The Packers signed Alex McGough to the practice squad as a wide receiver and placed Marshawn Lloyd on the Non-Football Injury list due to an appendectomy.  The Packers did not elevate anyone from the practice squad.  Jaire Alexander and Edgerrin Cooper were inactive due to injury.  Kitan Olapado and in a surprise, Jacob Monk, were healthy scratches.  Travis Glover got on the field for the first time this year.  Coby Wooden was listed as questionable but he participated fully in practice on Friday, so the Packers decided not to elevate Jonathan Ford from the practice squad. 

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:

The offensive line leaned on the 49ers and won the battle.  It was not a knockout but it was an easy decision on points.  The holes were not always gaping but there was usually a hole or at least a crease.  The Packers gained 169 yards on 42 carries (4.02-yard average), but in the first half when it mattered most, the Packers gained 125 yards on 23 carries, a 5.43-yard average.  The Packers allowed 2 sacks and a third that statistically was listed as a carry by Love.  All of the sacks were coverage sacks.  Love tried to escape up the middle a few times but San Francisco is too disciplined to allow quarterbacks to scramble up the middle.

RUNNING BACKS:

Josh Jacobs looked like the real deal again.  He forced 15 missed tackles and gained a lot of yards after contact.  Jacobs finished with 106 yards on 26 carries, a 4.08-yard average.  Brooks again got more snaps than Emanuel Wilson but Wilson got more carries.  Wilson gained 41 yards on 9 carries (4.56/carry) and Brooks gained 11 yards on 4 carries (2.75-yard average).  Wilson gained a yard to convert a third down: that was a tough yard and he did it without lineman pushing him from behind.

TIGHT ENDS:

Kraft caught both of his targets for 26 yards and a touchdown.  Kraft had been playing nearly every snap but Sims and Fitzpatrick got on the field more in this game, something that can only help them down the stretch.  Fitzpatrick caught 1 pass for 2 yards.  Sims had no targets.  The Packers played 1.32 tight ends per play on average.  There were a lot of 2 TE sets and some 3 TE sets.

QUARTERBACKS:

Love completed 13 of 23 passes (56.5%) for 163 yards (7.09 yards/attempt) with 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions.  He had a passer rating of 107.7.  Watson dropped what should have been a 49 yard touchdown pass that would have improved Love's stat line.  Love threw some really nice, accurate passes, especially on third downs.   He scrambled one time for 2 yards.

The Packers forced 5 fumbles and recovered 2 of them.  They also intercepted a pass.  The Packers had no turnovers.  The 17 points the Packers scored in the first half all came after long drives.   In the second half, the Packers scored touchdowns on a 3-play, 26-yard drive after an interception by McKinney on a tipped pass, another 3-play, 16 yard drive after Van Ness forced a fumble and Clark recovered at the 16-yard line, and a 10-play, 56-yard drive after a forced fumble by Nixon that was recovered by Brooks.  Love had 2 turnover-worthy passes, including one that should have been intercepted easily, though Watson might have helped Love by playing defense.  On another play, the ball also became separated from Love's body while he was being tackled, but Love was able to double clutch and re-secure the ball before the ball hit the ground.    

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Doubs led the team with 54 receiving yards on 3 receptions, all of which converted third down opportunities. He did have a drop.  Doubs left the game with a head injury of some kind and did not return.  Reed caught all 3 of his targets for 26 yards.  Heath caught 2 passes for 25 yards, including a beautiful 12-yard fade for a touchdown.  Wicks caught 1 of 2 for 25 yards.  Watson did not catch any of his 3 targets, including a perfect pass deep that would have  been a 49 yard touchdown.  Watson did play some defense on one errant pass to help prevent an interception.  

I would like the offense to work in better rhythm.  That is, I would like to see the pass come out when Love's back foot hits the ground on his drop backs.  That requires the first option to be open.  It is nice that Love is able to go through his progressions since the offensive line generally affords him sufficient time to do that, and it is nice to have 4 or 5 quality wide receivers.      

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN:

The Packers held San Francisco to just 44 yards on 16 carries, a 2.75-yard average.  When it mattered most, the Packers only allowed a total of 3 yards on 4 carries in the first half.  The Packers only generated moderate pressure on Brandan Allen.  The snap counts are all pretty evenly spread.  Gary is still obviously the best DE, so the decision to even out those DE snaps is a little surprising.  It is less surprising in Clark's case, though he is still the best DT on the team.  Clark had 2 assisted tackles, a QB hit, and a fumble recovery.  Wooden had 2 solo tackles, including a tackle for loss in a surprising number of snaps.  Brooks had 1 assisted tackle and a fumble recovery.  Slaton had 2 tackles, 1 solo.  

