NFL: Comeback! Rodgers and Crosby rescue disappointing Packers

The Green Bay Packers were able to avert a big surprise in the last moments of the Monday Night Games. In the 33:30 victory over the San Francisco 49ers it took a good one minute remaining time another comeback drive from Aaron Rodgers. The hero was Mason Crosby of all people, who had given five kicks the week before.

Green Bay wanted to recover from a painful defeat to the Lions in the Monday Night game, but the first thing Packers fans saw was another defenseless secondary and many voting problems. The Niners marched down the field with the first drive and started with a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers did not allow himself to be asked and orchestrated a touchdown drive that lasted only two plays. It was the beginning of a thrilling exchange of blows in the first quarter.

The Niners fumbled at the following kick-off return and when kicker Mason Crosby demonstrated that he could regain his target, the Packers were already in safe water with a fast ten-point cushion. But an impressive C.J. Beathard (16/23, 245 YDS, 2 TD, INT) countered in an aggressive offense in which he threw two deep touchdown passes to Marquise Goodwin and so quickly led the Niners back into the game. When San Francisco found defensive answers in the second quarter and successfully exerted pressure, the outsider was suddenly deserving of a break in the front.

The 49ers also implemented Kyle Shanahan’s excellent game plan very well in the second round. Long, gruelling drives from an offense that was usually positioned in the same personnel groups. In the current personnel situation this was worth all honours, even though Beathard’s accuracy and decision making became weaker and weaker as the game progressed.

But that’s why they left the Packers in the game and that’s why it’s so dangerous against Rodgers. Even though the superstar again didn’t get much help from the Scheme, Rodgers equalled the game with his second touchdown pass to Devante Adams. The Packers should get the ball again at about one minute play time and without any timeouts. Rodgers ran hot and threw gorgeous passes onto the outside track to Adams and for the first time in the game to the starting EQ St. Brown to stop the clock. In the end it was Crosby, of all people, who had missed five kicks the week before, who decided the game in favour of Green Bay.

Rodgers started the game with a 60-yard completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and had more good throws, but the Niners quickly found answers in Pass Rush based on the Packers’ stringent scheme. Rodgers (25/46, 425 YDS, 2 TD) could not eliminate such problems in the beginning and so many things looked like a surprise. The comeback king, however, recognized his chance when she opened up and threw passes in the final phase like at his best. The last two Packers Drives had undefensible throws.

A very bitter evening for Mabin. The 24-year-old had the task of defending Devante Adams in the final phase and could not cope with this at all. Rodgers picked out the duel of the two again and again and ran hot just like his receiver. Mabin had too much separation and so in the decisive phase there was nothing left for him but to look behind.