Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
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Tom from Two Rivers, WI
The deep pass to Davante Adams was one of the filthiest moves I've ever seen a receiver make on a defensive back for a release at the line, and it looked so simple. Any chance of Allen Lazard hooking up with Davante in the offseason to learn how to run routes from a great route runner?
That's not a bad idea. I talked to Lazard about how much he learned from Adams this year for a story sometime in the coming days. He's still getting his offseason plans finalized but he trains in Denver. That's not too far from Adams in California.
Dirk from Marquette, MI
The 49ers finished with 285 yards rushing and 77 yards passing. That's just sad!
I saw a lot of comparisons to Colin Kaepernick in 2012 after the game. I don't know if I agree with it. The Packers were blindsided by the read-option in 2012. They knew what they were in for on Sunday night but were still overtaken by the storm. They gotta find answers because allowing 285 rushing yards on that stage isn't good enough.
Paul from Rockford, IL
How do we stop the run?
It doesn't take a scout to point out how masterful the 49ers were in scheming that game up and their players executed the game plan to a T. George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk were fantastic as lead blockers. Gap fits and lane integrity are the starting point. From there, it comes down to how your strength and speed matches the opposition.
Ricardo from Ventura, CA
Obviously the execution wasn't there, but what adjustments did you see Pettine at least try to make to stop the run?
Yeah, it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. The Packers used every defensive formation and a plethora of personnel to find an answer to Raheem Mostert. As a couple defensive players remarked after the game, Green Bay never got a firm grasp on what it needed to do to nullify that ground threat.
Lynn from Riverside, CA
Boys, the 49ers were (I think) Raheem Mostert's fifth or sixth team. In your estimation, were the evaluations of his ability from his former teams wrong, or is he just an example of a guy having the game of his life? With respect to the latter, the Redskins' Super Bowl hero from long ago, Timmy Smith comes to mind.
I don't know how the entire league missed on this guy. He ran a 4.32 time in the 40 with a 40-inch vertical at his Purdue pro day in 2015. What a career that young man has had.
Ray from Clark, NJ
With all due respect to Aaron Rodgers, playing at home would not have mattered. In Atlanta in 2016, I understood his point vs. a track-team offense indoors. Last night it was the wrong narrative. How will 20 degrees, snow and wind stop a team that runs for 280 yards and throws eight passes?
The way the Packers played in the first half it wouldn't have mattered if the game was played at Lambeau Field or North Platte, Neb. If you give the ball away and give up explosives, you got your work cut out for you. But Green Bay was so much more consistent at home this season.
Richard from Greenwich, NY
First half, Packers were in or close to the red zone, down 17-0, when the fumble occurred. A TD then would have changed everything. Instead, they go down 27 at the half. Backbreaker, dagger, game-changer.
My key to victory for both games against the 49ers was to take the ball away and score. The Packers lost that battle both times and lost. There's a little more room for error against the likes of Detroit or Washington, but you just can't make those mistakes against a team like San Francisco.
Kevin from Whitehall, WI
"They needed to summon their best game on Sunday, but they never really did all season long." I got the feeling the Packers never really peaked all season on either side of the ball. What is one thing on each side of the ball that will help them peak next year?
More cohesion. The Packers did a fantastic job of getting everyone up to speed with LaFleur's offense and centering the defense on the Smiths. However, that massive culture shift had to come together in like nine months.
Ryan from Merrimac, WI
I thought there were a couple plays in the fourth quarter where a Packers receiver caught the ball, ran out of bounds, and the game clock continued to roll. I know that this wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, but I thought the clock stopped when the player goes out of bounds before being marked as down.
The clock doesn't stop unless there's less than two minutes remaining in the first half or five minutes in regulation.
Mark from Sturgeon Bay, WI
Let's see if I get this right. Challenge a non-fumble call, play overturned because it was a fumble but still charged a TO because they couldn't determine who recovered the fumble. Challenge PI, lose the call but because the spot was off, no TO charged. How do I explain the logic of challenges with a scenario like that?
All reviewable aspects of the play are considered. A week ago, the problem was the officials couldn't decipher who had possession of the ball because the play was blown dead. On Sunday, it was a smart challenge by LaFleur knowing he had a questionable spot of the ball as a secondary option.
Mike from Madison, WI
Mike and Wes, thank you for a great season. I enjoy reading the II every day. This team came so close; closer than many people expected. What does next season's roster look like? Who are the free agents we have to re-sign? Is there talk from any of the older veterans about retiring? What is your schedule for the offseason?
The Packers have several tough calls to make. Bryan Bulaga and Mason Crosby are on to their third or fourth contracts now, but I felt like both veterans had two of their best seasons. Marcedes Lewis told me he plans on returning for a 15th season, while Jared Veldheer said on Monday he hasn't made a decision on whether he'll look to play again in 2020. As for my schedule, I head to San Diego next week to start training for next season.