2020 NFL Week 9: Packers vs. 49ers Preview and Prediction

Before anything else, Packer fans, lets clear the air...losing to the Minnesota ViQueens at Lambeau Field last Sunday stunk, didn't it? For as on track as they seemed, at least on offense, in the first half, everything just flopped in the second half. The defense is the Achilles Heel of this team. They had no pass rush, no run defense, and looked like a JV team playing the varsity. And it was the Vikes! And another game without any takeaways from the defense. C'mon, man!

Enough about that horrible game. And a chance for quick redemption tonight in San Francisco ... or Santa Clara, to be more geo-precise.

Packers RB Dexter Williams may well get the lion's share of

handoffs in tonight's game against the Niners.

(Photo by Dan Powers, Dan Powers/USA Today Network-Wis)

On a short week, and traveling to the West Coast to boot, the good news is that the Packers will be taking on a decimated 49ers team. Depending upon who you listen to, the Niners will have only three starters from last year's NFC Championship game on the field tonight. They have been hit extremely hard by injuries. Of course, the Pack has its own set of important players who either won't be playing tonight or are likely not to play. They are especially short-handed at running back as Aaron Jones is still listed as questionable. Jamaal Williams is out, as is A.J. Dillon. Dexter Williams may be the featured running back tonight.

One bit of good news on the receiver front is that Allen Lazard was on the team plane yesterday; he hadn't travelled recently as he was recovering from his injury. Head coach Matt LaFleur said yesterday that Lazard was "very close" to returning. Even if just running occasional routes as a decoy, that might help open up Davante Adams a bit. And, let's be honest, none of the other receivers have grasped the brass ring of opportunity during Lazard's absence. So his return to the field would be a boost, for sure.

On the defensive side of things for the Pack, the Niners schemes on offense seem to work no matter who they have at running back, quarterback or receiver. San Fran has defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's number. Complicating matters is the Pack's lack of depth right now at inside linebacker. Along with no pass rush, no tackling and no turnover capability.

But when push comes to shove...

The Prediction

When push comes to shove, the Packers still have Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams on the field. They don't play defense, granted, but we have to believe that as off as the Packers are in terms of personnel availability they still have more right now than do the Niners.

Apparently, the oddsmakers agree, favoring the Packers by 7 points. We never like these big spreads as it seems as if the Pack nearly always underperform in such situations.

With much trepidation, we still see it going Packers 24 - 49ers 17.

Go Pack Go!!!