The temperature was in the negatives but Lambeau Field was filled to capacity with diehard cheeseheads hoping to see Aaron Rodgers lead the Pack past a 49ers team developing a habit of beating up on them.
In fairness, the Niners beat up on everyone. The team ranked fifth in total defense while scoring 25.4 points per game. The Packers, despite missing Rodgers for much of the season, finished eighth in the league in scoring but 25th total defense. In the two teams’ last meeting in Week 1, the Niners edged the Green Bay 34-28 on the strength of 432 total yards and three touchdowns from Colin Kaepernick.
In the first half of this game, that Packers offense sputtered and the burden to make plays fell on that same shoddy defense that allowed monster numbers to the opposing quarterback. That 25th ranked defense stepped up, however, making two huge red zone stops to keep the struggling offense in the game.
The Packers started with a three-and-out. The 49ers responded with a 13-play, 69-yard drive. The Packers stopped the 49ers at the 35-yard line to force a fourth-and-six but the 49ers went for it and Kaepernick completed a big 31-yard pass to Michael Crabtree for his fourth reception of the drive to pick up a first-and-Goal. The Packers were able to get a big red zone stop, however, and held the 49ers to a field goal as Phil Dawson put San Francisco up 3-0.
The Niners defense forced another quick three-and-out and put up another solid 11-play, 42-yard drive but the Pack stepped up once again inside the red zone, holding the Niners to another Dawson field goal.
On the Packers side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy still couldn’t get anything going against the vicious 49ers defense and went three-and-out for their third straight drive.
Things finally broke the Packers’ way on the Niners’ next drive, however, as Tramon Williams picked off a pass intended for Vernon Davis and brought it back to the Green Bay 30.
That gave the Pack a huge boost as Aaron Rodgers orchestrated a 14-play, 70-yard drive that lasted over seven minutes and was capped off by a five-yard touchdown throw to Jordy Nelson. Suddenly, after struggling mightily for most of the first half, the Packers were up 7-6 on the back of their defense.
The 49ers moved the ball at will once again to answer back. Colin Kaepernick’s 42-yard run set up a 10-yard Frank Gore touchdown run to cap off a 68-yard drive and put the Niners back up.
Aaron Rodgers was locked in, though. After a couple of big passes to Nelson, it looked like they’d get the touchdown right back but the Niners threw up a huge stop on third-and-three at their own 17. The Packers settled for a 34-yard Mason Crosby field goal as time expired to put at score at 13-10 at the half.
The second half didn’t start out well for either team.
The Packers stepped up once again as they sacked Kaepernick on a third-and-10 to force a quick three-and-out to start the second half. Green Bay responded with one of their own.
The Niner strung together a 44-yard drive but Kaepernick was once again sacked on a third-and-five and San Francisco was forced to punt. On the next drive, Aaron Rodgers was sacked on back-to-back plays and threw a deep incompletion to Nelson and punter Tim Masthay took the field again. Despite starting at midfield, it didn’t take long before Niners punter Andy Lee was also back, following yet another three-and-out. The only thing colder in Lambeau, where the wind chill temperatures had dropped to around -13, were both offenses.
The Packers moved the ball 53 yards before being stopped on third once again. They went for it on fourth-and-two and Rodgers escaped a sure sack to fire a perfectly aimed pass on the run to Randall Cobb for 26 yards. That set up a short touchdown run by John Kuhn to put Green Bay up 17-13.
Just as Green Bay’s offense picked up, so did the Niners’. Kaepernick broke a 24-yard run and tossed a 28-yard pass to Vernon Davis in the end zone to finish of a quick 63-yard drive and put San Francisco back up.
Suddenly both offenses were rolling as Aaron Rodgers marched 61 yards down the field on an 11-play, five-minute drive. The Frisco D stood strong, however, forcing a fourth down at their own six-yard line. That set up a game-tying 24-yard field goal by Mason Crosby.
The Niners were able to convert third downs and run the clock on their last drive of the game as Kaepernick took over five minutes to lead a 14-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off by 37-yard Phil Dawson’s game-winning field goal as time expired. The 49ers won 23-20. They’ll face the Panthers in the Division Round of the NFL Playoffs.
