It’s do-or-die time for the Green Bay Packers. As of this writing, they’re 7.5-point underdogs. The line began at -7, which means even with a touchdown advantage, bettors still see the 49ers as the better bet.

There’s logic to see it that way. Back in November, we covered many of the reasons why 49ers are a problem, and those reasons remain unchanged today: George Kittle is an elite tight end and matchup problem; the defensive front four has the most top-to-bottom talent in the league; Fred Warner plays with his hair on fire (and their other linebacker, Kwon Alexander, is back from injury); their offensive system challenges you in multiple ways.

The Packers failed the first test. Can they pass the second?

Analysts, specifically YouTube NFL analyst Brett Kollman, point to one main reason for concern: predictability on defense.

Paraphrasing, Kollman details how defensive coordinator Mike Pettine tends to telegraph his coverages via personnel, which is no bueno for an offensive mind such as Kyle Shanahan’s.

It’s worth noting, however, that the Packers have since improved on many of the issues Kollman discussed since the 49ers game. Since Week 12, the one notable “poor” defensive performance was against Detroit, which was more the exception than the rule in the final month and change of the season.

One reason for the improvement was the return of Ibraheim Campell, who filled the void left by Raven Greene after he went to injured reserve in Week 2. Campbell is the chess piece Pettine needs to keep correctly balance the need to stop the big pass without being too vulnerable against bigger offensive personnel. Campbell gives the Packers speed in the middle of the field and also puts Adrian Amos back into his more natural position.

The second and more important reason is communication. Lest we forget how young this defense is, especially the back end: Darnell Savage is a rookie, Jaire Alexander is in his second season, Kevin King is in his third season, and Adrian Amos is in just his fifth NFL season. Tramon Williams is the lone elder statesman.

Generally speaking, this defense is green, an attribute of which the Niners took advantage.

The beatdown in Santa Clara did help the Packers in one way, though: it catalyzed this group into holding each other accountable.

According to Packers News, less than a day after the game, the defense called a meeting, sans coaches, and pored over the film.

Said linebacker Blake Martinez of the players-only session: “As we were going through the plays, it became evident that certain guys in certain position groups thought they were doing the right thing, certain guys from other position groups thought they were doing the right thing. And throughout the whole time we were watching, it was like, ‘Oh, I thought I was supposed to be doing this.’ Or, ‘Oh, I thought I was supposed to be doing this.’

It makes sense, too. We noted in our Week 12 film review how the Packers haven’t communicated well, among other things, and that it might be time to play a little more man coverage. If, like Kollman suggests, the Packers are predictable, changing up coverage and relying a little more upon Jaire Alexander and Kevin King as athletes might be enough to keep Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo on their toes.

This is going to be a tough game one way or another. More than likely, it’s going to be closer than many think.

Film Notes:

