ers have to handle their business, play smart and make minimal mistakes or they’ll lose to an inferior outfit.

Here are the five keys to the game for the 49ers:

1. Jimmy Garoppolo needs to protect the football:

This article has 64 Comments

  1. I don’t think the outcome changes much from their initial meeting. The Packers only hope is Jimmy Graham working the middle of the field. If he can’t do that, the Packers have no chance. 31-21 San Fran Cisco!

  2. Don’t listen to Grant. You would have fired Shanahan and Lynch. You wouldn’t have drafted Bosa or Deebo. You wouldn’t have traded for Ford.

    And you’d be sitting at 8-8, at best, not 13-3.

  3. The spirit of Bart Starr will rise up in Aaron Rodgers and he will
    throw 8 touchdown passes today. And a couple after the game.

    1. But still not enough, as the spirit of John Brodie fills Jimmy, who tosses 10 TDs–all in regulation.

  4. I’m sure Kyle ushered in an emergency team meeting this morning to go over Coach Iggy’s five keys to winning. I’m sure Kyle chastised himself and his staff immediately with the immortal words, “why didn’t we think of that?” It’s just mind boggling to me that someone with this much football acumen has not been scooped up by an NFL franchise as a direct adviser to their staff. (Eye roll)
    Sorry Seb for calling you Captain Obvious. You’ve been out done again! ;-) jeesh!

      1. KS needs to have prepared his players thoroughly, and have them play focused, disciplined and in control.
        .
        I hope he has thought of all contingencies, and can react quickly to adversity.
        .
        I hope KS now knows how to finish off games, and considers time outs to be precious, and saved for legitimate challenges and the last 2 minutes of each half. The acme of wise Time Out usage is to play so well, they do not need to use them.

          1. KS did prepare his players thoroughly.
            .
            Matt LaFleur did not prepare his players at all, and were annihilated.

    1. I heard through the grapevine this morning that 9er scouts were fighting amongst themselves at the East West Shrine Game yesterday–bloody noses, dislodged teeth, etc. A couple Packer scouts had to intervene. Not a good look.

  5. The niners don’t need Jimmy to beat ARod in a shootout but we know that Jimmy would prevail like he did in the Superdome. Niners D is healthy top to bottom. They will frustrate the Pakers all afternoon.

    Niners 31 Packers 13.

  6. Grant,
    I agree with all of your points with the exception of benching R. James if he makes an early mistake. Replacing PR’s is not as simple as you seem to think it is , it may be the 2nd most difficult position to replace on a football team behind QB. If Trent Taylor was available I would agree but he is not and I don’t believe they have another PR on the team who is prepared to replace James. James has shown to be very very reliable and one mistake is not enough to bench him. R. James is not Kyle Williams.

  7. Your right NW Niner. I stand corrected. However I do think it’s possible that Seb has a direct line to Kyle so he can install Seb’s game plan earlier in the week.
    I was sitting at the kitchen table this morning drinking my coffee and reading the sports page (that’s a stretch in itself) when I burst out laughing. My wife asked “What’s so funny?” I replied, “Oh, just reading an Iggy”! She replied, “Is that a new cartoon?” I replied, “Hmmm, not really”.

    1. Well, KS has improved his time out management, and puts a man in motion, both things I have advocated for years.
      .
      Now, if only he will activate Jeff Wilson Jr, then my cup will runneth over.

      1. Forget it, Sebs-nearly everything ShannyLynch did this year was in direct opposition to what you ordered-from their picks in the draft and on to the end.

        1. No, KS dialed up some innovative plays. He also considered time outs to be precious, and utilized wisely. I saw a man in motion many times. They moved Buckner around, so he had one on one matchups. Before, he took on double teams, but that hurt his sack stats.
          .
          Above all, they lined up the RB deep in the I, and let him build up a head of steam before attacking the weakness in the line. They may not have followed my exact advice, but they did enough to make me jump for joy. KS learned how to close out games, made shrewd assessments, and quick adjustments.
          .
          The draft is an inexact science. Trading back is a good way to gain a boatload of picks, but once they selected Bosa, I accepted their decision and rooted for him to succeed. Bosa did have some injury issues, but they were not the core issues that I was mainly concerned about.
          .
          Talk about being wrong, EVERYBODY did not predict a SB berth, you included.

  8. The only thing that slowed down the 49ers offense in the first matchup was Justin Skule. As soon as they replaced him the offense opened up.

    Throw in Dee Ford and Kwon Alexander this time around, the 49ers of weeks 1-8 are back and going to show that today.

  9. I will disagree with Grant, again. KS needs to be clever, innovative, deceptive and unpredictable. He needs to out coach both LaFleur and Pettine. The Niners are skilled and disciplined enough to execute complex plays, that may confuse the Packers. It also may lead to the Niner ball carrier running through huge gaps in the line, untouched.
    .
    I do not agree about benching players like James if he makes a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, and it might make them play too tight and rigid if they are afraid to be benched. James did make a risky catch, but he has not made a turnover all season, I believe. In Witherspoon’s case, they have been very patient with him, but after allowing all those TDs, Witherspoon is hurting the team. He needs to learn how to turn his head and track the ball. If he had done that last game, he was in position to intercept the ball. Instead, he fell down and allowed a TD. I am glad KS make a shrewd assessment, and quick adjustment.
    .
    I do agree with Grant about JG needing good ball security, starting Moseley and doubling Adams.

