The Green Bay Packers produced a dominant win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Lambeau Field, using a powerful performance from Josh Jacobs in the run game and a disruption-filled game from the defense to win 38-10.
By overall grade at Pro Football Focus, Sunday was the Packers’ best performance overall and on defense. Facing a depleted 49ers roster, the Packers tackled well, run the ball well and protected the quarterback well — all while winning the turnover battle 3-0. That’s a winning formula against anyone, anywhere.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 12 win over the 49ers:
Top 5 offense
1. WR Malik Heath: 92.3
2. LG Elgton Jenkins: 86.6
3. RB Josh Jacobs: 86.3
4. RT Zach Tom: 78.8
5. RB Emanuel Wilson: 75.9
Heath caught both of his targets for 15 yards, including a contested touchdown catch. Jenkins was charged with giving up a sack, and he had a holding penalty, but he still earned a near-elite grade as a run blocker and a good grade in the passing game — suggesting he was close to dominant down to down. Jacobs forced 12 missed tackles and had three runs of 10 or more yards, and he was solid as a pass-blocker. Tom gave up nothing more than two hurries and was strong in the run game. Wilson forced three missed tackles and had a 19-yard run.
Top 5 defense
1. LB Quay Walker: 91.4
2. CB Javon Bullard: 84.9
3. CB Keisean Nixon: 83.2
4. DE Lukas Van Ness: 82.9
5. DE Brenton Cox Jr.: 79.9
Walker had four stops, a pass breakup and two hurries, and he had two other stops negated by penalties. He was also perfect as a tackler. This was one of the best games of his NFL career. Bullard created three stops, had seven tackles without a miss and was solid in coverage against the slot, a dangerous position in the 49ers offense. Nixon didn’t give up a catch in coverage and had a forced fumble. Van Ness produced two pressures, including a strip-sack, on just 10 pass-rushing snaps. Cox Jr. had a tackle against the run and a hurry.
Bottom 5 offense
1. RG Sean Rhyan: 33.8
2. WR Christian Watson: 47.1
3. TE Ben Sims: 55.6
4. RB Chris Brooks: 57.7
5. WR Bo Melton: 58.2
Rhyan gave up two pressures, committed a pre-snap penalty and struggled in the run game. Watson dropped a sure-fire touchdown pass and didn’t have a catch on three targets. Sims wasn’t targeted and was only average as a run blocker. Brooks committed a 15-yard tripping penalty. Melton didn’t have a catch on eight routes run.
Bottom 5 defense
1. CB Carrington Valentine: 29.5
2. CB Eric Stokes: 47.8
3. DL Colby Wooden: 48.5
4. DE Kingsley Enagbare: 54.5
5. DL Devonte Wyatt: 54.9
Valentine gave up three catches for a game-high 68 yards in coverage, including a 31-yarder to George Kittle. Stokes didn’t give up a catch but earned a team-low grade against the run. Wooden struggled against the run and didn’t have a pressure over 14 pass-rushing snaps. Enagbare was solid against the run but missed a tackle on a sack. Wyatt had a hurry and a quarterback hit but didn’t hold up well against the run.
Special teams
Corey Ballentine, Isaiah McDuffie, Arron Mosby, Carrington Valentine and Eric Wilson all had tackles covering kicks or punts, although Ballentine missed two tackles. Bo Melton also missed tackles. Overall, the Packers had six misses on special teams — a season high. Brandon McManus made a 51-yard field goal and all five extra points, while Daniel Whelan had a punt inside the 20-yard line. The 49ers had an explosive kickoff return called back via penalty.
Quarterback play
Jordan Love: 63.5
Love was terrific from clean pockets, completing 10 of 15 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown when not pressured. He also threw a touchdown while pressured but took two sacks and had two turnover-worthy plays. The Packers dropped two of his passes, including what would have been a 49-yard touchdown pass. On passes over 20 yards, Love was just 1-for-6, although — again — the drop from Watson was a big one. Both of Love’s touchdown passes came on passes under 10 yards.
Stat to know
Jacobs gained 83 yards after first contact and forced a season-high 12 missed tackles (Next Gen Stats counted 15). Emanuel Wilson and Christian Watson (hurdle) also forced misses, so Packers runners finished with 113 rushing yards and 16 forced missed tackles, plus four runs of 10 plus yards.