• Tight end George Kittle makes this offense work. He’s an elite athlete capable of blocking (and dominating) in one-on-one situations. He’s too big for corners and safeties, and he’s too fast for linebackers. The Packers might look to limit Kittle by chipping him off the line. That may undermine their pass rush some, but we’ve seen the alternatives.
• The 49ers receive their top tackle, Joe Staley, back. He didn’t play in the last outing. Staley is quick out of his stance and plays with enough power to set the anchor.
• Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have been operating a mind-meld this year. Shanahan dials up passes that seek to simplify the reads based on a defense’s personnel and pre-snap coverage read. Garoppolo is sharp enough mentally to make the right read and the quick throw. Their first red-zone trip against Minnesota last week was an example of this. In a 2-by-2 set, with Kittle in the slot, Garoppolo read man coverage as Anthony Barr flew to the flat to cover Deebo Samuel, who leaked out to the flat from an orbit motion. As Barr vacated his zone, Garoppolo targeted Kittle on the post before the other linebacker, Eric Kendricks, could replace. It’s a bang-bang play.
• The safeties have to play smart football Sunday. Anthony Harris ceded a touchdown when he got caught peeking in the backfield. It was enough for Kendrick Bourne to find open space in the back of the end zone. The cornerback gave leverage inside expecting help, but Harris’ positioning created a small void in the zone.
• It’ll be interesting to see how the 49ers defend the interior without defensive tackle D.J. Jones. He wrecked Corey Linsley in the last meeting. Though Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner can slide to three, they’re longer, leaner frames for a nose. It might be an opportunity to get push inside.
• At times, Jimmy Garappolo can deliver some questionable throws under duress. He’s most vulnerable to inside pressure (as most quarterbacks are). He gets the ball out quickly, but the Packers would be wise to increase the volume and diversity of their blitz package. They can simultaneously clog run lanes and also force quicker throws on play-action.
• The speed of the 49ers’ off-ball linebackers makes life difficult in multiple ways, but one specific way is getting yards after the catch on underneath throws and screens. They’re space-erasers.
• Rookie Nick Bosa, if healthy, will be in that All-Pro conversation next year. He’s extremely athletic and strong. He’s also plenty to big to be an effective three-down player.
• The Packers may want to consider cutting at the line of scrimmage, especially on the backside. It could mitigate cutback lanes, but the benefit is you keep the pursuits of the Niners’ top four linemen honest.
• The Packers’ interior defensive line needs to be on their A-game. It’s hard enough to transition from run fits to an effective pass rush, but it’s easier when you can control the line of scrimmage. The Packers can solve a lot of problems if Kenny Clark and the rotations of Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster make it hard for the center and guards to coast to the second level. That happens by occupying blockers and playing on the opponent’s side of the line of scrimmage.
• Blake Martinez needs to get depth on his zone drops this week. The Niners excel at finding space between the safeties and the hook/curl ‘backers. Garoppolo is quick with his reads and throws with enough accuracy to exploit the voids in the zone. Kendricks intercepted Garoppolo precisely because he started getting deeper on his drops.
• Shotgun sets with empty formations are generally bad news against the 49ers. They need to only rush four is most situations. Longer-developing routes and Rodgers’ tendency to hold onto the ball is a recipe for disaster. At the very least, Matt LaFleur needs to give Rodgers underneath outlets. Even with five wide, the 49ers have seven in coverage, so Davante Adams will likely be doubled.
• Look for the Packers to get Rodgers out of the pocket on play-action rollouts more frequently. Though it might limit the field reads, it’s a way to avoid the 49ers’ pass rush. Packers should also try to hold linebackers accountable with pre-snap jet motion, orbit motion and split zone play-action, where tight ends or slot receivers come across the line sometimes as blockers and sometimes as receivers. LaFleur needs to keep San Francisco honest; otherwise, they’ll pursue downhill with fire and fury.

On Sunday, the 13-3 Green Bay Packers will host the 12-5 Seattle Seahawks. If history is any indicator, this game could be another weird one. Between the Fail Mary, Brandon Bostick, fake punts and fourth-quarter collapses, there always seems to be something different when these two teams face off.

But if history is any indicator, the Packers will win.

In the last eight matchups between the Packers and Seahawks, the home team has come away with the victory each time. 2009 was the last time a visiting team won. Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a 48-10 victory over the Seahawks quarterbacked by Matt Hasselbeck.

Let’s start with some numbers.

Team defense rankings:

• Yards: Packers – 18th, Seahawks – 26th
• Rushing yards (per rush): Packers – 24th, Seahawks – 28th
• Pass yards allowed: Packers – 14th, Seahawks – 27th
• Points allowed: Packers – 9th, Seahawks – 22nd
• Efficiency (DVOA): Packers 5th, Seahawks – 8th

Team offense rankings:

• Yards: Packers – 18th, Seahawks – 8th
• Points: Packers – 15th, Seahawks – 9th
• Efficiency (DVOA): Packers 15th, Seahawks – 18th

Cutting through the rankings, the biggest variable is Russell Wilson, who was a borderline MVP during the first half of the season. He’s tapered off to a degree after a hot start, but he’s played better football this year than Aaron Rodgers, and no player is more important to a team than a hot quarterback. Just ask the ’16 Packers.

Another important note is health. While the Packers have been one of the healthiest teams in the league this year, the Seahawks have been hit with a series of injuries (especially lately). Several preferred starters or heavy contributors are on injured reserve, including starting running back Chris Carson and tight end Will Dissly. They may also be without key starters depending on how the week’s injury report shakes out. Left tackle Duane Brown didn’t practice Wednesday and defensive end Ziggy Ansah was listed as limited.

A key factor in this game is going to come down the Packers’ capacity limit the “explosives,” as Mike Pettine likes to call them. Receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett complicate matters; both have excellent straight-line speed. If Wilson has time in the pocket, he’s one of the best deep-ball throwers in the league. Provided the Seahawks’ penchant for running the football, they know they get a lot of eight-man boxes, and it’s off of those situations that they take a shot downfield.

