Game 1: Green Bay at San Francisco
Posted: Sun Sep 8, 2013 7:07 pm
Five things to watch
MAN IN THE MIDDLE: NT Isaac Sopoaga, 32, started on the 49ers' defensive line for five years. In 2011, GM Trent Baalke signed NT Ian Williams of Notre Dame as a rookie free agent. He played 39 snaps behind Sopoaga in his first two seasons. On March 11, Baalke signed Williams to a two-year extension averaging $1.6 million and containing $2M in guarantees. On March 12, Sopoaga departed as an unrestricted free agent to Philadelphia for $11M over three years ($2M guaranteed). The undersized Williams will start Sunday. "He'll be just fine," one scout said. "He's been developed with the best D-line coach in the business (Jim Tomsula). Trent extended him, and there they sit with a solid starter. He's an athlete that can move his feet. Strong. Got a little bit of pass rush. He has range. He can run. Good player."
SLOW STARTS: Last year, the Packers lost to the 49ers on opening day and were 2-3 after five games. Sluggish starts are nothing new for coach Mike McCarthy's teams. In the first five games of his first seven seasons, McCarthy's teams are 20-15 (.571). On the other hand, his teams are 54-23 (.701) in the final 11 regular-season games of his seven seasons. For the ninth straight year, the Packers rank as the youngest team in the NFC North. Is there a correlation between slow starts and youth? "No," GM Ted Thompson said. "I wouldn't think that. I wasn't aware that we've had slow starts." Thompson also offered thoughts on the Packers scoring the fewest points (37) of any team in the exhibition season. "In a perfect world you'd like to have a couple really well-executed, nice games," he said. "And just so you could keep everybody's feet on the ground you'd like to have a couple bumbling around games. We had a little bit more bumbling around than the really good ones, but I like our roster."
STILL A THREAT: Last season, RB Frank Gore played 19 games. He rushed 321 times for 1,533 yards (4.77), surpassing 100 yards five times. Two of those games came against the Packers: 16-112 on Sept. 9 and 23-119 on Jan. 12. Gore, 30, was the 49ers' third-round draft choice in 2005 after an injury-riddled career at Miami. "He never had home-run speed but he's been pretty darn good for a long time," said one scout. "He's got great contact balance. Great vision. He's a warrior. He wants the football. He's a three-down player. He can run routes. Catches and blocks. Complete guy. With the solid depth they have he doesn't have to be on the field all day. He's kind of taken to that role."
THE SMITHS: Any team that plays the 49ers must deal with powerful DE Justin Smith. He'll be playing across from LT David Bakhtiari and LG Josh Sitton, both of whom will be making their first starts at those positions. "Justin may be the strongest, toughest, fiercest leader in this game," one scout said. "The way he rallies his team. The way he plays and prepares. Wow. He's something. You leave him one-on-one and he'll throw people around." He's part of the NFL's most talented front seven. "They've got the best inside linebackers in the game," another scout said. "They got two guys that can rush from the outside. Those young tackles Green Bay has ... they better be careful. You don't want to get in third-and-long situations. You've got to try to run it against them, as hard as that may be. Be patient. Green Bay will be able to throw on them as long as they can get rid of the ball."
NOT AS GOOD: The 49ers will be without No. 1 WR Michael Crabtree, who had 16 receptions for 195 yards and two TDs in the two Green Bay games, and No. 3 WR Mario Manningham, who caught four for 29 in the 2012 opener before being injured late in the season. Now they have former Raven Anquan Boldin, Kyle Williams, Quinton Patton and Marlon Moore. "Not at this stage Boldin isn't as good as Crabtree," one scout said. "Crabtree was their go-to guy. He could separate. Boldin can't separate. He's physical and will catch it in traffic. I worry about their speed at receiver. I don't think they have much. Now they've got the tight end (Vernon Davis), who can run. But Williams has been hurt. Patton's a rookie. So they're going to try to run it and play-action and read option."
Bob McGinn
Views of the game
BOB McGINN,
Packers beat reporter:
There is weakness on both sides. For Green Bay, it's a revamped offensive line. For San Francisco, it's wide receiver and the secondary. The coaching staff that hides its weakness best will win.
TOM SILVERSTEIN,
Packers beat reporter:
The 49ers will be a better team when they get Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham back. Right now, they're not as diverse because of a lack of receiving options. I think that, along with the Packers' obsession with keeping Colin Kaepernick contained, will be enough for them to pull the upset. Packers 26, 49ers 24.
TYLER DUNNE,
Packers beat reporter:
Green Bay cannot be any less prepared for San Francisco than it was last January. The right players are in house to stay close with the physical 49ers, too. Eddie Lacy's presence is key in a Packers upset.
Packers 31, 49ers 27.
LORI NICKEL,
Packers beat reporter:
San Francisco's talent aside, there are just too many questions about Green Bay. The flip-flop of the guards. The loss of Bryan Bulaga. Mason Crosby's inconsistency. How are Tramon Williams, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, really? Will Jermichael Finley see the single coverage he enjoyed in preseason? Will No. 12 be sacked a ton again this year? Also, maybe I'm the only one skeptical of the identity change and commitment to the running game, but I'll believe it when I see it.
49ers 35, Packers 14.
JEFF MAILLET,
Packer Plus editor:
What's not to like about the 49ers? They have a suffocating defense, a talented young quarterback, a decent rushing attack and a coach who came within 5 yards of leading them to a Super Bowl victory. All this will be too much for a reshuffled Packers offensive line and a defense that has some holes.
49ers 31, Packers 21.
