How 49ers' defense 'confused' Aaron Rodgers en route to stunning win

How 49ers’ defense ‘confused’ Aaron Rodgers en route to stunning win

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GREEN BAY, Wisc. – For the second time in three seasons, the 49ers canceled Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Saturday’s 13-10 NFC divisional-round win at Lambeau Field differed from the 37-20 mauling the 49ers handed the Packers in the 2019 NFC Championship Game. This one, played in freezing temperatures at the NFL’s mecca, wasn’t won on the back of a bruising running game or coach Kyle Shanahan’s genius.

This one was all about the 49ers’ defense silencing Rodgers, the NFL’s likely MVP, in a way that seemed unthinkable after a surgical opening drive that saw the Packers go 69 yards and not face a third down.

That’s when linebacker Fred Warner huddled the defense to deliver a message.

“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty upset,” Warner said after the win which sent the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. “Everyone was going around saying, ‘We’re good, we’re good.’ I just kind of try and light a fire under everybody and let them know [the Packers] are not better than us. We needed to buckle down and dial in.

“They are a great offense but I know we’re a great defense, too. So, I thought that was unacceptable for sure.”

The Packers’ second drive started out much like the first as Green Bay picked up gains of 7, 14 and 9 to move quickly into San Francisco territory. Facing an early knockout blow, Warner led by example and made an early game-changing play.

On first-and-10 at the 49ers’ 42-yard line, Rodgers threw a short pass to tight end Mercedes Lewis out in the left flat. Warner read the play from snap and crushed Lewis, jarring the ball loose. Dre Greenlaw recovered the fumble and the 49ers’ divisional-round fate was stabilized.

From that moment on, the 49ers’ defense was a riddle Rodgers, Davante Adams and the Packers’ vaunted offense couldn’t solve.

The 49ers held the Packers to 4.9 yards per play, 5.8 yards per pass and sacked Rodgers five times. The easy pitch-and-catch throws to Adams that were there on the first drive evaporated and never reappeared.

And as the snow fell at Lambeau Field, so too fell the reigning MVP and presumptive Super Bowl favorites.

“DeMeco called some great calls, and we was disguising them pretty well and we confused him,” safety Jimmie Ward said of the 49ers’ success at throwing Rodgers off his rhythm.

Ryans’ defense flustered Rodgers all night, keeping Green Bay within arm’s length and setting the stage for Jordan Willis’ game-changing blocked punt which Talanoa Hufanga scooped up and ran into the end zone to tie the game at 10 with under five minutes to play.

Hufanga’s touchdown silenced a rabid Lambeau crowd of over 79,000, most of whom were dressed in their finest ice fishing gear hoping Rodgers had one last rabbit to pull out his hat.

With the momentum pendulum finally swung back in their direction and the air sucked out Lambeau Field, Ward and the 49ers’ defense took the field with 4:41 left knowing that one more stop could be all that stands between them and the next step in their improbable redemptive arc.

The last time the 49ers’ defense needed a stop of this magnitude and against this caliber of opponent, they collapsed in Miami Gardens as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scored 21 fourth-quarter points to win Super Bowl LIV.

Most would think a collapse that happened 24 months prior would have been flushed long ago. But that bad taste still lingers.

“Just finish,” Ward said after the game about the 49ers’ mentality. “We still getting haunted by the Super Bowl – 2019, the last six minutes and we lost the game. Coach Kyle put a big emphasis on finishing [this season].”

This time, Ward and the 49ers didn’t fold. The ghosts of the 2019 run didn’t show up at Lambeau Field on Saturday night.

On third-and-11, Rodgers dropped back and took a shot deep down the middle of the field toward a double-covered Adams. It was indicative of the night for Rodgers and the Packers’ offense after their opening drive. Nothing came easy, even when it appeared they had the 49ers outflanked.

In the end, Rodgers could only hoist a prayer deep into the Green Bay night and hope his all-world receiver could make an improbable catch. It was proof the 49ers’ defense, a unit maligned early in the season and one Rodgers put up 30 points on four months ago, had flummoxed and broken the star quarterback who famously said he’d make the 49ers regret not drafting him.

Adams couldn’t do the unthinkable. There was no highlight-reel catch. Instead, Rodgers’ potential last pass as a Packer slammed to the frozen Lambeau turf, and the quarterback sulked off to the sidelines, hoping his defense would give him one more chance.