The Packers will also need to have a plan for Wilson. He looks and plays the quarterback position like a shortstop, throwing from odd angles with velocity and accuracy. Perhaps the most underrated part of Wilson’s game is his touch. He has an intuitive sense of velocity and arc when he throws, giving his receivers time to adjust and trusting them to make plays. The Packers cornerbacks need to play feisty at the catch point.

The Packers should be able to move the ball well enough to score points, and the defense has the players and team speed to hold the lead. To win, though, they just need to limit big plays.

On paper, the Packers are the more talented team. They can win this game. With home-field advantage, they should. Actually, doing it? That’s why we watch.

Film notes:

• Jadeveon Clowney’s game is a lot like Za’Darius Smith’s. Against the run, he’s an apt slasher, crashing inside the tackle and down the line of scrimmage. In fact, he likes to attack leverage and try to win inside often. Clowney’s size and speed can be a problem for tackles. He’s not a traditional win-with-speed-and-bend edge rusher. Clowney’s been up and down this season. He’s wrecked games (at San Francisco), but he’s been a non-factor in others. Still, he’ll be the Packers’ top worry on the Seahawks’ defensive line.
• Shaquem Griffin (No. 49) will line up on the edge as a pass rusher during obvious passing situations. He’s fast but undersized. As a result, he gets tossed around easily. It seems like the Seahawks don’t have great answers on the edge aside from Clowney.
• Russell Wilson’s mobility additionally operates as additional pocket protection. Wilson’s natural feel for pressure means rushers need to maintain pass-rushing integrity or else he can escape the pocket for a big gain. Wilson fully understands the situation and reads coverage well; if he sees man coverage with defenders turning their backs, he’s apt to take off and take the free yardage. It’s only logical that the Packers will deploy a quarterback spy.
• An additional note on Wilson: he’s made his money by blending athleticism and mobility with an accurate arm. While he still has all three, it looks like Wilson’s not as fleet of foot as he once was. He still demonstrates plenty of movement ability to evade pressure in the pocket and create – in fact, he’s one of the league’s best at second-reaction plays – placing a spy on him isn’t the fruitless exercise that placing a spy on prime-era Michael Vick or modern-day Lamar Jackson can be.
• Seahawks running back Travis Homer, a 2019 sixth-round pick, has some juice in his game, but his vision and feel for the run lanes is iffy. He’s their pass-catching threat out of the backfield and is a willing blocker. He stood his ground Sunday against Fletcher Cox, enough for Wilson to deliver the ball. When there are lanes, Homer can get downfield in a hurry, as he did against San Francisco in Week 17; even so, Homer’s an easy tackle. The Packers need to respect his speed.
• The Seahawks are a heavy zone team on defense. Shaquill Griffin is their best cornerback. Seattle’s corners more or less erased Philadelphia’s receiving corps (which has been an underwhelming unit all year).
• “New” Seahawk Marshawn Lynch (signed just a few weeks ago) gives the Seahawks a boost of power between the tackles, but he’s not the Lynch of yore. “Beast Mode” still plays will excellent contact balance and a competent feel for rushing lanes, but he lacks explosion. The Seahawks purportedly are adding more responsibility for Lynch as he’s about to play in his third game, but he serves the team’s interests best as a between-the-tackles power back.
• Seattle’s best on defense comes in the form of inside linebackers K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner. The latter is one of the best off-ball linebackers in football, possessing elite instincts and physical tools. Wright complements Wagner well, for they both show little lag between their initial read and their body movement. The Niners played Wagner and Wright’s aggression against them, utilizing a mix of jet motion, pulling linemen, and reverses to keep the duo honest. The Packers will need to stress Wagner and Wright’s eye discipline. Look for the Packers utilize the jet motion with Tyler Ervin.
• Like the Packers, Seattle tries to scheme shot plays downfield. Unlike the Packers, they have a few more horses to accomplish it. Rookie receiver DK Metcalf has slowly expanded his repertoire as a receiver, adding production on comebacks, slants and out routes. He’s most lethal as a downfield threat, however. His 6-4 frame and 4.33 speed make for tough one-on-one battles. Wilson is one of the best touch throwers in football and often places enough loft on the ball to allow his receivers to adjust. The Packers will have to account for the downfield play-action throws. Look to see if the Seahawks add an additional lineman to max protect Wilson. These long-developing routes only happen if the Packers can’t move Wilson off his spot.
• The Seahawks are now without Mychal Kendricks for the rest of the year and in his place is Cody Barton, a 2019 third-round pick out of Utah. A former safety, Barton may struggle in run support but provides perhaps a coverage upgrade over Kendricks. It’ll be interesting to see if the Packers test Barton with someone like Danny Vitale, who’s versatility will sooner or later burn a defense when he bluffs an isolation block on linebacker only to run down the seam.
• Across the board, the Seahawks offensive line is OK. Right tackle Germaine Ifedi struggled mightily against Nick Bosa in Week 17, and it’s safe to expect much of them against the likes of Za’Darius Smith. Starting left tackle Duane Brown is hurt, and the interior guys struggled to handle Fletcher Cox last week. A healthy Kenny Clark could create havoc.
• On the defensive side, the Seahawks’ line is built behind Poona Ford and Jarran Reed, both of whom are solid players who can clog rush lanes and shrink the pocket. They’re not homewreckers, however, which should give Aaron Rodgers time in the pocket. Aside from the aforementioned Jadeveon Clowney, the Packers should be able to trust their guys in one-on-one situations.