  10. Oh, boy:

    Adam Schefter

    Verified account

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    49ers’ DB coach Joe Woods is on track to become the Browns’ next defensive coordinator if the two sides can agree to a contract, per sources.

      1. There’s been this on/off discussion about whether or not KS should have an OC – one who calls the plays. I’m realizing now that there is an advantage to keeping the play calling in-house, i.e. with the head coach in our case. Don’t have to worry so much about attrition especially when you have a HC who is considered one of the best offensive minds in the NFL.

        1. Good point, but there are so many other good coaches that make it possible for KS to do what he’s doing. It’s a team for a reason not just the HC.
          If Joe woods becomes a DC for the Browns, he must be doing something right for Saleh and 9ers.
          I’m sure there are other coaches that are being looked at.

          1. “but there are so many other good coaches that make it possible for KS to do what he’s doing.”

            That’s certainly true. I was thinking more that the proprietary knowledge rests more with one person and losing a fair amount of that knowledge is less likely when the coaches leave (of course, some will be lost).

        2. Kind of… Seb was the big one pushing for an OC. Saying something to the effect of it could only help and couldn’t hurt.

          A few of us disagreed stating it would put someone who doesn’t know Shanahan’s offense as well in charge of it. Basically stating it would nullifying one of the main reasons for the hiring Shanahan as a Coach in the first place.

  11. I’m pulling for the Titans. I think the 49ers match up much better against TEN than KC. A game against TEN will almost certainly be close or with the 49ers ahead. Against KC, there’s a higher likelihood that KC’s explosive offense could get the 49ers down early and it would take Saleh until the 2nd half to adjust.

  12. Can someone copy&paste Grant’s articles ?
    I only get the fuzzy version unless I subscribe.
    Maybe the critic didn’t like to be critiqued by me…..

    1. In order to post, I have to routinely fire up the VPN and change IP addresses to somewhere else. Haven’t had any problems with accessing articles though.

    2. Your not missing anything Dee. For Gods sake, Iggy’s first key is “Jimmy needs to protect the football”!!!!! I have the sound “Duh” ringing in my head after reading that gem! He’s getting paid to come up with that! Maybe he’s the smarter one after all!

    3. Try opening the link using your browser’s incognito mode. Has worked for me. Change to incognito, then try the link.

  13. Game going just how I expected so far. Having TENN +7 1/2 and the under (53) I’m happy but I seriously would rather see Andy finally win the big one. The big guy deserves it. Bill Walsh tree and all. Very instrumental in many Niner wins including the SB. I’ll take KC 27 TENN 24! That is my predicted score of course, only in reverse!

    1. Watching Geep! Could have done without that last KC score!! Gotta hope TENN can shorten the game in the second half and stay close

    1. Henry doing what Henry does and Mahomes doing what Mahomes does…..going to be a wild finish!
      NEXT UP: looking forward to 9ers doing what 9ers do…….SB Next

  14. Good game so far. Whomever the 49ers face if they win today will be a tough Super Bowl opponent.

  15. As the biggest proponent by, as I put it back then about Mahomes, “by a country mile”, of Patrick M on this blog coming out of college, (check the archives!) I’m not surprised and am happy for him. Coach Ziggy probably said he would be as bust! Lol

      1. Nope, with all do respect MWD, not a chance. Go back and read it. I bragged about Mahomes before anybody even knew who he was. Said repeatedly he was the best of that class “by a country mile”! Nothing against Coffee, much respect! I’m sure he was a big proponent of him also! I’m sure Seb could settle that argument!

        1. An early nod…

          Rebuild A Winner says:
          December 5, 2016 at 2:20 pm

          We need a true franchise building block at 2… If Garrett is there No brainer I would argue Allen is the other guy but would be okay with Mike Williams… 2nd Rnd I strike for a QB like Mahomes, Falk, Watson if he falls. Unless you can get Jimmy G with a second and some change. Raiders excuted it to perfection.

        2. It would have to have been before his final college season because coffee was high on him prior to that.

  16. Wilks would be a great replacement for Woods if Woods does become the Browns DC.

    1. Wilks coaches a 3-4 system doesn’t he? I don’t think we will change a system just for a coach.

  17. Enjoy the game everyone! Hopefully we can have a whole lot of fun in here when it’s over.

  18. 49ers inactives…
    QB CJ Beathard
    RB Jeff Wilson
    CB Dontae Johnson
    WR Jordan Matthews
    DL Kevin Givens
    TE Daniel Helm
    LB Azeez Al-Shaair

  19. There’s the dagger. Looks like the opponent will be the Chiefs if the 49ers win the NFC Championship.

    1. Chiefs are looking really good. But one step at a time – need to win this GB game first.

      Romo just said that “this is really hard for Tennesse; it’s not who they are”, referring to the need to pass to try and get back in the game. At least the 49ers have shown that they can compete in shootouts (New Orleans),

      1. Should 49ers win today, and thinking here is they will, Reid, Mahomes, and the Chiefs will take Robert Saleh and that defense of his to school. 42-28 Chiefs . It’s Reid’s and Mahomes’ year & time.

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