One that never came.

The 49ers went 44 yards in nine plays and bled out the final 3:20, with Robbie Gould drilling a game-winning 45-yard field goal to send the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and thrust Rodgers into an uncertain offseason much earlier than he anticipated.

As the snow continued to flutter down and the temperature kept dropping, the once embattled 49ers didn’t want to leave the frozen field in which they had achieved the borderline unthinkable.

These 49ers, the ones who started 3-5 and needed to erase a 17-point Week 18 deficit just to get into the playoffs, had just suffocated Rodgers and the Packers’ offense, upsetting the No. 1 overall seed in a way few, if any, saw coming.

When the 49ers finally exited Lambeau, the sight of their miraculous victory was fully covered in an icy white sheet, as if the football gods themselves had closed up the hallowed grounds after a win that no one, not even the NFC title game-bound 49ers, fully grasped.

“We come into Lambeau against the No. 1 seed in the NFC, snowing, MVP quarterback, one of the best receivers playing the game, high-powered offense and we held to 10 points. That’s incredible,” Warner said. “Especially with the way it started. That’s really, it’s one of those things I’ll remember forever.

For sure. It’s one of those things I don’t think everyone understands the gravity of it now. But it’s something we will look back on.”

Max Verstappen sent ominous warning with Mercedes ‘bullish’ over Lewis Hamilton problem

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What transpired at the Yas Marina incensed team members at the Silver Arrows and Hamilton himself, with the British driver yet to speak publicly since missing out on what would have been an unprecedented eighth world championship.

The 37-year-old had overturned a 19-point deficit by winning the three races that preceded Abu Dhabi in Brazil, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, but only after engine reliability had seemingly plagued his title chances throughout the season.

F1 regulations limited teams to a total of three major power unit components for the 2021 season, but both Hamilton and team-mate Valtteri Bottas frequently had to take replacement parts.

Hamilton got through five internal combustion engines during the season, leading to a 10-place grid penalty in Turkey and having to drop five places in Brazil - although he did then defy the odds at Interlagos to record one of his greatest wins.

JUST IN: Helmut Marko aims brutal dig at Charles Leclerc and makes bold Carlos Sainz prediction

Lewis Hamilton ‘distancing’ himself from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff amid retirement fears

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Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve claims that Lewis Hamilton ’s continued silence indicates that he is distancing himself from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. After losing the 2021 world title in heartbreaking fashion, the Brit has largely withdrawn from the public eye, even with speculation swirling about his potential retirement.

Mercedes will hope they have their next Hamilton and Russell

Hamilton looked to be cruising towards world title number eight after battling through a chaotic first few laps in Abu Dhabi.

But a well-documented final few laps have caused controversy ever since, with FIA race director Michael Masi effectively wiping out the Mercedes man’s lead behind a late safety car.

On fresher tyres, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen executed a dramatic overtake on the final lap to clinch his first crown in contentious circumstances.

Hamilton appeared gracious in defeat, but Wolff went public about the ‘pain’ the 37-year-old felt following what the Austrian termed a ‘robbery’.

JUST IN: Alfa Romeo think they may have their very own Max Verstappen for 2022 F1 season

49ers 13-10 Packers: Final score and highlights

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This Saturday kicks off the Divisional Round games of the 2022 NFL playoffs, and the San Francisco 49ers visit Lambeau Field to take on the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Green Bay Packers at 8:15 p.m. ET.

One of the league’s most exciting matchups - San Francisco’s sweeping victory two years ago in the Championship Game en route to Super Bowl LIV - is still fresh in the memory. However, in the current regular season, Green Bay, coming off a bye week, defeated San Francisco 30-28 in dramatic fashion in one of 13 wins.

FINAL SCORE - 49ers 13-10 Packers - San Francisco advances to NFC Championship thanks to Robbie Gould FG

On 2nd & 7, Samuel was unable to pick up any yards, but Green Bay was forced to use its final timeout. On 3rd & 7, Garoppolo handed it off to Samuel, who picked up the first down with a powerful rush that saw him limp off the field.

With 13 second left on the clock, San Francisco used a second timeout to try to get a few more yards before bringing Robbie Gould in for the game-winning field goal. Juszczyk was not able to get but a couple yards before Robbie Gould drilled the 45-yard field goal to advance his team to the NFC Championship.