The Green Bay Packers are headed to Detroit on Sunday to play a Lions team that has lost eight straight games. With a win, the Packers can clinch a first-round bye and open up the possibility of securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Matt Patricia’s Lions are limping to the finish line. After losing five straight games by one score, the Lions have been outscored by 42 points over the last three games – all losses by two scores or more.

Matt LaFleur and the Packers are coming off an emotional win and have had a challenging week logistically. There will be mental and physical challenges facing the visitors, but this is a game the Packers should win comfortably if they avoid self-inflicted errors.

The Lions are starting a third-string rookie quarterback, lack a consistent running game, are missing weapons in the passing game and have a non-existent pass-rush.

The Packers know what’s at stake. There’s a chance to have a week off and host a game in the divisional round by beating a team that hasn’t won since October and is heading for a top-five draft pick slotting.

No team in the NFL can be overlooked, and the Packers shouldn’t look past a road game inside the division. But LaFleur’s team, now 12-3 and division champions, are double-digit favorites for a reason.

Onto the film notes:

• Lions quarterback David Blough is a fearless young player who can make throws with accuracy when provided a clean platform, but his feel in the pocket needs a lot of work. Things get really messy for him once he starts to feel pressure. The Packers can expect him to run himself into a few sacks, especially if they get him uncomfortable early.
• The Packers won’t underestimate Kenny Golladay. A dynamic receiver, he’s burned the Packers defense too many times in recent years. He has 1,100 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on only 62 catches this season. The Lions like getting him opportunities to use his size and athleticism to win downfield in the vertical passing game. With Marvin Jones and T.J. Hockenson both on IR, veteran slot Danny Amendola is probably Blough’s top secondary target.
• The Lions are still physical up front on defense. They held their own early in Denver against the run, but the Broncos stuck with it, wore out the front and eventually ripped off a few big gains late in the game. The Packers did the same to the Vikings on Monday night.
• Running back Bo Scarborough is a tough, upright runner. He’ll get what’s blocked and not much more. He lacks a dynamic quality. Expect him to share the load with Kerryon Johnson, the original starter who returned last week after spending eight weeks on IR.
• The Lions have allowed 31 touchdown passes in 2019. They have effective man-to-man corners, but the Broncos found a lot of success throwing to the middle of the field. Using the play-action passing game to clear inexperienced linebackers from passing lanes really worked for the Broncos.
• Returner Jamal Agnew is a shifty player with good vision and acceleration. His punt return for a touchdown in Denver was a terrific individual effort. The Lions may need a big play or two on special teams to spring the upset.
• The Lions’ pass-rush is anchored by Trey Flowers and Devon Kennard, who have combined for 14 sacks and 34 quarterback hits in 2019 – or roughly the same production as the Packers have received from Za’Darius Smith this season. They’re a physical duo, but the Lions remain one of the worst pass-rushing teams in football. Aaron Rodgers will have time on Sunday. Flowers and nose tackle Damon Harrison are Detriot’s best players up front.
• This could be the week to feed Aaron Jones and the running backs in the passing game. The Lions are really hurting at linebacker, and they’ve struggled to cover running backs all season. Getting Jones in space on turf could create explosive gains.

