Of all the important things the Green Bay Packers must do to beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, an ability to consistently tackle two of the 49ers’ best offensive weapons quietly ranks near the top.
The Packers can’t afford to miss tackles on All-Pro tight end George Kittle and rookie Deebo Samuel.
Kittle and Samuel are, without much doubt, two of the best players in football after the catch, and they’re paired with an offense that relies on getting the ball out quick and letting playmakers do most of the work.
The run-after-catch talent and Kyle Shanahan’s cutting edge scheme make Kittle and Samuel especially dangerous.
According to Sports Info Solutions, Kittle ranked second among NFL receivers and tight ends in yards after the catch this season. More of his total receiving yards came after the catch than before it, and he averaged 7.3 yards after the catch, making him one of only 10 receivers or tight ends in the NFL to catch at least 25 passes and still average at least 7.0 yards after the catch.
Samuel joined him in the club. He finished seventh among NFL receivers and tight ends in yards after the catch, and he was third in average yards after the catch (8.5) among receivers and tight ends with at least 20 targets.
Kittle is big, strong and fast, and he refuses to go down on first contact. The Packers have to rally to him when he catches the football because the first guy probably isn’t getting him to the ground.
Samuel is a similar-type player at receiver. In fact, he’s almost more like a running back once he gets the ball in his hands. He bounces off tackles and has an innate sense of both finding and creating space.
Kittle and Samuel terrorized the Packers after the catch in Week 12.
Kittle caught six passes for 126 yards, and 63 β or exactly half β came after the catch. He gained 21 combined yards after back-to-back catches to help set up a short field goal in the second quarter, and he strutted 26 yards unimpeded after a deep completion on his 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Samuel finished with two catches for 50 yards, but he gained 38 after the catch, including 29 on his catch-and-run touchdown in the second quarter. The rookie got free across the middle and then outran Tramon Williams to the end zone.
ππ π ππ‘ππ¦π©π’π¨π§π¬π‘π’π© ππ«ππ―π’ππ° @JimmyG_10 β‘οΈ Deebo Samuel for the 42 yard TD catch and run in Week 12 vs. the Packers! #TBT @nwagoner | @49ers | #GBvsSF @gregcosell | @MattBowen41 pic.twitter.com/s05SkzJh0A
— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) January 16, 2020
Packers defensive backs will be challenged to tackle the pair. Although the misses have gone down lately, cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King and safety Darnell Savage all missed at least 13 tackles this season, per Sports Info Solutions.
Linebacker Blake Martinez missed 17 tackles, although his miss percentage is below 10 percent.
Shanahan and the 49ers are going to challenge the back seven of the Packers defense to consistently make tackles. It’s what the offense is designed to do. The ball will come out quick on most snaps. Kittle and Samuel will get targets. The Packers have to minimize space, swarm to the ball and consistently get No. 85 and No. 19 to the ground.