49ers lead Packers at halftime at cold Lambeau Field
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has a history -– albeit a short one -– of terrorizing the Green Bay Packers with his athleticism and versatility. Kaepernick is again showcasing those strengths this afternoon at Lambeau Field, sparking the 49ers to a 13-10 halftime lead.
But the Packers have their own playmaking quarterback. And with Aaron Rodgers beginning to heat up, a back-and-forth first-round NFC playoff showdown in Green Bay could go down to the wire with both quarterbacks looking to produce in the clutch.
Late in the first half, with pressure coming, Kaepernick delivered the game’s longest gain so far, tucking and bolting though an opening up the middle. The third-year quarterback’s speed left a horde of Packer defenders in his wake and produced a 42-yard run.
Two snaps later, running back Frank Gore took an inside handoff and rumbled 10 yards up the middle for the go-ahead touchdown, putting the 49ers ahead 13-7.
Kaepernick finished the first half 8-for-15 passing for 117 yards while rushing for 47 yards.
Rodgers, meanwhile, led the Packers to scores on their final two possessions of the half. In his first action at Lambeau Field since fracturing his collarbone Nov. 4 against the Chicago Bears, Rodgers delivered a pretty 5-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson with 5:50 left in the second quarter. That capped an impressive 14-play, 70-yard drive after the Packers had gone three-and-out on their first three drives.
Green Bay finished the first half with a nine-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Mason Crosby’s 34-yard field goal as time expired. Rodgers finished the first half 11-for-15 for 97 yards with that TD pass to Nelson.
The 49ers took an early 6-0 lead with a combination of stingy defense and ball control offense. The Packers had three-and-outs on their first three possessions, with Rodgers not getting his first completion until less than 12 minutes remained in the first half.
But two lengthy 49er drives in the first quarter ended in short field goals of 22 and 25 yards by kicker Phil Dawson, missed opportunities with San Francisco failing to put the Packers into a deeper deficit.
A week after stunning the Chicago Bears with a last-minute 48-yard touchdown pass to win the NFC North, Rodgers and the Packers were looking to use that momentum and their heightened offensive confidence to create some playoff magic.
The pre-game buzz in Green Bay centered mostly around the weather forecast, with temperatures projected to be near 10 degrees below zero by night’s end and wind chills approaching minus-50, according to the National Weather Service.
That seemingly gave the Packers a bit of home freeze advantage. But the 49ers are also built for the elements thanks to a tough defense and a consistent running attack. And they entered the afternoon with plenty of confidence after rolling over the Green Bay defense in each of their last two meetings. In the season opener in September, Kaepernick threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-28 win in San Francisco as the 49ers rolled up 494 total yards and also got a big game from receiver Anquan Boldin (13 catches, 208 yards, one TD).
In last season’s playoffs, the 49ers met even less resistance, barreling their way to a 38-24 win with 579 total yards. Kaepernick’s versatility was again a huge factor as he rushed for 181 yards and two scores while also passing for 263 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
But the Packers hoped Rodgers’ return would energize an upset bid. After missing seven games with a fractured collarbone, the Packers quarterback went 25-for-39 for 318 yards, including two TD passes and two interceptions in last week’s 33-28 defeat of the Bears.
Rodgers’ most memorable throw against the Bears, of course, was his 48-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb on fourth-and-8 with 46 seconds left, a magical moment that propelled Green Bay into the postseason, even after they had only won twice in Rodgers’ absence.
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