The stakes don’t get a lot higher than they do on Sunday Night Football between the 49ers and Packers.

It’s not only the rekindling of an old rivalry, it’s a massive game in the scope of the tightly-contested NFC playoff picture. A loss to Green Bay could drop San Francisco to as low as fifth in the playoff standings.

To get a better read on the 49ers’ Week 12 opponent, we got in touch with Packers Wire managing editor Zach Kruse, and asked him a few questions about the 8-2 Green Bay club.

The Packers have been up and down on offense this season. Is that a product of adjusting to a new head coach, or is it more the typical ebbs and flows of an NFL season?

I’d point to a few reasons for the inconsistency. Of course, they have a new head coach and a brand new system. It was always going to take time to get comfortable, understand who does what best and figure out specific roles for individuals within the scheme. They’ve also played a bunch of tough defenses, and there was an adjustment period when Davante Adams went down and then came back from a turf toe injury. Situationally, the Packers have had too many self-inflicted errors. They lead the NFL in total number delay of game and false start penalties (25), and there’s been too many negative plays on early downs. Matt LaFleur also wants to get a lot better on third down.

RB Aaron Jones is putting together a pretty ridiculous season. He already has more carries through 10 games this year than he did in 12 games last year. What’s led to the uptick in workload?

The biggest factor was the hiring of Matt LaFleur, who understands how dynamic Jones is as a dual-threat weapon. The Packers still use Jamaal Williams in certain spots, but LaFleur has fully committed to getting Jones the football in a variety of ways. Don’t be surprised if Jones is a primary target in the receiving game Sunday night. Aaron Rodgers wants 15-20 touches for him every game. Also, no running back has been better in the red zone. On 22 carries inside the 20-yard line, Jones has 11 touchdowns.

The Packers’ WR corps is pretty top heavy with Davante Adams. How big of a distance is there between him and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and how much of an issue is WR depth for Green Bay? Because the drop off after Valdes-Scantling seems pretty steep.

It’s certainly steep. More and more, it looks like the Packers have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Adams but nothing more than a collection of No. 3 and No. 4 receivers behind him. They really need a guy to step up and become the No. 2. Valdes-Scantling can run and stretch defenses vertically, but the Packers haven’t figured out how to get him the ball in the intermediate areas. Allen Lazard has impressed and could get a real shot at being the No. 2. There just isn’t a guy behind Adams that is going to constantly scare a defense. It’s a potential fatal flaw for the Packers offense.

DL Kenny Clark wrecked shop against the 49ers (and a bunch of other teams) last year, but his production has taken a hit this season. Is that due to the added pass rush from Preston and Za’Darius Smith, or is there something else going on there?

Good question. This answer has multiple layers, too. For starters, Clark has been dealing with a bunch of nagging injuries, including a shin injury that has lingered. He’s confident he’ll be far more healthy coming out of the bye. Also, teams have simply paid more attention to Clark on the inside. Double teams in the run game have become common. Clark has still been disruptive as a pass-rusher when given one-on-one opportunities. There’s a pick-your-poision aspect to the Packers’ pass rush. Do you provide help on Clark and risk the edges against Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith? Or do you let your inside guys take on Clark one-on-one and double the edges?

San Francisco and Green Bay played a thriller last season on Monday Night Football. Do you expect another close one this season, and what’s your final score prediction?

I do expect another close one. This should be a fun game against two ascending teams with similar coaching foundations. However, I do wonder how the Packers match up with the 49ers. On offense, Kyle Shanahan’s team can run the ball and pick up chunk plays in the passing game. On defense, the 49ers can get reliable pressure with four rushers. That’s a pretty good recipe for beating the Packers. Unless the Packers consistently win the line of scrimmage on both sides, it could be a long night. My prediction: 49ers 28, Packers 20.