Monday’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings is another installment of “stoppable force meets movable object.”

Kirk Cousins can’t win on Monday Night Football – Cousins has zero wins in eight contests.

The Packers also can’t win at Minnesota’s new U.S. Bank Stadium. The glass architecture hasn’t been just a bird killer; it’s also served as a Packer killer, too.

One of those streaks has to end. So which one will?

After a disappointing 8-7-1 record in 2018, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer took over the offensive reins and hired Gary Kubiak to oversee the rebuilding of the run game. Zimmer received heavy criticism early in the season for his stubborn insistence on featuring running back Dalvin Cook over the likes of Stefon Diggs and Adam Theilen in the passing game. At this point, though, Zimmer appears vindicated.

Like the Packers, the Vikings prefer to attack defenses with a zone rushing attack and utilize play action off of it. As a result, Kirk Cousins is playing some of his best football of his career. Combined with the sixth-ranked defense, the Vikings are once again a playoff-caliber football team.

In a sense, if there’s one thing the Vikings have that the Packers lack is a clear offensive identity. Zimmer’s mandate to run the ball has given his team a clear foundation and approach, perhaps the thing the Packers are still searching for as their offense ebbs and flows between dynamic and lethargic.

On Monday, the Packers will once again get to see if the “ugly” approach can  – like a cockroach at Chernobyl or a Travolta at a disco – keep their winning ways staying alive.

Either way, Monday will be a great test for this Packers team. They’ve exceeded expectations up to this point. Can they level up one more time? The NFC North is on the line.

Film notes

• Middle linebacker Eric Kendricks is such an important part of the Vikings’ defense. He’s instinctual and fast. He closes space on runs to the perimeter. Kendricks’ range versus Aaron Jones will be a cat-and-mouse game to watch.
• Rookie tight end Irv Smith Jr. is receiving more attention from Kirk Cousins. Though Kyle Rudolph is the veteran who’s the better blocker, Smith can stretch the field and serves as a useful red zone option.
• The Vikings’ offensive approach is sound. They’re a dedicated zone run scheme, and they frequently use play-action off the run. Cousins plays well within the structure of the offense, though he’s still capable of making the type of silly mistakes that could make extending him in Minnesota harder than it needs to be.
• To that point, Cousins has arguably had a better season than Aaron Rodgers, and one reason why is that he’s quick to throw the ball, getting it into his playmakers’ hands.
• As aforementioned, Cousins can throw some head-scratchers. Against the Chargers, he tossed a ball right into the arms of a defensive lineman on a screen. He should have lived to see another play as the Chargers had a good read on the Vikings’ intentions. An opportunistic Packers’ defense should have its opportunities.
• The Vikings have two good edge rushers, but the Packers’ biggest concern is Danielle Hunter. If he hasn’t taken the mantle as the teams’ best pass rusher, Hunter should have it now. He’s fast and powerful. He drove the Chargers’ right tackle into the face of Philip Rivers, causing a fumble, which was returned for a touchdown.
• Cousins likes throwing those 10-yard stick routes on the hash. They’re quick reads, and given the Packers’ inability to cover the middle of the field, it’s safe to think the safety valves will be there.
• Third-string running back Michael Boone could realistically carry the load for the Vikings on Monday with Dalvin Cook out and second-string running back Alexander Mattison’s status uncertain. Boone has good burst. He’s not as smooth through the hole as Cook, but, as third-string running backs go, you could do a lot worse. He’s shifty in traffic and plays with enough muscle to break arm tackles and run through corners.
• Mike Zimmer’s defense plays assignment-sound football. Both Kendricks and fellow off-ball linebacker Anthony Barr react to their coverage assignments quickly. Kendricks covered up Austin Ekeler last weekend down the field, which is a testament to his coverage ability. Ekeler gave the Packers’ fits this season.
• The Chargers found success when they could get a receiver covered by weakside linebacker Eric Wilson. Look for Matt LaFleur to try to create similar matchups when the Vikings go with three off-ball linebackers.
• Something to keep an eye one: the Vikings are relying more upon second-year corner Mike Hughes and Trae Waynes. Xavier Rhodes is getting older and has struggled with injuries. The Vikings’ pass defense ranks 20th in the league. The secondary is probably why.

