The Green Bay Packers defeated the San Francisco 49ers 30-28 on a game-winning field goal by Mason Crosby to improve to 2-1.
Aaron Rodgers had another strong performance, completing 23 passes on 33 attempts for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Jones had a solid game, with 19 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. In addition, he had two catches for 14 receiving yards. Davante Adams showed why he is one of the top receivers in the NFL, with 12 receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. Marquez Valdes-Scantling hauled in three receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown as well.
On the defensive side the Packers had a few standouts. Jaire Alexander had his first interception of the year, picking off Jimmy Garoppolo in the second quarter. Kenny Clark and Preston Smith both got sacks of their own, with Clark forcing a fumble on his sack. Also, De’Vondre Campbell also came up with a big play recovering a fumble by Garoppolo in the fourth quarter.
“I feel good about our team,” Rodgers said postgame. “Week 1 was an anomaly. I said that and I believe that. We bounced back Week 2. Played a great team tonight right down to the wire.”
On the other side, Garoppolo completed 25 passes on 40 attempts for 257 yards and two touchdowns with one interception and a lost fumble. Trey Sermon had 31 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown. George Kittle led 49ers receivers with 92 yards on 7 catches from his tight end position. Brandon Aiyuk and Kyle Juszczyk both had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers were able to jump to an early lead with a 54-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Two drives later, they were able to add a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Adams. The Packers carried their momentum into the second quarter with an Alexander interception.
Later in the quarter, the Packers added a three-yard rush from Jones to make the score 17-0. The 49ers were not going into halftime quietly though, as they subbed in first-round pick Trey Lance at quarterback for a one-yard rushing touchdown to end the half.
The 49ers struck first in the third quarter on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo to Aiyuk. The Packers answered at the end of the third quarter with a touchdown of their own with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Valdez-Scantling. The back-and-forth continued with a 49ers’ touchdown on a one-yard rush by Trey Sermon. The Packers were able to answer with a 38-yard field goal by Crosby to go up by six with a score of 27-21. The 49ers were determined though, and scored a touchdown with 37 seconds left on a 12-yard pass to Juszczyk.
However, the 49ers gave Rodgers too much time, as he lead the team down to the San Francisco 33-yard line. Crosby entered to attempt a 51-yard field goal to seal the game as time expired, and easily cleared the crossbar to hand the Packers the win.
“Celebrating with the guys in the end zone, seeing that energy and feeling that juice, is what it’s all about,” Crosby said in a postgame interview.
The game was quite messy with multiple questionable calls by the officiating team. There were two pass interference calls on the 49ers early that totaled 57 yards. The passes seemed uncatchable and there was not much contact. In addition, the Packers got away with a hold on the final drive that set up the game-winning field goal.
However, San Francisco got away with a few calls too. There was a blatant personal foul on San Francisco Defensive Back Jimmie Ward, as he made a nasty hit on Adams who was a defenseless receiver. There was also a generous roughing the passer called on Alexander who barely hit Garoppolo’s head with his arm.
Even through some questionable calls in the night-long war of attrition, the Packers were able to escape San Francisco with a win. The win did come with a setback though, as Valdes-Scantling was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Also, Za’Darius Smith is out indefinitely following back surgery and there is no timetable for his return.
Those injuries will only make Sunday’s Week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) that much better to watch as the two teams face off in Green Bay.