Packers’ Aaron Rodgers makes 49ers pay for second quarter gaffes

NFL: In roughly 10 minutes, the 49ers went from driving for a potential go-ahead score to being down and basically out to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers

The San Francisco 49ers stopped the Green Bay Packers’ offense on consecutive drives in the first half, providing a glimmer of hope that despite being severely shorthanded, they could hang around with Aaron Rodgers and company on Thursday night at Levi’s Stadium.

Then the 49ers proceeded to make one critical mistake after another, and Rodgers and the Packers made them pay.

Down by just four points with the ball at midfield, a missed assignment along the 49ers’ offensive line indirectly led to Raven Greene’s game-changing interception of a Nick Mullens’ pass with 11:42 left in the first half. Greene returned the ball to the San Francisco 38.

Rodgers moved the Packers 29 yards down to the 49ers’ 9-yard line. But on third down, a questionable pass interference call on Jason Verrett with 7:05 left before halftime gave the Packers a first down at the 1-yard line. On the next play, Rodgers found a wide open Marcedes Lewis in the end zone for touchdown, giving Green Bay a 14-3 lead after the extra point.

After the 49ers went three-and-out on their next possession, Rodgers went right back to work after Green Bay took over at its own 13. Rodgers moved the ball 35 yards on nine plays, converting two third downs in the process, as the Packers had a first down on their 48-yard-line.

With all kinds of time to throw on first down, Rodgers threw a 52-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to an open Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had raced pass a flat-footed Marcell Harris in the secondary for what would become a 21-3 Green Bay lead.

So in a matter of roughly 10 minutes, the 49ers went from driving for a potential go-ahead score to being down and out to Rodgers and the Packers.

Rodgers in the first half completed 13 of 18 passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns for a quarterback rating of 136.3. Conversely. after Mullens completed six of his first nine passes for 79 yards, he finished the half eight of 16 for 87 yards.

Rodgers would throw his fourth touchdown pass midway through the third quarter, as he found Valdes-Scantling on a 1-yard throw for a 28-3 Green Bay lead.

On the interception that changed the game. Jerick McKinnon was supposed to help Justin Skule block Preston Smith, who got a piece of Mullens’ arm as it came forward.

Injuries have decimated the 49ers in recent days.

Although the 49ers received no positive coronavirus tests Thursday, per a league source, after receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive Wednessay, he and high-risk contacts Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams were out for this game, per NFL and NFL Players Association protocol.

Tight end Jordan Reed was activated off Injured Reserve, and six players were elevated from the practice squad, including running back Austin Walter and wide receivers Kevin White and River Cracraft.

San Francisco was also without Jimmy Garoppolo (high ankle sprain), Tevin Coleman (knee sprain), Raheem Mostert (ankle) and George Kittle (foot).