Sunday’s contest will feature a 9-3 Green Bay Packers team against its inverse, the 3-9 Washington Redskins.

While the Redskins will use the final stretch of games as a foundation on which to build momentum for the offseason, the Packers are to use theirs as a launching pad for the playoffs.

It’s Sunday, then, that the playoff-bound Packers shouldn’t just take care of business at home, but they should hope to do it in style.

Yes, style points do not matter in the win-loss column. Yet, in the sense that a moral victory or six can galvanize a team for a stretch run (i.e. “run the table”), a complete, team victory – something that has been elusive for the Packers this year – could help set the tone for pre-playoff football.

What does that mean, exactly?

It begins by the Packers asserting their willpower over a respectable Redskins defense that ranks 21st in points and 19th in yards. From the jump, the Packers need to show that they’re in sync, like they did for stretches against Minnesota, Dallas and Oakland. The ground game and passing game need to complement one another, not acting as individual departments that demonstrate little cooperation with one another.

On defense, the Packers match up well against the Redskins in the sense that Washington has one of the worst red zone offenses in football while the Packers have one of the best on defense. They’ll have their turnover opportunities, too. Still, the Packers have plenty of room for improvement. They’re giving up the fourth-most yards per play, and they’re ranked in the bottom third in adjusted net yard per pass attempt, which takes into account sacks, yards and interceptions.

The Packers should win this game, easily, because of the talent disparity alone. More to the point, however, is the fact that the Packers need to show marked improvement after getting KO’d in San Francisco two weeks ago. Need may be a strong word, but the Packers should be playing their best ball by late December. They’ve been measured and found short in the NFC pecking order. Some momentum and confidence via coherent, complementary football could change that.

Film notes

• Rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins indeed plays the position like a rookie without a solid pass-blocking offensive line. He can be accurate. However, he’s slow through his progressions, lacks awareness in the pocket, and possesses inconsistent ball placement. When he feels pressured, he’ll lose his eye placement and it seemingly takes him some time to relocate his targets. Pressure for the Packers will likely be the source of turnovers.
• Expect a heavy dose of second-year running back Derrius Guice and future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson. Given the pass blocking woes, interim head coach Bill Callahan will likely try to win one inch at a time. Peterson still runs with fire despite running backs aging in dog years. Guice’s game is power.
• Rookie wide receiver Terry McClaurin is the team’s best receiver, which is also an indictment against their receiving depth. Still, McLaurin is a good one. He has 4.35 speed and runs precise routes, the type of player who has given cornerback Kevin King fits this year.
• The second receiving option is another rookie, Kelvin Harmon. Though Harmon isn’t fleet of foot (4.60 40-yard dash), he’s a slightly bigger target (6-2, 215) for Haskins, and he’ll be able to create separation with size. The Packers would be wise to either double McLaurin or have Jaire Alexander shadow him.
• Outside of the rookie receivers, the third, fourth, and fifth are tight end Jeremy Sprinkle and receivers Trey Quinn and Paul Richardson. All three appear like JAGs at this point.
• The Redskins’ offensive line, particularly on the edges, is a weak point. This is the type of game where what the Packers do well – rush the passer on the edge – matches nicely with what the Redskins do poorly – protect the quarterback on the edge.
• Washington’s defense has some muscle up front: Rookie Montez Sweat collected 1.5 sacks last week against Carolina. The long, strong and fast first-round pick lacks subtlety in his approach, but he’s learning to refine his pass-rush plan, he plays to his strengths (via length), and he crashes the edge against the run. In the middle, the Redskins have two former Alabama first-rounders, Jonathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne. Allen, in particular, will bounce to a defensive end over the tackle in a 3-4 alignment. He gives them some interior rush.
• While the Redskins went out and spent a pretty penny making Landon Collins one of the NFL’s the highest-paid safety, there isn’t a whole lot of depth in the Washington secondary. Against the Panthers, receivers frequently leaked open; communication issues seemed to be consistent on the back end. Collins is best playing downhill. He has a nose for the ball on blitzes.
• With that said, there’s still some talent and when the assignments are sound, so, too, is the coverage. Washington covered Detroit’s receivers well two weeks ago in their second victory of the season.
• The Redskins get their linebackers involved in the blitz and like to bring pressure in the middle. It might be a good week to get Aaron Jones involved in the middle of the field.