4TH QTR - 1:10 - Green Bay with one timeout left

Samuel picked up 14 yards on a safe throw from Jimmy G to make their way into field goal range. After a short run by Samuel, Green Bay was forced to use their second timeout to stop the clock.

4TH QTR - 2:00 - Niners preparing game-winning drive

A 9-yard return after a 57-yard punt set up Jimmy Garoppolo on the Niners’ 29-yard line. He completed a pass to Kittle for a first down on the first play of the drive.

Mitchell then picked up five yards on the ground to enter the two-minute warning.

4TH QTR - 3:33 - Three-and-out for Rodgers

On 1st & 15, Rodgers completed a pass to Adams for the receivers 9th catch of the night. They were only able to pick up four yards, and on 3rd & 11, Rodgers failed to complete a long pass to Adams.

4TH QTR - 4:41- San Francisco TD after blocked punt

Niners CB Dontae Johnson went into the tent after a helmet-to-helmet collision with a Packers player. On 3rd & 8, Armstead got his second sack of the night on Rodgers to force a punt.

Talanoa Hufanga got the touchdown after picking up the ball from the blocked punt by Jordan Willis.

4TH QTR - 6:10 - Turnover on downs for Niners in red zone

A 13-yard carry by Kyle Juszczyk on his first appearance in this game picked up a first down for San Francisco, but Jimmy Garoppolo got sacked to make it 3rd & 11. Kittle caught a 24-yard pass from Garoppolo and got some extra yards after contact to get inside the Packers’ territory.

On another third down, this time seven yards from the first down, Garoppolo completed the pass to Jennings for a 4th & 1. Green Bay’s defense stepped up to stop Mitchell’s run - Juszczyk didn’t get another touch in the failed drive.

4TH QTR - 11:29 - Rodgers fails in the red zone, Green Bay settles for FG

On 2nd & 9, Adams caught a pass from Rodgers to gain five yards in the red zone. The third down completion to Lazard put Green Bay on 1st & GOAL, but Rodgers got sacked by Arik Armstead on the 14th play of the drive, two plays after a false start penalty pushed them back five yards.

END OF 3RD QTR - 49ers 3-7 Packers

After moving the chains and getting into Niners territory, Adams had an amazing catch from a long pass by Rodgers to get a first down on the 24-yard line. AJ Dillon is questionable to return with a chest injury.

3RD QTR - 5:28 - Rodgers back on field after 4th sack on Jimmy G

Kenny Clark sacked Jimmy G on third down to force a quick three-and-out. It’s the fourth third down sack for Green Bay’s defense in this game.

3RD QTR - 7:02 - 49ers get the ball right back

Aaron Rodgers was again held to a three-and-out by the San Francisco defense. It is now three straight possessions without a score for Packers after its TD on the opening drive.

3RD QTR - 8:31 - Samuel goes down, San Francisco scores FG

As the snow started to fall at Lambeau Field, Niners started the drive qith back-to-back perimeter runs, pick up a first down thanks to Mitchell’s rushing. The first four plays of the first half were all runs before Garoppolo completed a pass to Samuel, who rushed for about 15 yards to get the first down even after contact.

After successfully moving the chains, a couple of penalties placed San Francisco at 2nd & 19. A play later, Samuel got hit hard and looked to be seriously hurt as San Francisco got on the board with a field goal by Robbie Gould, but returned to the field the next possession.

HALFTIME - 49ers 0-7 Packers

Rodgers threw a 75-yard completion to Jones on 3rd & 3, picking up the first down and much more. On 1st & 10, with 26 seconds left, Rodgers got hit by Bosa and fumbled the ball, but Niners could not recover.

Mason Crosby got his field goal blocked by Jimmie Ward to avoid Green Bay extending the lead ahead of halftime. San Francisco will get the ball to start the third quarter.

2ND QTR - 00:56 - Jimmy G ends long drive with INT

Kittle made an amazing catch to give Jimmy G his first completion of the night and San Francisco’s first first down in this game. Eli Mitchell set up a 3rd & 1 and subsequently got the third down conversion, also his side’s first of the night.

A couple plays later, Mitchell caught a shovel pass from Jimmy G as the QB escaped from pressure in the pocket to keep moving the chains. After the two-minute warning, on 2nd & 4, Niners picked up another first down and got into the red zone for the first time in this game, courtesy of Deebo Samuel.