Gary had 2 tackles (1 solo), a sack, a forced fumble, and he had a couple of pressures.  Cox had 1 assisted tackle and a forced fumble.  Enagbare had 2 assisted tackles.  Van Ness had 1 solo tackle, a sack, and a forced fumble.  The Packers only had 3 QB hits and 2 sacks.  That was enough in this game, anyway.  San Francisco was missing LT Trent Williams, who is a difference maker, but they did have 4 of their preferred starters and his replacement, Jaylon Moore, has in the past been a reasonably competent spot starter.  The 49ers got a steal when they drafted rookie RG Dominick Puni with the 86th pick, just two slots ahead of where the Packers took Marshawn Lloyd.  Puni came into the game with an 80.8 PFF grade.

Clark jumped offsides, while Van Ness, and Enagbare clearly lined up in the neutral zone.

LINEBACKERS:

Walker had 7 tackles (6 solo), including 2 tackles for loss, and a pass defensed, which he should have intercepted.  Quay was effective on some blitzes, causing some flushes that padded the stats of other players.  McDuffie had 3 assisted tackles.  Eric Wilson had 3 tackles (1 solo).  Hopper had no defensive statistics but he had a tackle on special teams.

The Packers decided not to elevate Jamin Davis, the former 19th pick in the first round, to replace Edgerrin Cooper's athleticism.  It remains to be seen whether Cooper (hamstring) can return in time for Thursday's game against Miami.

SECONDARY:

McKinney had two enormous plays, an interception and a pass break up on a fourth down play,  McKinney added 3 solo tackles.  Bullard had 7 tackles (6 solo).  Nixon had 3 assisted tackles and a big forced fumble.  Williams had 3 tackles (2 solo).  Valentine and Stokes each had 1 solo tackle.  Stokes often rotated with Valentine, as the Packers continue to give Stokes snaps for reasons unknown.  Anderson and Ballentine had no defensive statistics but Ballentine had a forced fumble on special teams.  

SPECIAL TEAMS:

McManus made a 51-yard field goal and all 5 of his extra points.  Whelan averaged 48.8 yards per punt with 1 inside the 20, but his net was only 38 yards.  

PFF THINKS I AM AN IDIOT (Maybe You Do Too): 

PFF loved this performance.   The top five performances were 1. WR Malik Heath: 92.3; 2. LG Elgton Jenkins: 86.6; 3. RB Josh Jacobs: 86.3; 4. RT Zach Tom: 78.8; 5. RB Emanuel Wilson: 75.9.  Jenkins gave up a sack and had a holding penalty.  PFF has not been kind to Jenkins in recent games.  Wilson forced 3 missed tackles. 

The bottom five were: 1. RG Sean Rhyan: 33.8; 2. WR Christian Watson: 47.1; 3. TE Ben Sims: 55.6; 4. RB Chris Brooks: 57.7; 5. WR Bo Melton: 58.2.  None of these are too surprising.  55.6 is apparently what PFF gives a tight end if his blocking is average and he has no targets.  Rhyan being that low is a little surprising.  Brooks got nicked for the 15-yard tripping penalty.

The top 5 on defense were: 1. LB Quay Walker: 91.4; 2. CB Javon Bullard: 84.9; 3. CB Keisean Nixon: 83.2; 4. DE Lukas Van Ness: 82.9; 5. DE Brenton Cox Jr.: 79.9.  When a team only gives up 10 points, the grades are likely to be good.  Van Ness and Cox surprise me a little.  The secondary did such a good job on the opposing receivers, so I expected to see more of them in the top 5, including McKinney.  Deebo only had 1 reception for 21 yards (and it was on the flea flicker), while Jennings was limited to 40 yards on 7 targets.  Kittle is the only receiver who hurt the Packers, checking in with 82 yards and a touchdown on 6 targets (and 6 receptions).  Their explanations make some sense.  Van Ness had 2 pressures and a strip sack on 10 pass rushing snaps.  Nixon allowed no receptions and had the forced fumble.  I thought Quay had a good game; PFF credited him with 6 run stops though 2 of them were wiped out by penalties.  Bullard was solid in the slot.

The bottom 5 were:  1. CB Carrington Valentine: 29.5; 2. CB Eric Stokes: 47.8; 3. DL Colby Wooden: 48.5; 4. DE Kingsley Enagbare: 54.5; 5. DL Devonte Wyatt: 54.9.  PFF did not think much of Valentine or even Stokes.  PFF indicated that Valentine was responsible for 3 receptions for 68 yards, including Kittle's 31-yard reception.  Kittle was lined up against Valentine and got a step on him, so I suppose.  Stokes gave up no receptions but had the lowest run grade on the team.  Well, that's why he never plays special teams.  Wyatt had a hurry and a QB hit as he turns into a pass rush specialist.  You can see Zach Kruse's full article on the best and worst graded Packers by clicking here.   

Photo courtesy of Dan Powers, USA Today.  

RB: 1.08

TE: 1.32

WR:  2.58

DT:  2.17

DE: 2.09

LB: 2.54 (a big number)

DB: 4.34