For the second time in three games, the Green Bay Packers played a “burn the tape” game. Against a team likely to compete for a birth into the Super Bowl, the Packers looked like a beaten dog. Under the lights of Levi’s Stadium, they cowered.

But the NFL is a week-to-week league. A few months ago, Patrick Mahomes was a generational quarterback. As of Monday night, Lamar Jackson has become, somehow, more generational in the public psyche. These things ebb and flow.

More importantly, the Packers will be forced to confront some of the fatal flaws that have been papered over with victories. Losses, especially bad ones, are like stepping onto the scale, pre-bowel movement, on the day after Thanksgiving. They’ll make you acknowledge your mistakes and poor decisions.

So what do they need to do to improve? Many things, but they can start by developing a better “get back on track” plan. When the offense has gone dormant this season, it often coincides with an identity switch. Low tempo. Exclusively shotgun. Inside zone run. It’s a lot of what got Mike McCarthy fired, in other words. The Packers need to have better built-in counterpunches.

Though the transitive property isn’t entirely valid, the Niners did struggle in both matchups against the Cardinals this season; while the Cardinals have some up-start talent at quarterback, they’re not on the Packers’ level from a talent standpoint. The Packers may not be as good as the 49ers this year, but the margin probably also isn’t what the score indicated two days ago.

The Packers will get two back-to-back winnable games where they’ll be able to right the ship. The Packers need to be playing their best football in December. Come January, all anyone needs is a chance.

Film notes:

• The Packers’ middle-of-the-field zone defense is, and has been, an abomination this season. On Sunday night, they had few answers for receivers streaking across the field. As the only middle linebacker on the field for all three downs, Blake Martinez is often the culprit. He showed little feel for his zone, and defenders would easily find windows behind him. Matt LaFleur noted Monday that the Packers executed poorly on the Deebo Samuel touchdown, stating poor weakside coverage from the “hook/curl defender,” who from the film looks like Martinez.
• Regarding the flat performance by the Packers’ passing offense, there isn’t one easy answer. Coverage was tight for most of the night. But Rodgers missed throws, too. He moved off his first read too slowly on the deep sideline throw to Davante Adams and had Marcedes Lewis streaking open in the middle. He hesitated on a play-action rollout until the last minute, so Allen Lazard had little green space to work with along the sideline. He also could have given Marquez Valdes-Scantling a better shot in the back of the end zone.
• As a pure thrower, Rodgers is one of the best to ever do it, but he lacks the touch that someone like Russell Wilson possesses in spades. For example, on the aforementioned play-action rollout miss to Lazard, a softer, higher-arcing throw gives the receiver a better chance to adjust; Rodgers could also release the ball sooner, as he prefers firing off low-trajectory missiles in most cases (usually for good reason).
• Predominately a Cover-3 team, the 49ers played a lot more Cover 1 (man) than the Packers had anticipated Sunday. The Packers struggled. Most routes were spread-em-out, one-on-one isolation routes. They didn’t adjust quickly enough to middle crossers or other man-beaters.
• The play-action game has also been somewhat stale in the sense that the team relies too much on one one or two downfield “shot” plays.
• The Packers’ struggles with the Niners’ pass rush perhaps could have been mitigated with greater integration of jet and orbit motion. The Packers found some success on the goal line with Davante Adams’ touchdown “catch” as well as Allen Lazard’s reverse. There were also jet motions that simply helped to freeze the 49ers’ pass rush for a split second. Either way, the Packers have to be more adaptive in-game when their original game plan isn’t working.
• In a game as lopsided as this one, it’s hard to completely question the approach on defense. If the Packers play some form of complementary football, the issues probably don’t appear nearly as catastrophic. Nonetheless, the Packers’ issues on the back end appear one part technique and one part scheme discipline. Kevin King has been picked on all year, and he needs to do a much better job playing to his leverage. The team as a whole also just doesn’t communicate well. There are coverage breakdowns seemingly every week. It might be time to let the athletes play, utilize more man coverage, and risk the big play over the top because the chunk plays are happening anyway.
• It goes without saying, but the offensive line had their lunch handed to them. Corey Linsley played, by far, his worst game of the year. The interior pressure has been a killer for Rodgers in particular.
• The Packers need better answers to pressure. The Cardinals achieved this by moving the pocket and getting the Niners’ edge defenders off their line.

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