The Green Bay Packers are preparing for a highly-anticipated return trip to Levi’s Stadium, the scene of two blowouts for Matt LaFleur’s team against the San Francisco 49ers last season, and they just gave up 226 total yards to Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, providing vivid flashbacks to when 49ers running backs Raheem Mostert ran wild over Mike Pettine’s defense in the NFC title game.
But the Packers might be catching the injury-ravished 49ers at just the right time.
In fact, Thursday night is now or never time for the Packers in San Francisco.
Relentless injuries have stripped the 49ers of much of their collective firepower and should give the Packers a decided edge in the first (and possibly only) meeting of this season.
On Thursday night, Kyle Shanahan’s team is likely to be without Mostert, tight end George Kittle, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Tevin Coleman and offensive lineman Ben Garland, and that’s just on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Soloman Thomas are out for the year, edge rusher Dee Ford and cornerback Richard Sherman might not play, and the 49ers just traded away linebacker Kwon Alexander.
The vastly talented team that stomped the Packers by 29 points in November of last year and 17 points in January won’t be the same one on the field Thursday night. Backup quarterback Nick Mullens will lead a patched-together offense, and what remains of the 49ers defense just gave up 37 points in a loss to Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks.
The Packers, meanwhile, are trending in the opposite direction, although no one can be sure about playing statuses at this point in the week, especially on a short week. Left tackle David Bakhtiari, running back Aaron Jones, receiver Allen Lazard and linebacker Christian Kirksey could all return from injuries and play Thursday night.
Sure, the Packers are dealing with the disappointment of an unexpected home loss to the Vikings on Sunday, the threat of a COVID-19 contamination after A.J. Dillon tested positive and the difficulties of a long road trip on a short week. LaFleur’s team has hurdles to clear before Thursday night. But once the game kicks off, the Packers should be the clear favorite, based on available personnel alone.
If the Packers can’t beat this hodgepodge version of the 49ers, they may never.