Expectations of a battle became minimal and aggravating for Green Bay.
The visiting Packers showed up in its armor. Still, they found it challenging to keep pace as it fell behind 27-0 and lost 37-20 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers secured its first trip to the Super Bowl since 2012.
The Packers drew within 14 points after quarterback Aaron Rogers hooked up with receiver Davante Adams for a 65 yard pick up at the 49ers 12. Two plays later, tight end Jace Sternberger stood on the receiving end of Roger’s touchdown strike, helping the Packers close the gap, 34-20 with 8:13 remaining. Its best drive of the evening, 92 yards.
Although that was not enough as Green Bay’s defense had no solution for running back Raheem Mostert, who rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, the most by a player since 1963, and 220 total yards rank second in postseason.
Also, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who only attempted eight passes, connected with tight end George Kittle for 19 yards at the 46 to keep the decisive series alive. It ultimately ended on Robbie Gould’s 42-yard field goal to extend the 49ers score, 37-20, with 3:31 left.
Garoppolo was 6-of-8 and 77 passing yards.
On a day the Packers lacked muster and the reality of facing one of the top defensive lines in the NFL, snowballed. Many things went south. Rogers suffered a sack, hurried several times, fumbled the ball three times, and threw two interceptions.
Though the Packers struggled offensively, it attained the offense it lacked in the second half. It scored on its first three possessions, but by then, San Francisco had the game well in hand.
Rogers concluded the day, passing for 326 yards on 31-of-39-2 and two touchdowns. Adams reeled in nine receptions for 138 yards.
The 49ers (13-3) wasted little time, marching 89 yards on its second possession of the game and led 27-0 at the half. Mostert split the Packers defense and sprinted 36 yards to the end zone to put San Francisco up 7-0 following the extra point kick.
The margin widened when Gould drilled a 54-yard field goal as the 49ers led, 10-0 with 14:55 in the second quarter.
Following, Green Bay set up shop at its 25, but the 49ers defense stood up to the task, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley dropped running back Aaron Jones for a three-yard loss after Rogers short pass. Then K’Waun Williams blasted in on a corner bliss and stripped Rogers of the ball, but a Green Bay lineman recovered the loose ball. Yet, it forced a fourth down and led to a punt which netted only 20 yards, giving San Francisco a short field to work with at the Green Bay 37.
Mostert ripped off 23 yards on three carries to jump-start the frame and capped it with a nine-yard touchdown run with 9:12 left in the second quarter. The 49ers led 17-0 after Gould’s bonus kick.
Green Bay continued its first-half mistakes after Rogers completed a 23-yard pass to receiver Jake Kumerow and Jones ran downhill for 27 yards on four carries to the San Francisco’s 25-yard line. But Rogers fumbled the ball on the next play, and the 49ers recovered at its 25.
That led to Gould’s 27-yard field goal with 1:57 left in the first half.
After, Rogers suffered his second turnover of the game when he threw an interception to Emanuel Moseley, who returned it eight yards to the Packers 30-yard line.
Again San Francisco capitalized on the turnover when Mostert slipped through a crease and raced 18 yards to paydirt with 45 seconds left before intermission. That increased the score, 27-0.
After failing to make the playoffs the previous two seasons, Green Bay will look to add to its accomplishments next year.
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