SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Aaron Rodgers barely recognized this version of the San Francisco 49ers from the team that dominated Green Bay twice last season. But that doesn't mean he was going to let up.
Rodgers passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers overwhelmed the undermanned 49ers 34-17 on Thursday night.
"It was a different game," Rodgers said. "They're obviously depleted on both sides of the ball. They've had probably one of the worst injury years I've seen in a long time, so it's not the same football team we saw twice last year, but they still have possibly the best middle linebacker in the game and a lot of pride. We went out and executed the way we expected to."
Rodgers connected on deep shots to Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and a short toss to Marcedes Lewis in the first half to push the Packers (6-2) out to a 21-3 lead over the Niners (4-5).
It was quite a reversal from the two meetings last season, when San Francisco outscored Green Bay by a combined 50-0 in the first halves on the way to lopsided wins in the regular season and NFC Championship Game.
The rematch looked nothing like those games in part because the Niners were missing almost all their key pieces from the game because of injuries and a positive coronavirus test for receiver Kendrick Bourne that also sidelined three of his teammates for "high risk" contacts.
That left San Francisco without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, All-Pro tight end George Kittle, NFC Championship Game star running back Raheem Mostert, receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, left tackle Trent Williams and key defenders Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Richard Sherman.
"We knew it was going to be a challenge," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I still thought we could have a game. ... I know we could have done better."
