Last week, the 49ers’ front four faced an immobile obelisk who couldn’t even begin to escape them. This week, they’re facing a 36-year-old who is far more spry than granny.
One of the things that became obvious when watching the Week 12 game between the Packers and 49ers is that Aaron Rodgers can outrun and outmaneuver Nick Bosa and company. That’s precisely what the Packers need to have Rodgers do tonight, all night.
It’s a simple concept that screams out from the footage of the first game between the two teams. Rodgers needs to bail out of the pocket before the pocket begins to collapse, it’s usually too late for him to accelerate away from a tackler. If he can get moving before the walls begin to close in around him, Rodgers can keep the play alive and avoid being devoured because he’s simply too nimble and elusive for the pass rushers to track down.
If Rodgers does it throughout the game, there’s another potential benefit that will emerge, apart from him not being repeatedly sacked. By the fourth quarter, the 49ers’ pass rushers could be feeling more gassed than Rocky chasing that chicken, before he got in shape.
Watch for that throughout the game. If the Packers keep Rodgers moving, they’ll have a much greater chance at pulling off an upset in only the fourth of 161 games started by Rodgers in which Green Bay is an underdog of seven or more points.