Kittle set up 1st & GOAL with his second catch of the drive, but a holding penalty pushed San Francisco back 10 yards. The long drive ended with Garoppolo throwing an interception to Adrian Amos.

2ND QTR - 6:47 - Niners defense holds off Rodgers

Davante Adams completed a third down conversion to move the chains for Green Bay, but Nick Bosa sacked Rodgers two plays later to set up 3rd & 12. Jones was a couple yards shy of picking up a first down and after a delay of game call on Green Bay, who tried to get the Niners defense to jump early, the punt team came on to avoid a turnover on downs.

2ND QTR - 11:45 - Gary sacks Garoppolo again

Deebo Samuel couldn’t catch the ball from Garoppolo to start the drive. On 3rd & 8, Niners failed to move the chains as Rashan Gary sacked Jimmy G for a second time tonight.

2ND QTR - 13:54 - Rodgers sacked on third down

On 3rd & 3, Adam Lazard got a false start penalty to push his offense back to 3rd & 8. Rodgers got sacked by Samson Ebukam to get Jimmy G back on the field and make it back-to-back three-and-outs for Green Bay.

END OF 1ST QTR - 49ers 0-7 Packers

On 2nd & 12, George Kittle dropped a pass from Jimmy G despite being wide open. Jauan Jennings dropped a good pass from Garoppolo on the next play, but he was covered by two Green Bay defenders.

It was the third three-and-out of the night for San Francisco, and Rodgers will start the second quarter with the ball in his hands. Niners recorded -7 total yards in the first 15 minutes.

1ST QTR - 1:37 - Three-and-out for Rodgers

Niners will start at their own 48-yard line after the defense held Rodgers to a quick three-and-out.

1ST QTR - 2:58 - Jimmy G sacked on third down

A couple of plays into the drive, Brandon Aiyuk caught the ball and seemingly fumbled it before Booth Review ruled it incomplete. On 3rd & 5, Jimmy G got sacked by Rashan Gary.

1ST QTR - 4:00 - Green Bay fumbles, Niners recover

Adams picked up right where he left off last drive, catching his fourth ball of the night to start Green Bay’s second possession. Jones rushed for 14 yards to pick up a first down before picking up nine off a short pass.

AJ Dillon got the seventh first down of the night for Packers with a quick rush, but Fred Warner forced a fumble on Mercedes Lewis the very next play. Dre Greenlaw picked up the ball off the ground to get Jimmy G back on the field.

1ST QTR - 7:23 - Three-and-out for Jimmy G

Jimmy Garoppolo got sacked on 3rd & 12 to punt the ball on San Francisco’s first possession of the night. Jimmy G got sacked by Za’Darius Smith, who had not played since Week 1.

1ST QTR - 9:25 - AJ Dillon puts Green Bay ahead on opening drive

Aaron Jones got the first rush of the game before Davante Adams picked up a first down on a pass from Aaron Rodgers. Jones then picked up another first down, running 19 yards after catching the ball from his QB.

Adams got the third first down of the drive, completing a 10-yard catch from Rodgers, and subsequently got a new set of downs to get Green Bay in the red zone. Rodgers ended the 10-play opening drive with a handoff to AJ Dillon, who rushed in for the score.

Divisional Round matchup at Lambeau Field kicks off

Niners won the toss and deferred. Aaron Rodgers will start at his own 32-yard line.

Niners warming up

Jimmy Garoppolo shows love to a young Niners fan at Lambeau Field as he steps on the field for pregame warmups. In his previous game, a win over the Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy G threw one interception and no touchdowns, completing 64% of his passes for 172 yards.

Packers warming up

Green Bay wide receiver Allen Lazard shows off his soccer skills during pregame warmups. Lazard has 513 yards and eight touchdowns on 40 receptions.

San Francisco 49ers inactive players

Nick Bosa has cleared league protocols after being listed as questionable with a concussion.

