3 Takeaways from Packers’ Week 9 Steal
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Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press
The Green Bay Packers manhandled the San Francisco 49ers in all aspects of the game on Thursday evening to near again remote from Levi’s Stadium with a 34-17 victory.
The victory modified into as soon as the fourth double-digit take of the season for the Packers, who took alter of the contest on the first drive.
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams tousled for the first scoring play and continued to full hurt against the 49ers secondary all evening.
The extra necessary facet of the passing game modified into as soon as Marquez Valdes-Scantling getting concerned to present Rodgers a secondary goal in the again of Adams.
If Valdes-Scantling takes the boldness won from Thursday’s efficiency and uses it to manufacture extra performs in the second half of the season, the Packers also can have some form of dynamic duo in the passing game.
Defensively, Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith came up with a few immense performs that the Packers have been ready anxiously to glimpse them fabricate.
If those two playmakers employ Thursday as a catalyst for the the leisure of the season, the Packers also can honest be one of essentially the most awful teams in the postseason.
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Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press
Rodgers and Adams have been performing at a excessive level that few quarterback-broad receiver combinations in the NFL will seemingly be ready to envision this season.
Adams introduced in 10 of his 12 targets for 173 yards and a touchdown. He has three 150-yard performances in six appearances.
Within the final three weeks, Rodgers and Adams combined for 422 yards and six scoring performs. Adams has 30 receptions on 39 targets in that span.
On Thursday, Adams produced 52 extra receiving yards than the the leisure of his teammates and modified into as soon as one of two broad receivers with better than one reception.
A 150-yard clip also can honest now not be attainable for every of the final eight games, nevertheless so long as Adams will get a excessive price of targets, he will seemingly be in verbalize to threaten the quit defensive backs on any group.
If Valdes-Scantling and others provide purple meat up beneath Adams on the depth chart, it’s going to also honest force opponents to focal point extra on those players and originate up one-on-one matchups in definite conditions for Green Bay’s top broad out.
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Tony Avelar/Associated Press
Green Bay is now not going to be ready to take the championship by relying on a single receiver.
At some point, an opposing protection will near up with the suitable game thought to restrict Adams’ production, or he will scurry into a one-on-one matchup that he can not shake.
Valdes-Scantling threw his hat in the ring to be the legit No. 2 goal in the again of Adams on the depth chart on Thursday.
Valdes-Scantling hauled in two touchdowns. The principle modified into as soon as a 52-yard reference to Rodgers whereby he burned a defensive again off field. The second came off a wonderfully scurry route into the correct nook of the tip zone.
His production modified into as soon as well-known with Allen Lazard unable to play and the tight quit group now not doing noteworthy outside of Marcedes Lewis’ second-quarter touchdown grab.
Within the 2 games ahead of Thursday, Valdes-Scantling had one reception on 5 targets for 19 yards. He has now not had four receptions in a single game since Week 4.
Valdes-Scantling nonetheless desires to position in work to turn into a probability in the center of drives, and now not correct a immense-play or purple-zone goal, nevertheless Thursday’s efficiency can have to nonetheless give him a well-known boost of self assurance.
If Rodgers displays extra have faith in Valdes-Scantling spirited ahead, it’s going to also flip across the dreadful outcomes he produced in the second half of the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He has a single 50-yard game after Week 9 in the final two seasons.
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Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press
Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith took good thing about Trent Williams’ absence on the San Francisco offensive line and compelled Nick Mullens essentially the most out of any Green Bay defenders.
The Smiths have been the single Green Bay players to have just a few quarterback hits and so they have been every guilty for making a turnover.
Preston Smith made a large hit on Mullens off the left edge in the second quarter that allowed Raven Greene to intercept a floating cross that the San Francisco quarterback launched as he modified into as soon as going down.
Za’Darius Smith thrived off the the same edge to force a strip sack and enhance a fumble in the third quarter.
The stress precipitated by the Smiths produced the first multi-turnover game of the season for the Green Bay protection. The Packers forced four takeaways in their opening seven contests.
If the defensive duo uses Thursday’s efficiency as a springboard to bag extra stress on opposing mark-callers and force turnovers, Green Bay also can honest be even extra of a probability in the NFC.
A yr in the past, the Packers forced three or extra turnovers in 5 games and executed the licensed-season with a 5-game takeaway shuffle.
Green Bay also can honest be in a immense verbalize to originate up a turnover shuffle because it faces Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Chicago and Philadelphia in the next four games. Carson Wentz, Nick Foles and Philip Rivers all inferior in the top 10 in interceptions and the Jaguars also can honest be the employ of a backup in Week 10.
Practice Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Pro Soccer Reference.