Aaron Rodgers was sensational throughout, completing 23 of 33 throws for 261 yards and two touchdowns; 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was 25 of 20 passing, for 257 yards and two TDs, but also threw an interception and lost a fumble
Monday 27 September 2021 10:58, UK
The Green Bay Packers edged out the San Francisco 49ers 30-28 in a Sunday Night Football thriller as Mason Crosby kicked a game-winning 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who had raced out into a 17-0 lead late in the first half, left it late to clinch victory after a second-half San Francisco comeback.
The 49ers edged ahead by one point with only 37 seconds left in the game as Jimmy Garoppolo found Kyle Juszczyk for a 12-yard touchdown, but that was still plenty time for Rodgers and co to get the job done.
Even with no timeouts remaining, Rodgers found favourite target Davante Adams - who had 132 yards receiving and a TD off his 12 catches on the night - for two big completions to move Green Bay into field goal range, with Crosby then doing the honours.
Rodgers was sensational throughout the game, completing 23 of 33 throws for 261 yards and two touchdowns. His counterpart, Niners quarterback Garoppolo, shook off a shaky first half in which the team punted three times, he was picked off once and rookie competition Trey Lance ran in for their only score, to led his team back in the second.
Garoppolo was 25 of 20 passing, for 257 yards and two TDs, and though he did fumble the football with the 49ers down by three with five minutes to go, he then led them down the field for what looked to be the game-winning score on the next series - only to leave Rodgers a little bit too much left on the clock.
49ers
Green Bay controlled most of the first half as Rodgers picked apart San Francisco's defense, while their own was much improved on their showings through the first two weeks of the season.
Crosby ended the Packers' first possession with a somewhat prophetic field goal fired through the uprights from over 50 yards out. On their next series, Rodgers made it 10-0 by hitting Adams in the endzone from a yard out.
Green Bay missed out on the chance to add further to their lead after Jaire Alexander picked off Garoppolo early in the second quarter; going for it on 4th-and-1 from the San Francisco three-yard line, Rodgers threw incomplete on a pass intended for Randall Cobb to see the Packers turn the ball over on downs.
They weren't made to wait long to get their desired 17-point lead, however, as Aaron Jones powered over from three yards out with one minute remaining in the half. But the 49ers offense finally sparked into life with a Trenton Cannon 68-yard return off the resulting kick-off and Lance applied the finishing touch for their opening score just before the break.
San Francisco suddenly had the momentum early in the second half as Garoppolo picked out Brandon Aiyuk for an eight-yard score on their opening possession to pull them to within just three of the Packers.
The two teams traded in TDs early in the fourth quarter - Rodgers with a 12-yard toss to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Niners rookie running back Trey Sermon going in from the goal line - before the late drama played out, starting with Jimmy G's fumble.
That set up the second of Crosby's three field goals on the night, this one from 38 yards to stretch Green Bay's lead to six, before Garoppolo fired back with his second touchdown pass to see San Francisco in front for the first time in the game inside the final minute.
But then up stepped Rodgers with a couple of key completions to pace the way for Crosby's game-winning kick.
It was vintage Rodgers throughout this Sunday night contest, as he picked apart a flimsy San Francisco secondary at will. Adams, as always, was a superb foil for his QB and topped 100 yards, finding the endzone to boot. Crosby too showed nerves of steel with his clutch kick at the end.
As for the 49ers, it was a case of what could have been, especially for Garoppolo. The 29-year-old quarterback played well, especially in the second half, but still threw a few too many errant balls and, with rookie Fields waiting in the wings, he will be nervously looking over his shoulder after not quite getting his team over the line.
The Packers (2-1) are back at home, hosting an out-of-form Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) outfit which has just lost its last two straight. As for the 49ers (2-1), they are back at Levi's Stadium as they look to get their first home win of the season over NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks (1-2) in a crucial divisional matchup.
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