CB Ambry Thomas (questionable) - knee

DE Jordan Willis (questionable) - ankle

Green Bay Packers inactive players

For the divisional round, the Packers get Za’Darius Smith back, although they will miss Valdes-Scantling and Bakhtiari in case they are unavailable.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (doubtful) - back

OT David Bakhtiari (questionable) - knee

CB Jaire Alexander (questionable) - shoulder

Odds and betting lines for 49ers vs Packers

49ers vs. Packers spread: Green Bay -5.5

49ers vs. Packers over-under: 47 points

49ers vs. Packers money line: Green Bay -240, San Francisco +200

GB: Packers are 11-1 against the spread in their last 12 games following a straight-up loss

SF: 49ers are 6-1 ATS in last 7 contests as underdogs

Series history

49ers and Packers have met a total of 71 times in their history, including 8 postseason games.

Green Bay has won three of its last five games against San Francisco, but one of those two 49ers wins came in the NFC Championship Game.

Sep 26, 2021 - Green Bay 30-28 San Francisco

Nov 5, 2020 - Green Bay 34-17 San Francisco

Jan 19, 2020 - Green Bay 20-37 San Francisco

Nov 24, 2019 - Green Bay 8-37 San Francisco

Oct 15, 2018 - San Francisco 30-33 Green Bay

How to watch

When: Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8:15 p.m. ET

Where: Lambeau Field - Green Bay, Wisconsin

TV: FOX

Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply)

Ticket Cost: $190.00

Lewis Hamilton and fellow F1 drivers fired vaccination warning for Australia Grand Prix

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Australian Grand Prix officials have declared all F1 drivers and staff members must be fully vaccinated to avoid a repeat of the Novak Djokovic controversy that saw the world number one deported.

Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton and his fellow Formula One drivers have been warned they will not be allowed to compete in the Australian Grand Prix if they are not vaccinated.

Officials will be keen to avoid a repeat of the controversial and incredibly public saga surrounding Novak Djokovic’s cancelled visa. The world number one was sensationally deported from Melbourne after his entry into the country was revoked ahead of the Australian Open.

He could be banned from re-entering for three years after his visa was cancelled. Australia have imposed strict laws on citizens during the pandemic - and Australian Grand Prix authorities have already told drivers that they will not be allowed to compete if they are not vaccinated.

Image: PA) PA)

The Australian Grand Prix is usually the season-opener, but will be third on the 2022 calendar due to planning amid Covid restrictions. Race chief executive Andrew Westacott insisted that rules are clear and all racers and staff must be fully jabbed to attend.

“The rules are simple to get into the country and the rules are simple to operate in Formula One,” Westacott said. “To come into the event you’ll be 100 per cent vaccinated and there won’t be an exemption sought for anyone from anyone.

“Our arrangements have been in place well before the recent goings-on at the Australian Open. These rules are understood by Formula One, they’re understood by the FIA, they’re going to be written into the sporting regulations and I’m very confident that (it) is just going to be a rite of passage to come into the country.

“There’s zero tolerance. Whether you’re Lewis Hamilton or Valentino Rossi in MotoGP, if you test positive, you don’t race that weekend.”

Image: REUTERS) REUTERS)

No driver is above the regulations, although seven-time world champion Hamilton is believed to be fully vaccinated.

F1 has already said that everyone will need to be vaccinated to take part in events. When asked about vaccinations ahead of the new season earlier this month, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “There are many issues to discuss with the teams.

“We will have the problem of Covid to manage again next year and it will not be easy. But two years into the pandemic, we have completed some super-intense seasons and it makes us cautiously optimistic for what the start of the 2022 season should be like, where alas Covid may still be present.

“But it is no coincidence that one of the last things approved in the last FIA World Council, as a precaution, is to have all F1 staff vaccinated to be in the paddock.”

Do you think Lewis Hamilton will return to F1 for the 2022 season? Let us know in the comments section.

Hamilton is yet to speak publicly since Red Bull star Max Verstappen secured a maiden world title in controversial scenes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with retirement speculation mounting. Mercedes’ fury was largely aimed at FIA race director Michael Masi after he decided to not allow cars to unlap themselves, as is tradition, only to change his mind to set up the final lap showdown between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Mercedes withdrew their appeal against the result after the FIA pledged an investigation into the events surrounding the Safety Car procedures.

Hamilton and Mercedes team members did not conduct any other media interviews after the season finale and the 37-year-old is yet to post on his social media accounts since the events of 12 December 2021.

The 23-race 2022 campaign begins on 18-20 March, with winter testing for the all-new generation of cars underway from 23 February.