San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers: A Prospector's Guide

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The 49ers head to the not so frozen tundra of Lambeau Field this weekend in a battle between two teams who are fast approach must-win territory.  Given that the Packers are at home this is probably "must-win" for them.  On the other side, the 49ers definitely need the win, but I don't think many people outside of Niners Nation would be shocked if they lost this game.  I wouldn't be shocked, but I'd like to think they have a better shot than most people are giving them.

The 49ers travel to Green Bay for the first time since 2003 to face the Packers in what will be the 60th meeting between the two teams, dating back to 1950. The Packers maintain a 32-26-1 edge over the 49ers. The last time the two teams squared off was in 2006 at Candlestick Park when the Packers defeated the 49ers 30-19.

The 49ers snapped a four-game losing streak last week with a 10-6 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night. In that game, San Francisco’s defense recorded 5 interceptions while holding Chicago to 2.0 rushing yards per carry. RB Frank Gore recorded 104 rushing yards and one touchdown, marking the second time in his career that he has posted a rushing touchdown in three consecutive games.

The 49ers run defense enters this week’s game ranked 3rd in the NFL (87.7 ypg) and 1st in yards allowed per carry (3.3 ypc).

49ers-Packers Connections
Coaching Connections
• Packers head coach Mike McCarthy served as offensive coordinator with the 49ers in 2005
• 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy both coached for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1993-98. During that span, Raye served as running backs coach for the first five years before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 1998. McCarthy served as an offensive assistant for two years before serving as quarterbacks coach from1995-98.
• 49ers secondary coach Johnnie Lynn coached with Packers WR coach Jimmy Robinson on the N.Y. Giants staff (2002-03).
• 49ers Special teams coordinator Al Everest and Packers asst. head coach/inside LBs Winston Moss coached together with the New Orleans Saints from 2000-05. Everest served in the same capacity, while Moss spent time as a defensive asst./quality control before being promoted to LBs coach midway into the 2000 season. Everest also coached with Packers WR coach Jimmy Robinson (2004-05) while still with the Saints.
• 49ers WR coach Jerry Sullivan’s son, Jon-Eric Sullivan, is in his 9th year as a college scout for the Packers.
• 49ers LB Patrick Willis was tutored by Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum at the University of Mississippi when Slocum served as linebackers coach during the 2005 season.

FORMER PACKERS - VP Player Personnel Scot McCloughan began his career as a scout in 1994 with the Packers, where he spent the next five seasons ... Special Assistant to head coach Bill Nayes got his start in the NFL as an administrative assistant/football operations with Green Bay from1997-99. Nayes, who is also a graduate from the Univ. of Wisconsin, also served as a football operations assistant with the University (1994-97) and later as Asst. AD/Director of Football Operations (2006-08) ... S Mark Roman spent two seasons with the Packers (2004-05) prior to signing with the 49ers ... Pro Personnel Scout Quentus Cumby spent the summer of 2005 as an intern with the Packers player personnel department.

FORMER 49ERS - LB coach Kevin Greene spent a season playing linebacker for the 49ers in 1997 ... Director of player personnel Reggie McKenzie played with the 49ers during the 1992 season on defense as a linebacker ... Packers TE coach Ben McAdoo served as assistant offensive line/quality control coach during the 2005 season with the 49ers ... Packers WR coach Jimmy Robinson played for the 49ers during the 1980 season as a wide receiver.

NOR-CAL CONNECTIONS – QB Aaron Rodgers is a native of Chico and played his collegiate football at Cal-Berkeley … LB Desmond Bishop, a San Francisco native, also played at Cal (2005-06) and attended Fairfield High School ... S Matt Giordano also played at Cal ... S Jarett Lee Bush was born in Vacaville and also attended Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville ... C/G Evan Blake Dietrich-Smith was born in Salinas ... WR James Jones is a native of San Jose, CA and played at San Jose State.

HELLO AGAIN – 49ers T Barry Sims and Packers CB Charles Woodson were teammates with the Oakland Raiders from 1999-2005. 49ers PK Joe Nedney also played with both during the 1999 season ... 49ers CB Dré Bly and WR Isaac Bruce were teammates with Packers LB Brandon Chillar and NT Ryan Pickett with the St. Louis Rams in 2002.

BAYOU BROTHERS - 49ers DT Ricky Jean Francois and S Curtis Taylor were teammates of Packers QB Matt Flynn and FB Quinn Johnson for two seasons (2006-07) at Louisiana State University.

ROCKY TOP - 49ers NT Aubrayo Franklin and Packers C Scott Wells were teammates at the University of Tennessee from 2001-02.

FIGHT ON STATE - 49ers RB Michael Robinson and Packers PK Jeremy Kapinos were teammates at Penn State from 2003-05.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 59
Series Record: Packers Lead Series 32-26-1
49ers Away Record vs. Packers: Packers Lead Series 10-19
First Meeting: 11/26/50, Packers win, 25-21
Last Meeting: 12/10/06, Packers win, 30-19
Current Streak: Lost 7
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 7 (12/10/50-12/5/54)
Longest Packers Win Streak: 6 (10/14/96-Present)
Most 49ers Points: 48 (2 Times) Last 12/7/58
Most Packers Points: 41 (10/23/60), 41-14, at Green Bay
49ers Shutouts: 1; (12/5/54 - 49ers win 35-0)
Packers Shutouts: 2 Times  (Last: 11/19/67 - Packers win 13-0)

GREEN BAY 30, SAN FRANCISCO 19
At San Francisco, CA, December 10, 2006

The Green Bay Packers capitalized on three 49ers turnovers and two explosive TD passes by QB Brett Favre to beat the 49ers 30-19. Favre’s play-action fakes and pump fakes helped fool the 49ers secondary, leading to a 36-yard TD pass in the 1st quarter and then a 68-yard TD pass in the 3rd quarter.

The turning point of the game came early in the 3rd quarter. The 49ers closed the Green Bay lead to 17-13 after taking the 2nd half kickoff and engineering an 11-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard TD run by RB Frank Gore. After pinning Green Bay at its own three-yard line later in the 3rd quarter, the 49ers fielded a Packers punt and began a drive at midfield. Two plays later, QB Alex Smith rolled to his right and appeared to have TE Vernon Davis wide open with a clear shot at the end zone. Instead the pass was under thrown and intercepted by Green Bay FS Nick Collins. Two plays later, Favre used his trademark pump fake to complete a pass to WR Donald Driver that resulted in a 68-yard TD and a 24-13 Packers lead.

Smith threw his second INT of the day in the 4th quarter when he was picked off by Green Bay LB A.J. Hawk in the end zone on a pass intended for Davis. Gore had a big day rushing with a franchise record 7th 100-yard game after accumulating 130 yards on 19 carries for a 6.8-yard average. Gore set up the 49ers first score when he broke free for a 72-yard gain to help set up a FG. Despite his success, a costly fumble by Gore at the San Francisco eight-yard line set up a Green Bay FG and a 10-3 Packers lead early in the 2nd quarter. Favre gave Green Bay a lead they would never relinquish in the 1st quarter when he executed a perfect play-action fake and then threw a 36-yard pass to WR Ruvell Martin for a TD and a 7-3 Packers advantage. Driver caught nine passes for 160 yards to shred a 49ers secondary that was missing starting CB Shawntae Spencer (ankle) and reserve CB Donald Strickland, who was forced out of the game with a knee injury in the 1st quarter. Late in the game, Davis was able to turn a short pass into a 52-yard TD by breaking a few tackles and bulldozing his way into the end zone.

2009 Statistics