The Packers faltered for the second time in three games Sunday, with the fact the loss came at Lambeau Field to the Vikings making it especially surprising.
The 49ers stumbled in their own right, dropping a 37-27 decision to the Seahawks that was more lopsided than the final score implies. Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle also went down with ankle injuries, while Tevin Coleman was sidelined by one to the same knee that had just sidelined him for five games.
Kittle and Garoppolo have already been ruled out for Thursday, which naturally plays a large part in Green Bay going from early one-point underdogs to their current status as on the point spread.
When these two teams last met in a January divisional-round game, San Francisco’s defense played a significant role by sacking Aaron Rodgers three times and picking him off twice. Meanwhile, Raheem Mostert’s record-breaking 220-yard, four-touchdown rushing effort allowed Garoppolo to put the ball up just a double-take-worthy eight times.
While Green Bay’s run defense continues to be about as porous – the Packers just allowed 163 rushing yards and three rushing scores to Dalvin Cook – Mostert is still on injured reserve with an ankle sprain. Factoring in another likely absence for Coleman, San Francisco could be down to Jerick McKinnon and JaMycal Hasty in its backfield Thursday with Jeff Wilson (ankle) currently joining Mostert on IR. Meanwhile, the Niners defense is slightly more generous this season with 314.6 yards per game allowed, up from 2019’s NFC-best 284.8 YPG.
Then, Nick Mullens played well in place of Garoppolo in garbage time Sunday with 238 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 343-yard effort in Jimmy G’s stead against the Giants back in Week 3. Nevertheless, a matchup against a Green Bay defense ranked in the top half of the league with 227.6 passing yards per game allowed could prove to be a much stiffer test.
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